Firefox 24.1.0: telling the download manager to save files to a certain directory.

stf92 · 09-04-2017, 03:51 PM

Hi: when I click on a link to download a file, I am asked whether to open it or save it to disk. I choose Save to disk, but the downloader does not ask what directory. It just downloads it to ~/Downloads. Any way to modify this behavior? I know you can right-click and choose Save target link, but there should be no need for this, I think.

Didier Spaier · 09-04-2017, 04:13 PM

I don't remember where it was in Firefox 24.1.0 but there is certainly an available preference setting allowing you to change the default directory, replacing ~/Downloads with another directory.

Just explore all the menu entries (maybe Edition => Preferences?) and you will find this setting.

I could do it for you but that would take too much time to download FF 24.1.0 to find it.

This reminds me the old saying:

Quote:

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

As far as knowledge goes, the best tool to catch the fishes is named curiosity.

For instance if one uses a new software, exploring all the menu entries is a good way to know how to use it.

Alien Bob · 09-04-2017, 05:12 PM

I don't know why nobody sees this troll for what he really is. I mean, look at the level of "knowledge" displayed in posts like this, coming from someone with over 3600 posts on the LQ website. No one is that dumb. He's just attempting to keep us Slackers busy answering trivial FAQ's.

Darth Vader · 09-04-2017, 08:15 PM

Troll? Just imagine an old Argentinian grandpa, heavy hit by Alzheimer, wearing a GPS tracking bracelet at his leg, just in case "he wants to make a trip" on neighborhood...

Probably he was a great man in the past, considering his still English skills (over the maternal Spanish), so maybe he was a really skilled English teacher in his era.

I had an uncle hit by this devil illness, then I can recognize its signs. A bit.

Alien Bob · 09-05-2017, 12:40 AM

Okay, I had not considered a mentally ill person.

stf92 · 09-05-2017, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

I don't remember where it was in Firefox 24.1.0 but there is certainly an available preference setting allowing you to change the default directory, replacing ~/Downloads with another directory.

Just explore all the menu entries (maybe Edition => Preferences?) and you will find this setting.

I could do it for you but that would take too much time to download FF 24.1.0 to find it.

This reminds me the old saying:

As far as knowledge goes, the best tool to catch the fishes is named curiosity.

For instance if one uses a new software, exploring all the menu entries is a good way to know how to use it.

In that case, that's a point if favor of Seamonkey. It just opens a window like that of the file manager, where you can choose where to save the file. And this, every time you download a file.

Didier Spaier · 09-05-2017, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

In that case, that's a point if favor of Seamonkey. It just opens a window like that of the file manager, where you can choose where to save the file. And this, every time you download a file.

Firefox can behave exactly the same way, if set appropriately in the UI.

With hundreds of settings that the user can tune, as displayed typing about:config in the address bar, how can the devs guess the default values that will fit a specific user like you?

So, rather than a point in favor of Seamonkey, this is a point in favor of users curious enough to review[1] the available settings of a software they begin to use. I am not speaking about all the settings shown typing about:settings, only about those directly accessible from menu entries.

[1]I was about to write "not lazy enough not to review... " but I don't want to be accused again of personal attacks.

Darth Vader · 09-05-2017, 07:14 AM

Didier, you really believe that he knows how to open the Settings page from Firefox?

For gods sake! I believe that his grand-grand-son setup Linux in his computer, specially to resist to his particular usage, he has just a non-privileged user account and just happens that Firefox automatically opens on the desktop (auto-)load (KDE?).

And, most likely his much younger relative instructed him: "If you have questions, ask in this site! In English!" and that's all!

phenixia2003 · 09-05-2017, 07:30 AM

Hello,

Preferences > General > Downloads > Always ask me where to save files

--
Seb

Darth Vader · 09-05-2017, 07:36 AM

I guess that his new thread would be: "Firefox 24.1.0: How to open the Preferences page?"

Alien Bob · 09-05-2017, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

I don't remember where it was in Firefox 24.1.0 but there is certainly an available preference setting allowing you to change the default directory, replacing ~/Downloads with another directory.

In prefs.js it is the preference called "browser.download.useDownloadDir" which should be set to "false" to make Firefox ask for a download directory every time:

Code:

user_pref("browser.download.useDownloadDir", false);

jeremy · 09-05-2017, 04:45 PM

A reminder from the LQ rules:

Quote:

Personal attacks on others will not be tolerated.
Flame Wars will not be tolerated.
Do not post if you do not have anything constructive to say in the post.

Additionally, stf92 you've been asked multiple times by multiple mods to read https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...#faq_lqwelcome and alter your posting behavior.

--jeremy

drgibbon · 09-05-2017, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stf92

Firefox 24.1.0: telling the download manager to save files to a certain directory.

If you're running Firefox 24.1.0, then I'm guessing you're on an unpatched Slackware 14.1. You really need to upgrade your packages (as the root user):

Code:

su -
slackpkg update
slackpkg upgrade-all

If you've never done that before you'll first need to:

1) uncomment a single mirror line in /etc/slackpkg/mirrors (i.e., one that corresponds with the version of Slackware that you're running).
2) and run:

Code:

slackpkg update gpg