How to make Firefox bookmark Manager open in a tab instead of new window.

[adam.tropics]

I was wandering around Mozilla Forums today, as you do, and came across this one. It's not all that new, but if,as I do, you have a dislike to new windows opening everywhere, and choose not to use Opera, then this may be for you.

The goal is to be able to organise bookmarks from a tab, rather than opening a new window. To do this involves installing an extension, called userChrome.js which gives you more control over the javascript firefox runs. You can install it here. There is also a VERY long thread here that goes into all sorts of other little things that can be done with it, but for the purposes of this brief guide we're really only interested in one.

Once the extension is installed, find your firefox profile folder. This is generally in a hidden folder in your home directory,called ~/.mozilla/firefox/XXXXXX.default where XXXXXX represents some ridiculously long random id.

Anyway, inside that folder, enter the chrome folder. If you do not see a file called userChrome.js then create one with your favourite text editor.

Into that file, you need to put:

// JavaScript Document 
 
 /* Bookmark Manager open in Tab */ 
 document.getElementsByAttribute("key", "manBookmarkKb")[0].setAttribute("oncommand", '(getBrowser().selectedTab = getBrowser().addTab("chrome://browser/content/bookmarks/bookmarksManager.xul")).label = "Bookmarks Manager";');

..and you're done. Restart firefox, and from your bookmarks menu, click organise bookmarks, and with a little luck...presto!

You can use a similar approach with the download manager and History Show in Tabs with the code below, but personally, I don't find those two nearly as handy.

/* Download Manager open in Tab */ 
 document.getElementById("Tools:Downloads").setAttribute("oncommand", '(getBrowser().selectedTab = getBrowser().addTab("chrome://mozapps/content/downloads/downloads.xul")).label = "Download Manager";'); 
  
 /* History Manager open in Tab */ 
 document.getElementById("viewHistorySidebar").setAttribute("oncommand", '(getBrowser().selectedTab = getBrowser().addTab("chrome://browser/content/history/history-panel.xul")).label = "History Manager";');

If you change your mind, simply uninstall the extension, and you may have to manually remove userChrome.js, then just restart your browser.

This will also work in Swiftfox btw. Have fun.