Extension across profiles

Users and developers helping users with generic and technical Pale Moon issues on all operating systems.

Moderator: trava90

Forum rules
This board is for technical/general usage questions and troubleshooting for the Pale Moon browser only.
Technical issues and questions not related to the Pale Moon browser should be posted in other boards!
Please keep off-topic and general discussion out of this board, thank you!
User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-01-25, 03:54

Operating system:Windows 7
Browser version:32
32-bit or 64-bit browser?:x64

I know that I can paste a .xpi file into C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\browser\extensions so it is available across profiles.
However, when making a new browser profile, I always get a prompt asking me if I want to "Allow this installation" (image here:)
install.PNG
Is it possible to ensure that an extension that is available globally across profiles is also enabled by default?

User avatar
moonbat
Knows the dark side
Knows the dark side
Posts: 4942
Joined: 2015-12-09, 15:45
Contact:

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by moonbat » 2023-01-25, 04:10

The prompt is a safety feature, else any malware could (and did, initially until Firefox introduced the prompt perhaps in the 3.x era) simply copy an xpi to that location to get silently loaded for spying on your browsing or whatever. IIRC you could create an extensions directory in the Pale Moon installation directory (found under C:\program files on Windows or /usr/lib/palemoon if you installed it on Linux using the repository method) to add extensions that should be automatically enabled. Moonchild or someone else can elaborate better.
"One hosts to look them up, one DNS to find them and in the darkness BIND them."

Image
Linux Mint 21 Xfce x64 on HP i5-5200 laptop, 12 GB RAM.
AutoPageColor|PermissionsPlus|PMPlayer|Pure URL|RecordRewind|TextFX

User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-01-26, 04:43

Thanks, will wait for MoonChild to weigh in on this.

User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-01-26, 04:47

I tried pasting the xpi in C:\Program Files\Pale Moon, as well as unzipping the xpi to a folder under C:\Program Files\Pale Moon, neither worked. Perhaps it's some other subfolder?

User avatar
LAR Grizzly
Lunatic
Lunatic
Posts: 352
Joined: 2017-08-11, 16:49
Location: Upstate Ohio, USA
Contact:

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by LAR Grizzly » 2023-01-26, 04:51

noellarkin wrote:
2023-01-26, 04:47
Perhaps it's some other subfolder?
moonbat wrote:
2023-01-25, 04:10
create an extensions directory in the Pale Moon installation directory
C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\extensions
Win7 Pro SP1 64 Bit
Comodo Internet Security
Pale Moon 33.0.2, Epyrus Mail 2.1.2, Firefox 115.8.0esr, Thunderbird 115.8.1, and SeaMonkey 2.53.18

User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-01-26, 05:05

Capture.PNG
I tried that as well, with both an xpi and a folder (using the MTube extension to test), it didn't work either.

User avatar
Moonchild
Pale Moon guru
Pale Moon guru
Posts: 35474
Joined: 2011-08-28, 17:27
Location: Motala, SE
Contact:

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by Moonchild » 2023-01-26, 09:52

noellarkin wrote:
2023-01-26, 04:43
will wait for MoonChild to weigh in on this.
Have a read: https://mike.kaply.com/2012/02/21/under ... on-scopes/

And please, no capital "C" in the middle of my name.
"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

User avatar
sidology
Moon lover
Moon lover
Posts: 79
Joined: 2021-12-04, 22:07

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by sidology » 2023-01-26, 21:00

Are you saying Pale Moon is using "Mozilla" directory?

Code: Select all

%appdata%\Mozilla\Extensions\{8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4}\
Why not this?

Code: Select all

%appdata%\Moonchild Productions\Extensions\{8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4}\
or
%appdata%\Moonchild Productions\Pale Moon\Extensions\{8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4}\

User avatar
Moonchild
Pale Moon guru
Pale Moon guru
Posts: 35474
Joined: 2011-08-28, 17:27
Location: Motala, SE
Contact:

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by Moonchild » 2023-01-27, 01:48

Please understand that the article i linked to is Mike Kaply talking about Mozilla Firefox.
We do, however, have the same mechanics in Pale Moon for configuration. As the article says it explains extension scopes.
"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

User avatar
sidology
Moon lover
Moon lover
Posts: 79
Joined: 2021-12-04, 22:07

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by sidology » 2023-01-27, 02:11

I tested it and it only works when in Mozilla directory. Maybe I did something wrong?

User avatar
Moonchild
Pale Moon guru
Pale Moon guru
Posts: 35474
Joined: 2011-08-28, 17:27
Location: Motala, SE
Contact:

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by Moonchild » 2023-01-27, 03:17

sidology wrote:
2023-01-27, 02:11
Maybe I did something wrong?
No you did not.
Mozilla has been maintained for external extensions because otherwise it simply wouldn't work when people expect it to. Call it "for historical purposes"
"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

User avatar
sidology
Moon lover
Moon lover
Posts: 79
Joined: 2021-12-04, 22:07

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by sidology » 2023-01-27, 10:32

:thumbup:

User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-02-10, 19:39

Sorry, took me a while to get around to this.
So here's what I did:
The link mentioned setting up an autoconfig file.
I followed this guide:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cu ... autoconfig

1. I went to the directory C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\defaults\pref
2. I made a new file autoconfig.js inside C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\defaults\pref
3. In autoconfig.js I put the following text:
pref("general.config.filename", "firefox.cfg");
pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);

4. I then went to C:\Program Files\Pale Moon
5. I made a new file called firefox.cfg
6. I put the following text in firefox.cfg:
// IMPORTANT: Start your code on the 2nd line
pref("extensions.autoDisableScopes", 0);
pref("extensions.enabledScopes", 15);

7. I put the extensions in C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\browser\extensions
8. I made a new profile to test with
The extensions are still disabled by default. Where am I going wrong? I enabled all scopes (value 15)

User avatar
noellarkin
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 50
Joined: 2021-07-27, 04:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by noellarkin » 2023-02-10, 20:14

okay, it's working now! Dunno what I did wrong the first time, but did all the steps over again and this time it worked!

Goodydino
Keeps coming back
Keeps coming back
Posts: 820
Joined: 2017-10-10, 21:20

Re: Extension across profiles

Unread post by Goodydino » 2023-02-10, 20:50

If you are using Windows, why not just press Ctrl-Shift-A to open the addons window, choose Extensions and drag and drop the .xpi file onto it? That is easy and it works.

Locked