322823 - Installer should add shortcut link to (root) Profile directory in Firefox's Start Menu program folder

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Installer, enhancement)

Description

[RenegadeX]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8) Gecko/20051111 Firefox/1.5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8) Gecko/20051111 Firefox/1.5

This is a simple Feature Enhancement request for the Firefox installer to add a shortcut in the Firefox Start Menu program folder that links to the root of the Profiles directory (%AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles).

The main reason I believe this will be beneficial:
- If you take a look on Mozillazine, or any Firefox messageboard or newsgroup, one of the most common instructions given by someone offering tech support to a user in need is "go to your Profile folder and...." which then usually requires the addition of:
"You can find your Profile by going to ........." - where they either write out the long:
c:\documents and settings\[WindowsAccountName]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[ProfileName]\
.. or give a link to the mozilla.org support page that shows how to locate ones profile.

Of course, they could just put %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles but that usually requires a "copy the above line, right-click on Start, choose, Explore and then paste it in the address bar (you do have that turned on right?)"...

Instructing a user to simply click the link in their Start Menu Firefox folder would be much easier!

Reproducible: Always




(While we're at it, putting a shortcut called 'Firefox Profiles Directory' in the program files install directory would also be beneficial).

Comment 1

[Benjamin Smedberg]

Absolutely no way. Profiles should not be exposed to end users.

Comment 2

[RenegadeX]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Absolutely no way. Profiles should not be exposed to end users.

My response to that:
Q from Joe Average:
"How do I remove some searchplugins that I installed in Firefox 1.5?
I looked in the c:\program files\mozilla\firefox\searcbplugins folder but don't see them. Help!!!"

I could give 20 other good reasons why Joe Average will at some point in time want to visit his Profile folder. This ain't Internet Explorer where you get what you're given and that's it!

Comment 3

[Benjamin Smedberg]

Joe User can install the "SearchPluginHacks" extension to remove searchplugins.

Comment 4

[Bur]

> I could give 20 other good reasons why Joe Average will at some point in time
> want to visit his Profile folder. This ain't Internet Explorer where you get
> what you're given and that's it!

True, but I think anyone who has enough knowledge to bustle around their profile folder can also be told where to find that folder. It's not that much work, imo, like you said "%AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" is enough. And on the other hand, putting a link in the star menu will almost certainly make some people who don't have any clue what a profile folder is, just click it out of curiosity and maybe damage something.

Comment 5

[RenegadeX]

(In reply to comment #3):
If Firefox (app) allows me to install searchplugins, it should allow me to uninstall them as well without having to hunt down an extension. But that's another issue..

(In reply to comment #4)

Yeah - and the beauty of it is when the willy-nilly deleter cries for help, you can tell them to don't stop - continue what you're good at. The beauty of the Profile structure is that you can delete the entire Profile folder and Firefox will still start up. Well, of course Mr. Willy Nilly will have to create a new Profile and start from scratch, but he's got to learn not to mess with files some time..

Firefox is all about customization, and until Chromedit is a standard component of Firefox, until the Bookmarks Manager features a (Import menu) 'Restore backup file' option, until there's a 'revert to last working configuration' in the Profile Manager, and until there is a SearchPlugin uninstaller built-in to Firefox, users are likely to have a need to explore their Profile folder sooner or later. And once the cat's out of the bag... well, then - all bets are off. Kiss the Profile goodbye! Right?

I concede the decision, but I started a thread on Mozillazine for further discussion, if anyone's interested: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=365210