Configuring Pale Moon default preferences

[arturo83]

Three years ago, when Pale Moon was still at version 26.1.1, I found a way to set default preferences for every new profile created.
In that time my Pale Moon installation was in the /opt folder.
So I created the directory /opt/palemoon/browser/defaults/profile/
There I put my configuration files: prefs.js, bookmarks.html and localstore.rdf.
Now I tried to do the same in Pale Moon 28.7.2, but it didn't work.
Assuming that I have to change the content of those files, where have I to create them to globally configure Pale Moon, without the need to customize every new profile?

[therube]

Looks to be working on my end.

- copied existing prefs.js into /defaults/profile/
- deleted existing profile
- started PM

PM opened using the prefs.js found in /defaults/profile/.

Bookmarks.html is no longer used, instead, places.sqlite.
(Bookmarks.html can be exported to, or imported from, but it is no longer the default storage location for bookmarks.)

(I didn't try localstore.rdf.)


---


(From the Mozilla end... so suppose it will also apply to PM.)

Deploying Firefox in an enterprise environment (before Firefox 60 ESR)

Now that uses, autoconfig.js & mozilla.cfg.

[arturo83]

What version of Pale Moon are you using?
I'm using version 28.7.2. I tried again but it doesn't work at all.
I tried to put the files in /palemoon/browser/defaults/profile/ and also in /palemoon/defaults/profile/ but it doesn't work.
I found something, searching the web, so I tried another method:
I put the prefs.js file in /palemoon/browser/defaults/preferences/ and Pale Moon used some af the preferences set in the file, but not all of them.
For example I could suppress the first run and disabled the default browser check, but I couldn't set the new home-page and the default search-engine.
I used the following code:

Code: Select all

# Mozilla User Preferences

pref("browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone", "ignore");
pref("browser.startup.homepage", "https://www.startpage.com/");
pref("browser.search.defaultenginename", "Startpage.com - English");
pref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", false);

More over I need new profiles to use my version of the xulstore.json file, but I couldn't find a way to do this.
In older versions of Pale Moon (eg. 26.1.1) it was possible to do so, but now how can it be done?

[New Tobin Paradigm]

This is TOTALLY not the right way to go about this. Search the forum for mozilla.cfg. Moonchild has elaborated to some extent about it at SOME point.

[adesh]

Solution is here: Issue #905 (UXP)

[arturo83]

Thanks for your replies.
Finally I used the guide from Mozilla about Customizing Firefox Using AutoConfig.
So I created the autoconfig.js file into the /palemoon/defaults/pref/ directory using the following syntax:

Code: Select all

pref("general.config.filename", "palemoon.cfg");
pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);

Then I create the palemoon.cfg file into the /palemoon/ directory using the following syntax:

Code: Select all

// Default Preferences
pref("browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone", "ignore");
pref("browser.startup.homepage", "https://www.startpage.com/");
pref("browser.search.defaultenginename", "Startpage.com - English");
pref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", false);

Now all the preferences work, except the one regarding the default search-engine.
I also tried to add the following line, but it still doesn't work:

Code: Select all

pref("browser.search.selectedEngine", "Startpage.com - English");

When I check the prefs.js file into the profile folder, I can see all the preferences I set in the palemoon.cfg file, except the one regarding the default search-engine.
Is there anything I can do to solve the problem?

[adesh]

Search engine preference name is browser.search.defaultenginename.

[arturo83]

Search engine preference name is browser.search.defaultenginename.

Yes, I already inserted that line, but it still doesn't work.

[Moonchild]

Startpage is not a built-in search engine. If it doesn't know about it, then setting the pref will not work.

[arturo83]

Yes, it's true, but I added the file startpagecom---english.xml in the /palemoon/browser/searchplugins/ directory, and I can correctly select the Startpage search-engine from the drop-down menu of Pale Moon.
I only wish to make it the default search-engine without the need to manually select it, so that every new created profile will have it by default.

[adesh]

Maybe you are setting wrong value for the pref. Change your search engine to Startpage or whatever you want then go to about:config to see the value you need to use in your defaults file.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

You're already beyond support territory imo. Why are you altering program files and doing pref autoconfig?

[Moonchild]

You're already beyond support territory imo.

Absolutely.

@arturo: I really do hope you're not publicly deploying this. Where is this used that you need this autoconfig setup?

[arturo83]

First of all, I thank you all for your support.
Then, I'm not deploying this at all; it's only for my personal use.
I simply wish to customize the ISO image of my system to use it in live mode.
Am I doing something wrong? If yes, please tell me...

[Moonchild]

Am I doing something wrong?

No, if it's for personal use then by all means, hack away