Bookmarks Import Wizard can't detect other browsers

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gracious1
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Bookmarks Import Wizard can't detect other browsers

Unread post by gracious1 » 2017-12-06, 03:38

I have lots of browsers installed on my system (Ubuntu 14.04 x86_64), including Fx ESR, Brave, Opera, IceCat, Chromium, Yandex, etc. But Import Wizard in the Booksmarks Organizer cannot see them.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Ctrl+Shift+O to open Bookmarks Organizer
2. Pull down Import and Backup > Import Data from Another Browser.
3. Import Wizard complains, as shown:
PM Import Wizard sees no other browsers.png
Desired result:
  • Wizard should detect the other browsers (at least the major ones like Chromium, Opera, Fx)
  • If Wizard cannot import bookmarks anyway, it should say so.
(I never really tried this before; I had always just done it manually or actually just started from scratch added bookmarks, etc. as I needed them.)

I know of all the ways to do it manually as discussed here in this forum and in the FAQ, but if there is going to be this menu option provided, shouldn't it do something? At least detect browsers even if it can't complete the importation of bookmarks, and give users feedback in that regard.

If for no other reason, a new/novice user may look at that dialog box, and go "Huh? Why can't it see my other browsers? Now what?!"
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Night Wing
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Re: Bookmarks Import Wizard can't detect other browsers

Unread post by Night Wing » 2017-12-06, 14:42

I've never used the "Import Data from Another Browser". When I want to import my bookmarks from Pale Moon, lets say into SeaMonkey or Firefox ESR, I use the regular Import and Backup setting in Pale Moon. Then I transfer all of my Pale Moon bookmarks into json files and send them to my Desktop. When I install SeaMonkey or Firefox, since these programs use json files, I use the Restore setting under Import and Backup in SM and FF, point to where my PM bookmarks/favorites json file is on my Desktop, click Restore and all of my PM bookmarks appear in SM's or FF's bookmarks toolbar.

If I was going to use another browser which didn't use json files and instead uses Html files (Chromium for example) for bookmarks/favorites, I'd change all of my PM bookmarks into html files and use whatever restore or import features in Chromium and place my now PM html bookmarks into Chromium's bookmarks/favorites toolbar. Just keep in mind I've never used any other browsers than Pale Moon, SeaMonkey and Firefox so I'm guessing on what linux Chromium uses and how Chromium works when restoring or importing bookmarks/favorites.

And if I'm going to put these backup bookmarks/favorites into another browser on a different computer, I'd put the bookmarks/favorites file on a thumb/flash drive and then put these bookmarks/favorites file onto the Desktop of that different computer and proceed from there.

Now, this takes a little more work on my part, but I've never run into any problems like you're running into with the way you're trying to do it with "Import Data from Another Browser". Maybe you're just skipping over a setting someplace. You'll just have to wait until someone comes along and shows how he/she uses the Import Data from Another Browser to solve your problem.
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