Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

MTsoul · 2009-03-07 06:34:16

So every time I download something in Firefox, it makes this "Desktop" directory in my home folder. How do I stop it from doing that?

Last edited by MTsoul (2009-05-15 23:44:27)

Inxsible · 2009-03-07 06:35:39

Go to Edit --> Preferences --> Main tab and do either one of the following:

1) change the default location where Firefox downloads files.
2) Change the option to "Ask me each time..."

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-03-07 06:38:28)

CheesyBeef · 2009-03-07 06:45:36

Somebody on IRC was wondering the same thing, but it created a ~/Desktop folder whenever he tried to back up his bookmarks. We were unable to find a place to configure this setting. We assume he'd have to create a string in about:config to set this location, but neither of us know how to do that.

MTsoul · 2009-03-07 20:07:41

@Inxsible, mine is already set to that...

Hrod beraht · 2009-03-07 20:23:36

Interesting...I was going to suggest the same thing that Inxsible did - create an alternate download directory. I use evilwm, and so don't have a desktop and was also annoyed by Firefox making that directory. Once I created ~/Downloads and pointed Firefox there for the default, it's never created the desktop again.

Bob

Inxsible · 2009-03-07 20:56:02

yeah, I have it so that it pointed to ~/downloads and it hasn't created the Desktop directory for me either.

MTsoul · 2009-03-10 03:28:14

Nope still the same It turns out it's been pointing to ~/downloads the whole time. Like wtf I want Chrome + Vimperator.

rine · 2009-03-10 18:01:54

CheesyBeef wrote:

Somebody on IRC was wondering the same thing, but it created a ~/Desktop folder whenever he tried to back up his bookmarks. We were unable to find a place to configure this setting. We assume he'd have to create a string in about:config to set this location, but neither of us know how to do that.

That was me And I still didn't find a solution. Damn annoying. Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line? That would even be better.

Hrod beraht · 2009-03-10 21:27:28

rine wrote:

Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line?

I grab mine via rsync. They're in the folder ~/.mozilla/firefox/bunchofcrap.default/bookmarkbackups

Bob

CheesyBeef · 2009-03-11 13:16:09

rine wrote:

CheesyBeef wrote:
Somebody on IRC was wondering the same thing, but it created a ~/Desktop folder whenever he tried to back up his bookmarks. We were unable to find a place to configure this setting. We assume he'd have to create a string in about:config to set this location, but neither of us know how to do that.
That was me And I still didn't find a solution. Damn annoying. Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line? That would even be better.

Just curious - Have you ever tried Foxmarks (or soon to be Xmarks)? It's kind of my solution to having to back up my bookmarks since foxmarks automatically syncs your bookmark updates to a secure server. If you have it installed on other computers or partitions, you can keep your bookmarks in sync wherever you go. It's really, really useful for me considering I have up to seven operating systems installed at some times and would like to keep all of their bookmarks together as one.

JawsThemeSwimming428 · 2009-03-11 15:43:00

CheesyBeef wrote:

rine wrote:
CheesyBeef wrote:
Somebody on IRC was wondering the same thing, but it created a ~/Desktop folder whenever he tried to back up his bookmarks. We were unable to find a place to configure this setting. We assume he'd have to create a string in about:config to set this location, but neither of us know how to do that.
That was me And I still didn't find a solution. Damn annoying. Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line? That would even be better.
Just curious - Have you ever tried Foxmarks (or soon to be Xmarks)? It's kind of my solution to having to back up my bookmarks since foxmarks automatically syncs your bookmark updates to a secure server. If you have it installed on other computers or partitions, you can keep your bookmarks in sync wherever you go. It's really, really useful for me considering I have up to seven operating systems installed at some times and would like to keep all of their bookmarks together as one.

Same here, I have a number of OS's installed, some in VBox and some on HDD, and Foxmarks is a savior. Not only do you have a backed up copy of your bookmarks but they are available where ever you have foxmarks installed. Also, I think I read something now they are even doing sync between browsers. So your bookmarks from IE (if you use it), Firefox, Flock, and Safari can all by synchronized. Check it out!

brisbin33 · 2009-03-11 16:01:07

foxmarks +1 best extension ever; now they sync your saved username/passwords across browsers as well. depends on how paranoid you are but if i'm willing to let firefox save it at all, then i'm ok with foxmarks syncing it. important ones get the "Never for this site" option.

Inxsible · 2009-03-11 16:05:21

How about
delicious
reddit
digg
stumbleupon ?

Use any computer or any browser. Your bookmarks are always with you. Add in a delicious extension for firefox, and you have it all. I use delicious, so I don't know if there are extensions available for the other bookmarking sites.

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-03-11 16:06:43)

rine · 2009-03-11 20:55:01

Hrod beraht wrote:

rine wrote:
Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line?
I grab mine via rsync. They're in the folder ~/.mozilla/firefox/bunchofcrap.default/bookmarkbackups
Bob

Oh wow. I have that directory backed up anyways. Nice one, thanks.

CheesyBeef · 2009-03-12 01:28:17

Hrod beraht wrote:

rine wrote:
Does anyone know if it's possible to backup bookmarks via command line?
I grab mine via rsync. They're in the folder ~/.mozilla/firefox/bunchofcrap.default/bookmarkbackups
Bob

Good point. I had forgot that Firefox backs up bookmarks automatically from time to time.

lithium · 2009-04-26 20:41:48

Has this issue ever been resolved? I'm having the same problem with firefox constantly creating the "Desktop" directory in ~ even though I have no use for it. I've created a separate "downloads" directory for firefox but the problem persists.

Thanks.

MTsoul · 2009-05-15 23:43:46

Fixed. It's not Firefox, it's Pidgin. If you use Pidgin and haven't received a file transfer from a buddy, it defaults to Desktop and Pidgin makes that directory upon launch each time. TO change it, either receive a file from soembody and save it somewhere besides Desktop, or change the following in ~/.purple/prefs.xml: find pidgin/filelocations (these are xml nodes), and add

Ta-da!

lithium · 2009-05-16 01:18:29

Other programs may also be causing this to happen. I noticed that it had stopped for a while and the began again. I hadn't run pidgin at that time.

cprussin · 2011-09-30 02:06:08

Firefox still creates the ~/Desktop folder whenever the "upload file" dialog box appears. Has anyone found a way to remove the Desktop folder from the "Places" sidebar? The context menu button and minus button on the bottom of the sidebar are disabled for the Desktop entry (this is especially odd because iirc I had this problem with old versions of Firefox but the menu button was enabled and solved the problem). Running Firefox as root does not make a difference. Any ideas?

bangkok_manouel · 2011-09-30 02:38:06

create this file:

~/.config/user-dirs.dirs

here is mine:

XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="/home/eb/dl"
XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR="/home/eb/media/docs"
XDG_MUSIC_DIR="/home/eb/media/music"
XDG_PICTURES_DIR="/home/eb/media/pictures"
XDG_VIDEOS_DIR="/home/eb/media/movies"

karol · 2011-09-30 10:47:05

Do you need xdg-user-dirs package for that?

thisoldman · 2011-09-30 11:21:45

@karol,
You don't need the xdg-user-dirs package installed and it will still work.

Last edited by thisoldman (2011-09-30 11:22:09)

cprussin · 2011-09-30 14:25:24

bangkok_manouel wrote:

create this file:

~/.config/user-dirs.dirs

here is mine:

XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="/home/eb/dl"
XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR="/home/eb/"
XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR="/home/eb/media/docs"
XDG_MUSIC_DIR="/home/eb/media/music"
XDG_PICTURES_DIR="/home/eb/media/pictures"
XDG_VIDEOS_DIR="/home/eb/media/movies"

Major props, and a huge thank you! It appears that as long as the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs exists (even if it's empty), the Desktop entry is not created.

bernarcher · 2011-09-30 19:19:41

Moderator Note:
Although this looks like a necro, I decided to leave this topic running as it obviously adds useful information to an old discussion.
Changed the title mark from [SOLVED] to [Reopened] however to make this clear.

whizzo · 2014-02-19 19:44:37

Hi.
Downloading files in ~/Downloads
xdg-user-dirs.dirs configured

...and continue creating the Desktop bin
I don't know what can I do

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-07 06:34:16

Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#2 2009-03-07 06:35:39

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#3 2009-03-07 06:45:36

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#4 2009-03-07 20:07:41

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#5 2009-03-07 20:23:36

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#6 2009-03-07 20:56:02

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#7 2009-03-10 03:28:14

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#8 2009-03-10 18:01:54

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#9 2009-03-10 21:27:28

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#10 2009-03-11 13:16:09

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#11 2009-03-11 15:43:00

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#12 2009-03-11 16:01:07

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#13 2009-03-11 16:05:21

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#14 2009-03-11 20:55:01

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#15 2009-03-12 01:28:17

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#16 2009-04-26 20:41:48

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#17 2009-05-15 23:43:46

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#18 2009-05-16 01:18:29

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#19 2011-09-30 02:06:08

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#20 2011-09-30 02:38:06

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#21 2011-09-30 10:47:05

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#22 2011-09-30 11:21:45

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#23 2011-09-30 14:25:24

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#24 2011-09-30 19:19:41

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

#25 2014-02-19 19:44:37

Re: Firefox: stop making that Desktop directory!

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