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Updated: February 1, 2013  

Tab Mix Plus - General

Tab Mix Plus is a very popular extension for the Mozilla Firefox® browser that enhances Firefox's® tab browsing abilities. It includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. It also includes a Session Manager with crash recovery that can save and restore combinations of opened tabs and windows.

All parameters that are set through these categories are stored the prefs.js file in the users profile directory.  These parameters can also be accessed and changed by entering "about:config" in the URL bar and "extensions.tabmix" in the filter box to narrow down the results from the search.

Installing TMP

Tab Mix Plus Installation in Firefox®

Tab Mix Plus add-on installs in your open active Firefox® browser. You can use the above link to obtain the latest version of Tab Mix Plus and install it from the Add-ons from the Firefox® website or you can save the XPI file to your local PC and install it at another time.  Once Tab Mix Plus is installed in your browser, Tab Mix Plus is configured using multiple categories.  Each category contains the related settings to allow you the USER to configure Tab Mix Plus to your style of browsing.

Firefox® beta/nightly builds

If using a beta/nightly build version of Firefox®, you need to use the latest TMP dev.build with the latest Firefox® beta version.  If using any other non-released build, use the latest TMP build prior to the program build date.  You can obtain the latest build here: http://tmp.garyr.net/dev-builds/

Troubleshooting Firefox®

When posting problems and errors on the TMP Forum, try to include your Operating System, 32 or 64 bit version, Tab Mix Plus version and specific details.  Your specific add-ons and their versions is also helpful.

Visit the dedicated TMP Forum to learn more about Tab Mix Plus

Index for TMP Categories

TMP Settings - Restore, Defaults, Import & Export Settings

Links
Links - Edit
Events - New Tabs
Protected, Locked and Frozen Tabs
Events - Tab Opening
Events - Tab Closing
Events - Tab Merging
Events - Tab Features

Display - Tab Bar
Display - Tab
Customizing Styles - Current tab
Customizing Styles - Unloaded tab
Customizing Styles - Unread tabs
Customizing Styles - Other tabs
Customizing Styles - Progress Meter on tabs
Display - ToolBar

Mouse - Mouse Gestures
Mouse - Mouse Clicking

Menu - Tab Context Menu
Menu - Main Context Menu
Menu - Tools Menu
Menu - Keyboard Shortcuts

Session - Start/Exit
Session - Restore
Session - Preserve

Get additional Help

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Default settings are Boldface and Italic

TMP Settings - Restore, Import & Export

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Each page displays a 'Settings' button.

Since all the TMP settings are stored in the 'prefs.js' file, TMP has the ability to extract these settings and store them in a separate file. If you click the 'Settings' shown on each page, you will be prompted to Restore, Import or Export the settings.
The default file name is TMPpref.txt.
Click the Settings button and select one:
  • Restore Defaults - will reset all settings to the TMP default settings
  • Import Settings - you may import TMP settings from a file (usually from another configuration or PC)
  • Export Settings - you may export your settings to be saved or applied to another PC

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Links

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Controls what actions are taken when a link is clicked in the browser window or another application

First three options are Firefox's® hidden settings, more help available by clicking on the links below:
  • Open links that open in a new window in (select one): browser.link.open_newwindow
    • New window - opens a new browser window
    • New tab - creates a new tab in the current browser window
    • Current tab - replaces existing URL page in the current browser tab with the link contents
  • Open links from other applications in (select one): browser.link.open_newwindow.override.external
    This preference overrides browser.link.open_newwindow for external links. Set it only if you need different destination for external links.
    • New window - opens a new browser window
    • New tab - creates a new tab in the current browser window
    • Current tab - replaces existing URL page in the current browser tab with the link contents
  • JavaScript popups (select one): browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction
    • Allow resized popups - this option may allow the browser window to be resized to the popup size
    • Allow all popups
    • Open all popups in tabs
    • More JavaScript & POPUP preferences are controlled from main Options
  • Open links with a target attribute in current tab - the current tab contents will be replaced with the link contents
  • Prevent blank tabs when downloading files - To view the file extensions, click Edit. This option prevents blank tabs from opening for the file extensions in this list. The file(s) will be downloaded to the directory specified for downloads.

    Edit Button - allows the user to add, delete & modify the list of file extension that applies to downloaded files To restore the defaults, click Restore Defaults.
  • Force to open in new tab (select one):
    • Nothing
    • All Links
    • Links to other sites
  • Enable Single Window Mode - This option will force links to open new tabs within the current browser window

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Events - Links Edit

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Prevent blank tabs when downloading files.

Controls the file types that are treated as downloaded files.

When the user selects "Prevent blank tabs when downloading files" it will apply to any file with extensions from this list.

The user may Add, Delete Modify existing entries.

Click "Restore Defaults" to return to the original list.

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Events - New Tabs

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Controls which URL is displayed when a new tab is opened and the location of newly opened tabs.

Load on new tabs (select one):
  • New Tab Page - see more details on Firefox Help
  • Blank Page
  • Home Page (to select your Home Page you must specify a Home Page in the Tools/Options Main for the browser)
  • Current Page (whatever page is currently displayed in your browser)
  • Duplicate Tab with history (copy the current tab with history)
  • Focus content when loading non blank page, (when not activate - fucus is on the address bar)
  • Open new tabs next to current one
  • Open other tabs next to current one
    • Only if related to current tab
    • Change opening order - tabs will open to the right of the most recently opened. Please refer to the example below.
Example of changing opening order:
[a][b][c] are the current opened tabs with [a] being the current tab.
[1][2][3] are the new tabs opened in that order
[a][b][c][1][2][3] -> [a][3][2][1][b][c], this is how tabs open without change opening order
[a][b][c][1][2][3] -> [a][1][2][3][b][c], this is how tabs open with change opening order
  • Open duplicated tabs next to original
Lock tabs
  • Lock New tabs
  • Lock App tabs

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Protected Locked and Frozen Tabs

~ Protected tab ~

A tab that is prevented from closing. You can load other sites in the tab and browse to other URLs in the tab. Notice that the close button is missing from the right side of the tab, so you cannot close the tab. If you try to close Firefox®, you will get a warning message about closing the protected tab.


~ Locked tab ~

A tab that is prevented from navigating to another page or URL. Your tab is locked on the current page or URL. Nothing new can load in the tab, but you can refresh the same page. All links will open in a new tab (link, history, bookmark, etc.). Notice that the close button is available, so you can close a locked tab.


~ Frozen tab ~

A tab that is both locked and protected. It will not close and nothing new can be loaded in it. You will not be able to navigate away from the current page. All links will open in a new tab (link, history, bookmark, etc.) Notice that the close button is missing from the right side of the tab, so you cannot close the tab. If you try to close Firefox®, you will get a warning message about closing the protected tab.

Events - Tab Opening

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Cntrol what action will open new tab, and if the new tab get the focus (select)

Open tabs from:

  • Bookmarks
  • Groups of bookmarks
  • History
  • Address bar
  • Search bar
  • Middle-click or Control-click opens items in current tab
    Only for bookmarks, history, links forced to open in new tab

Focus/Select tabs that open by these action:

  • Links
  • Diverted windows
  • New tab commands
  • Duplicate Tab
  • Address bar
  • Search bar
  • Context menu search for
  • Bookmarks/History
  • Groups of bookmarks

Inverse Middle-click or Control-click focus for tabs opens by these action:

  • Links
  • Bookmarks/History, Address bar, Search bar

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Events - Tab Closing

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Controls tab closing, when warnings will appear and where to set focus when a tab is closed

Warning:
  • Warn me when closing multiple tabs
  • Warn me when closing window with multiple tabs
  • Warn me when closing window with protected tabs
Closing last tab:
  • Do not close window when closing the last tab (closing the last tab will also close the browser window)
  • Prevent last tab from closing
When I close the last tab replace it with (select one):
  • New Tab Page - see more details on Firefox Help
  • Blank Page
  • Home Page (to select your Home Page you must specify a Home Page in the Tools/Options Main for the browser)
  • Current Page (whatever page is currently displayed in your browser)
  • Duplicate Tab with history (copy the current tab with history)
  • Focus content when loading non blank page, (when not activate - fucus is on the address bar)
Closing current tab

When closing the current tab, focus (select one):
  • First tab
  • Left tab
  • Right tab
  • Last tab
  • Last selected tab
  • Opener/Right tab (the tab containing the link of the page being closed or the tab to the right)
  • Last opened tab

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Events - Tab Merging

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Controls tab and windows merging when tabs are closed


Merge windows when no tabs are selected (Select one option):
  • Merge all windows into one
  • Merge only current window with last focused
  • Also take popups - popup windows will also be merged
    • Place popups next to their openers - popups will be placed next to their openers
Merging after selecting tabs
  • Close windows once they have merged (when all tabs are merged from other windows, those windows will be close)
    • Warn when closing tabs that aren't being merged - a warning will be displayed indicating not all tabs have been merged

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Events - Tab Features

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Controls Undo Closed Tabs and Open Tabs List

  • Enable undo close tabs (previously closed tabs may be reopened and the following conditions will be applied)
    • Max number of closed tabs to remember (specify a quantity) default: 10
    • Restore the tab's original position (tabs are restored to their position when closed)
    • Make the toolbar button display only a list (when checked, the toolbar button will display a list of recently opened tabs)
  • Ctrl-Tab navigates tabs in the most recent used order (pressing Ctrl-Tab will navigate between Tabs in the most recently used order)
    • Show tab previews- Displays a window with tab tab previews. Not available in all Firefox® versions
  • Ctrl-Tab displays a tab list popup menu - pressing Ctrl-Tab will display a popup menu list of recently closed tabs
    • Tab list responds to the mouse - the Tab menu responds to the mouse actions
  • Pressing <F8> rotates tabs every (specify time in seconds) default: 10
    (pressing <F8> toggles Tab rotation On/Off)
  • Disable Open/Close tab animation (removes animation from tabs)

Auto Reload

  • Reload a tab regardless of its address
  • Show Reload Every menu on Reload button - a Reload every menu will be added to the Reload toolbar button

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Display - Tab bar

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Controls the display of Tab Bar

Show on Tab Bar:

  • New Tab Button (select one) - the new tab button will be displayed on the tab bar at the specified location
    • Left side
    • Right side
    • After last tab
  • Customize - In Firefox 4 there is only one New Tab button, the button can be dragged out of the Customize Toolbar window and placed on any toolbar. But in order to be able to use its placement option in TMP (left/right/after last tab), it needs to be placed on the tabbar.
    If you don't see the New Tab button in the Customize window, check your toolbars to see if its already there and drag it to the tabbar.
    Click on Customize... and drag the New Tab Button to the tabbar.

  • Close tab button - the Close tab button will be displayed on the right end of the tab bar
  • All tabs button (All tabs button will be displayed and when clicked it will display a list of all open tabs)
  • Show tab previews (Show tab previews will display a window with tab previews instead of a list. This option is not available in all Firefox® versions)
  • Extra space on both sides (when checked extra space will be placed on both sides of the tab label)
  • Hide the tab bar (select one) - Hide/show the tab bar based on the selected rule
    • Never
    • When I have only one tab
    • Always

  • Position (select one) - Select the location for the tab bar
    • Top
    • Bottom

    When tabs don't fit width (select one):

    • Scrollable without buttons - scroll tabs using <F8>
    • Scrollable with buttons on left and right side (displays left and right scrolling arrows at each end of tab bar)
    • Scrollable with buttons on right side (displays left and right scrolling arrows on right end of tab bar)
    • Multi-row (allows tabs to be displayed in multiple rows - default 4 - the number controls the max number of rows to display - when the open tab count exceeds the displayable amount of tabs a scroll bar will be displayed on the right side of the tabs)
  • When scrolling show part of next out-of-sight tab - for single row options
  • Enable smooth scroll - scroll the tab-bar smoothly
  • Scroll Delay (time between scroll repetition) - specify the delay time in milliseconds (150 milliseconds is default) to scroll when smooth scroll disabled

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Display - Tab

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Controls the display of tab color, font, highlighting, optional icon, tab width and the tab title

Highlight (select one or more option) - highlighting will be applied to the designated tabs
  • Current tab
  • Unread tabs
  • Unloaded tabs
  • Other tabs
Customize Styles - see views below

Show on Tab (when checked the following items will be displayed on the designated tabs):
Icons for:
  • Locked
  • Protected
  • Auto-Reload
  • Progress meter on tabs
  • Close tab button
  • Place on left side

    Select which tab(s) rules are to be applied (select one):

    • on all
    • on all tabs wider than (tab name or link name)
    • on current
    • on pointed for
    • on current and pointed for
  • Tab width (specify a range) default: 100 to 250 pixels:
  • Tab width fits to tab title (the tab will be sized to fit the title - not recommended for tabs under 100 pixels)
  • Use bookmark name as tab title (the bookmark name will be used for the tab title)

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Customize Styles - Current Tab

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Customizing Styles - Current tab - controls font, foreground color, background color, underline and opacity of tab and tab title

  • Use this style for Current Tab (the formatting options will be applied to the current selected tab)
    • Italic
    • Bold
    • Underline
    • Text Color: select color specify opacity[100%]
    • Background Color: select color specify opacity[100%]

Restore Defaults (resets Current Tab styles to default styles)

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Customize Styles - Unloaded Tabs

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Customizing Styles - Unloaded tabs - controls font, foreground color, background color, underline and opacity of tab and tab title

Note: Unloaded tab(s) are pending to load into memory by Firefox's build-in session restore

  • Use this style for Unloaded Tabs (the formatting options will be applied to the unread tabs)
    • Italic
    • Bold
    • Underline
    • Text Color: select color specify opacity [default: 100%]
    • Background Color: select color specify opacity[100%]

Restore Defaults (resets Unread Tabs styles to default styles)

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Customize Styles - Unread Tabs

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Customizing Styles - Unread tabs - controls font, foreground color, background color, underline and opacity of tab and tab title

Note: Reloading tab(s) will reset tab(s) to Unread tab status (if the preference extensions.tabmix.unreadTabreload is true)

  • Use this style for Unread Tabs (the formatting options will be applied to the unread tabs)
    • Italic
    • Bold
    • Underline
    • Text Color: select color specify opacity [default: 100%]
    • Background Color: select color specify opacity[100%]

Restore Defaults (resets Unread Tabs styles to default styles)

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Customize Styles - Other Tabs

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Customizing Styles - Other tabs - controls font, foreground color, background color, underline and opacity of the tab and tab title

  • Use this style for Other Tabs (the formatting options will be applied to the Other tabs)
    • Italic
    • Bold
    • Underline
    • Text Color: select color specify opacity[100%]
    • Background Color: select color specify opacity[100%]
Restore Defaults (resets Other Tabs styles to default styles)

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Customize Styles - Progress meter on tabs

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Customizing Styles - Progress meter on tabs - controls the display on tabs if loading progress meters are used, color and opacity to be applied


Use this style for: Progress meter on tabs

  • Background Color: if checked specify color and opacity[%] default 100%

Restore Defaults - resets Progress meter on tabs to default styles

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Display - Toolbar

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Controls the display of the toolbar buttons provided by extensions.


Visible Buttons - Display which buttons are available to be placed on the toolbar.
  • Customize: Some Add-ons provide toolbar buttons that may be added to the toolbar based on each users preference.
Hidden Buttons - Displays which buttons are currently not being used
  • Session Manager
  • Closed Tabs
  • Closed Windows
  • Opened Windows

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Mouse - Mouse Gestures

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Controls tab selection process using the mouse pointer and click events

Mouse Gestures:
  • Select tab pointed for: (a tab may be selected and and in focus by pointing to the tab after the specified time)
    • Use time delay of (specify time 250 milliseconds is default)
  • Switch to last selected tab when clicking current one (clicking the current tab will make the last selected tab take focus and become the current tab after the specified time delay)
    • Use time delay of (specify time 250 milliseconds is default)
  • Mouse click (down and release) to select a tab
  • Remove Tab Mix Plus menu list entries using middle-click
  • When closing a tab with mouse click on close button on the tab, other tabs should not resize until cursor leaves toolbar region
Drop indicator (select one):
  • Native Style (single down arrow)
  • Built-in style (left and right arrows)
When scrolling over the tab-bar:
  • Scroll to select tabs - scrolling selects the tab to the right
  • Scroll tabs - scrolling move visible tabs on the tab-bar (when scroll buttons are visible)
    • Hold Shift while scrolling to switch between these options
    • Inverse the direction in which tabs are selected or tab-bar is moved
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Mouse - Mouse Clicking

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Controls which actions are applied with various mouse click events on the tab or tab bar

Mouse Clicking

Choose command to perform when clicking on the tab or tabbar - Choose a click action, then specify the action to be applied for the tab and tabbar:

  • On a tab: (select which action is to be applied for each of the five mouse click events)
    • Double-click - Does nothing
    • Middle-click
    • Ctrl-click
    • Shift-click
    • Alt-click
  • On the tab bar: (select which action is to be applied for each of the five mouse click events)
    • Double-click - Open a new tab
    • Middle-click
    • Ctrl-click
    • Shift-click
    • Alt-click
  • Prevent double click on Tab-bar from changing window size. [Firefox 4.0+]
    when not checked, and Tabs in title or on top, double click on the Tab-bar toggle window size between maximize and normal mode.

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Menu - Tab Context Menu

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Controls which items will be displayed in the Tab Context Menu

Show in Tab Context Menu:

Put a check mark ( √ ) next to all items you want displayed in the Tab Context Menu

All checked items will appear in the Tab Context Menu


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Menu - Main Context Menu

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Controls which items will be displayed in the Main Context Menu

Show in Main Context Menu:

Put a check mark ( √ ) next to all items you want displayed in the Main Context Menu

All checked items will be displayed in the Main Context Menu


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Menu - Tools Menu

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Controls which items will be displayed in the Tools Menu

Show in Tools Menu:

Put a check mark ( √ ) next to all items you want displayed in the Tools Menu

All checked items will be displayed in the Tools Menu


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Menu - Shortcuts

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Controls keyboard shortcuts

Edit shortcuts by selecting one and type Modifiers & Key
while in the edit box you can use the button on the right side, to rest shortcuts to default (if exit) or clear/disable the shortcus.
You can also use Delete or Backspace to clear the shortcut


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Session - Start/Exit

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Controls Firefox® built-in Session Restore, Session Manager and Crash Recovery features

  • Use Firefox's® built-in Session Restore Feature - when checked Firefox's® Session Restore feature will be in effect
  • Enable Session Manager
  • Enable Crash Recovery

For a full range of sessions managing features, you can use Session Manager extension which is created specifically for that purpose.
When Session Manager extension installed, Tabmix turns its own session manager off. Your existing sessions will be converted to SM format. This two extensions work well together without any known problems

Start/Exit

When browser Starts (select one option):

  • Restore
  • Ask Before Restoring
  • Dont Restore

When Browser Exits (select one option):

  • Save Session
  • Ask before Saving
  • Dont Save

Tabmix saves two types of session, sessions saved by the user and history sessions. Current version save only two history session: Last Session and Previous to Last.

Startup Session (select a session):

  • Last session
  • Previous to last
  • Choose another if empty (when checked you will be prompted to select another session):

When not restoring on start:

  • Show my home page
  • Show a blank page

Note:
Sessions are stored in the session.rdf file in your profile folder. A backup of this file is stored in the backup folder in your profile folder. If your session becomes corrupt and you are unable to restore that session, copy one of the backup files (tabmix_sessions-yyyy-mm-dd.rdf) from the backup folder to your profile folder, rename the file to session.rdf.

IMPORTANT! If you uninstall or disable Session Manager extension, TMP will revert back to its file which will not have the sessions saved with Session Manager extension.

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Session - Restore

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Controls Firefox® built-in Session Restore, Session Manager and Crash Recovery feature

  • Use Firefox's® built-in Session Restore Feature - when checked Firefox's® Session Restore feature will be in effect
  • Enable Session Manager
  • Enable Crash Recovery

Restore

When Restoring Sessions:

  • Overwrite existing windows
    • And tabs
    • Save windows in closed windows list
  • Join multiple windows into one
  • Reload all tabs

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Session - Preserve

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Controls Firefox® built-in Session Restore, Session Manager and Crash Recovery feature and which sessions are preserved

  • Use Firefox's® built-in Session Restore Feature - when checked Firefox's® Session Restore feature will be in effect
  • Enable Session Manager
  • Enable Crash Recovery
Preserve
Preserve Tabs:
  • History
  • Permissions
  • Protected Status
  • Lock Status
  • Scroll and Text Size

Preserve Windows:

  • Selected Tab
  • Closed Tab list

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Get Additional Help

Firefox® - Add-ons - Extensions,Themes and Plugins

Firefox® Addons (Extensions, Themes and Plugins) may interfere with one another and create errors or cause customization to look incorrect. The easiest way to isolate add-ons as being the problem is to use a clean profile.


Creating and posting a screen shot

Creating a screen shot can be helpful to explain difficult details of what is seen and being referenced.

Once the image is created, you may post the image to Imgur or ImageShack. These are free image hosting websites. Visit their sites for details.

Error console

Many errors can be found and more easily resolved by use of the Error console.

javascript.options.showInConsole <<< set to true
javascript.options.strict <<< set to true
devtools.errorconsole.enabled <<< set to true

        Note:  Most changes performed through the "about:config" process will require a restart of the browser for the change to take effect.

TMP Version History

Mozillazine Mozilla Projects Forum

Tab Mix Plus Wikipedia

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