robzand - Latest Comments in firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Telugu Movie — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:24:56 -0000

last 2 years i have used dropbox..it is very useful..

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Windows Masochist — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:10:51 -0000

How can one overcome "file in use" errors on windoze?

to allow real-time sync with a dropbox [3rd party] sync utility?

assume master profile lives on a windoze box
slave profiles on ubuntu, windoze xp, windoze 7

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Ephestione — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:18:28 -0000

Having a dropbox account for work and hobby use and having grown fond of the service, I wold have loved to setup such a system, which is alas impossible to do in security.
There is no way to transparently encrypt profile data while upping to dropbox, and I'm not personally okay with having clear data about logins and sessions on a dropbox folder.
There is a fine extension though, called firefox sync, that lets you do exactly that.

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

homburg — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:47:44 -0000

It's great to start firefox up on a newly installed machine and have all your addons installed :-)

The Dropfox addon works great for small adjustements between OS's and computers.

I added:

user_pref( "browser.cache.disk.parent_directory", "${HOME}/tmp" )

To my "shared" prefs file: dropfox.linux.js

This way the my firefox cache location depends on the environment of that particalur machine.

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Ollie Treend — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:00:04 -0000

I have to say, I did try this and it seemed a pretty clever idea. Everything seemed pretty hunky dory, so to speak.

But just now, while working on a pretty important project, I bookmarked about 35 tabs worth of web pages which I need to refer back to tomorrow when continuing with the project. I saved the bookmarks and closed Firefox. Within seconds, a popup appeared and it said "Dropbox has updated files that have changed on other computers"........ alarm bells started to ring (in my head, not literally :-P )

This seems pretty screwed to be honest. Dropbox for some reason, thought my other computer (which wasn't even turned on) had a newer copy of my Firefox profile, and decided to overwrite the newest copy with an old one.... For $@!*% sake!!! :-@

Now I've lost all my bookmarks, plus the history's been cleared. I'm not happy! :-\
I'll definitely be sticking to local profiles from now on.... no more of this syncing bollocks.

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

robzand — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:52:46 -0000

i haven't tried. sounds like a project for someone

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

l3utterfish — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:01:14 -0000

amacyng tip!

Is there anyway to do it on firefox portable on usb? I cannot locate profile.ini on Firefox portable.

If it is not possible... Which way should i sync the firefox in my pc with firefox portable in my usb (and keep it syncronized..)?

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

kc79 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:05:16 -0000

I found a Firefox extension for Dropbox.

Dropfox
https://addons.mozilla.org/...

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

Grant — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:47:00 -0000

Thank you for the very informative post! I just followed your instructions and they seem to be working perfectly. Until dropbox allows the ability to monitor any folder, this is a perfect workaround

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

robzand — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:51:43 -0000

weird things happen when you keep 2 browsers open simultaneously, which, i must admit, i do out of laziness. nonetheless, the quirks are outweighed by the syncrhonization that does occur. to me, this is "good enough software" at its finest

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

NikLP — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:35:35 -0000

Well, I'm assuming the issues are because of there being so many files open at once. We have a lot of SQLite files knocking about, and if these open and then changed, this can play nasty with Dropbox. Mostly it annoys me because the drive never looks synced for that very reason, so if you're waiting for a file to sync but can't close your browser for some reason, you'll never know if it's finished.

I might try again with FF3. I would also like to find a way to change the default directory that Google Gears stores its offline files in, so I could encrypt all of this stuff together on the local drive.

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

robzand — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:45:59 -0000

i have been running ff3 though. maybe - for reasons beyond synchronization - you should upgrade?

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

robzand — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:43:51 -0000

i'll be the first to admit, this is a "good enough" solution. you will experience some "wonkiness" if you keep multiple browsers open simultaneously (which creates conflicts and prevents some config files from being written). if you want a 100% solution, you might try weave. i've been running like this for 6 months and feel the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. incidentally, the machines i run this across include 2 xp boxes, including my primary work machine, and i have not experienced the issues you list. good luck.

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

NikLP — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:27:13 -0000

I tried this out with FF2 across two XP machines, and it just didn't work. Menus vanished, dialog boxes were broken, all sorts of stuff. I had the same idea myself, and was sure it would work, but it seems something in the process just "disagrees" with the FF internals... :(

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

robzand — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:49:05 -0000

i've read that other's have redirected successfully. i haven't tried because i have one windows machine and one mac and couldn't immediately think of a way to redirect in both environments.

ultimately, i'm hoping weave will solve things - https://services.mozilla.com/

Re: firefox + dropbox = profile synchronization across machines

ZiGz — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:57:15 -0000

I have recently done this as well and while wondering about what I could do with the very large urlclassifier3.sqlite file (28mb so far and I know it grows larger) I came across your blog and learned about "about:config" very cool.

Do you think the location of "urlclassifier3.sqlite " could be redirected?