Download Folder woes

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ThirdTryCharm

Download Folder woes

Unread post by ThirdTryCharm » 2015-11-08, 22:01

using Portable I set the Download folder to a USB drive on our home network. I then set "Ask me" just i case I want to save a file somewhere else.

PMP ignores all that and saves files to the PMP-Install-Download folder.

is there any way to bend it to my will? If not why give me the illusion of being able to have a say in where new downloads go?

CraigPD
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Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by CraigPD » 2015-11-08, 23:21

In PM Portable check the user.ini file and see if you have the following changes (comments) related to download directory:

Code: Select all

; ========================================
; 		** User preferences **
; ========================================
;(download directory)
;browser.download.lastDir=$Download$|\\" ;commented out
; ========================================
; 		** Global preferences **
; ========================================
;(download)
;browser.download.useDownloadDir=false ;commented out
;browser.download.manager.retention=1 ;commented out

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Moonchild
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Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by Moonchild » 2015-11-09, 12:13

ThirdTryCharm wrote:why give me the illusion of being able to have a say in where new downloads go?
It's not intentionally deceptive. You have to understand that the portable is in essence exactly the same as the desktop version; what makes it portable is the shell around it. Of course, as a result, the internal settings for the portable will not be different than the desktop version and offer some options that the portable shell will override.

Keep in mind that the portable is specifically designed to be put on removable media and as such will not want to retain any assumptions about the host system by default; that includes download location.
"Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to be a good person." -- Louis Rossmann
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

ThirdTryCharm

Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by ThirdTryCharm » 2015-11-09, 21:56

Moonchild wrote:Keep in mind that the portable is specifically designed to be put on removable media and as such will not want to retain any assumptions about the host system by default; that includes download location.
I understand that, but having gone to the trouble to define the path I want to use in Options-General, **and** clicked "Ask" **and then** clicked "Save" in the "Save To" dialog, I figured I had made a significant enough commitment to taking my chances of stuff being left behind on another PC when I pulled the USB.

But, I have made the changes to the .ini file kindly suggested by craigPD, thanks very much Craig. They look like they will do what I need.

CraigPD
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Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by CraigPD » 2015-11-09, 23:50

:thumbup: It's worked 99% of the time for ~3 years.

ThirdTryCharm

Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by ThirdTryCharm » 2016-10-02, 22:52

Moonchild wrote:Keep in mind that the portable is specifically designed to be put on removable media and as such will not want to retain any assumptions about the host system by default; that includes download location.
Hate to bring this old post up, but recently upgraded to 26.4.1 Portable and it is ignoring Craig's .ini file changes that had been working with v24.
; ========================================
; ** User preferences **
; ========================================
;(download directory)
; MY CHANGE ** browser.download.lastDir=$Download$|\\"
; ========================================
; ** Global preferences **
; ========================================
;(download)
; MY CHANGE ** browser.download.useDownloadDir=false
; MY CHANGE ** browser.download.manager.retention=1
Moonchild: I can kinda understand the philosophy of the Portable part, BUT, for downloads, if I am using it on a different PC and Downloading something there is a **really-really** good chance of it being needed on the PC I am downloading to and not the USB stick for my later use. I have it set to "Ask" for the rare occasions that I am downloading to save to the stick. Just saying, ya know. :)

Any way I can get it back to behaving as Craig's suggestion allowed?

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Moonchild
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Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by Moonchild » 2016-10-03, 08:45

ThirdTryCharm wrote:if I am using it on a different PC and Downloading something there is a **really-really** good chance of it being needed on the PC I am downloading to and not the USB stick for my later use.
No, quite the opposite, actually.
The whole premise behind a portable browser on a stick is that you can use it as a host-independent browser and browsing session. You plug it into a host computer, do your thing for YOUR use, download files YOU (and not the host owner) needs, and take it with you.
"Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to be a good person." -- Louis Rossmann
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

ThirdTryCharm

Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by ThirdTryCharm » 2016-10-03, 16:40

Moonchild wrote:use, download files YOU (and not the host owner) needs, and take it with you.
Then why have "ask" if it is always going to resort to the predefined base Folder? Even if I change that Base to a location on the stick, it still reverts back and asks.

So, I assume that means "No," to anything I can do to get it to save any Base I define?

Can't understand why you dig your heels in on some things. :) Your philosophy may be good, but surely the user should have the final choice. No?

OK, I'll shut up. :)

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Re: Download Folder woes

Unread post by Moonchild » 2016-10-04, 08:10

ThirdTryCharm wrote:Then why have "ask" if it is always going to resort to the predefined base Folder?
...so you can decide when you download something where it should go (in case the default location isn't what you want, after all).
It's not our place to enforce this for every download. But it does make sense to enforce it at the start of a new browsing session. When you start a new session, the portable approach has to assume that you're now on a different machine.
Your philosophy may be good, but surely the user should have the final choice. No?
Which is why we ask, by default.

And if you don't want this behavior of resetting the download location, you have the choice to change the .ini file to suit your needs.

I really don't see how you can interpret this as "digging in my heels" because you have all the flexibility in the world -- not like this is baked into the binary or can't be changed to your needs with a few simple actions. What more do you want? Something that is exactly out of the box suited for your every turn of your individual workflow? Sorry man, it don't work that way :)
"Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to be a good person." -- Louis Rossmann
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

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