Please explain the problem in detail. What happens? Error messages?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} by holding down the <Shift> (Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox.

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

Just to make sure;

Open the Bookmarks Manager; Press the Alt or F10 key to bring up the toolbar, and select Bookmarks. Hot key is <Control> (Mac=<Command>) <Shift> B.

Once the window is open, at the top of the page, press the button labeled Import and Backup. Select Export Bookmarks To HTML, and follow the prompts and save it to a HTML file. Copy the file to another computer. Repeat the instructions above, BUT select Import Bookmarks From HTML.

I am very much aware on how to use the Firefox Bookmark Manager to backup via Import and Backup and selecting Export Bookmarks to HTML and saving it a location. Like I said, the Backup only option listed first, which exports to a .json file, works fine in exporting and also in restoring, however Export Bookmarks to HTML does not work at all even in safe mode.

As I also stated, I even uninstalled Firefox and made sure that any Mozilla foleder were deleted after installing, and then reinstalled Firefox with no extensions/addons installed and it still did not work.

I look forward to your help with this issue,

Thank you,

Billy

We had a similar report last week. I'll repeat some of what I said there to see if your Firefox gives up any additional information on the problem.

If you have a LOT of bookmarks, exporting can be slow. Do you get any error messages or just... nothing?

If there are no visible error messages, could you open Firefox's Browser Console in a separate window and see whether it reports anything. To launch that, from a regular Firefox window, either:

To show the Browser Console window, you can use either:

• (Windows) Ctrl+Shift+j
• "3-bar" menu button > Web Developer > Browser Console
• (menu bar) Tools > Web Developer > Browser Console

Click the trash can icon at upper left of the console to clear the clutter, then switch over to the Library window and try export again. Do any messages appear that could be related to the export appear in the console?

It's not a solution, but just in case it's needed:

A while ago I created a converter page you can use to read your JSON backup and generate a file in HTML export format:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html

jscher2000,

NO visible error message(s) occurred. Then followed your instructions and I have attached a screenshot of the Browser Console the moment after trying to export my bookmarks to html.

Look forward to your help and reply,

Thank you,

Billy

Thanks for the screenshot. "root is undefined" sounds like a serious problem, but I don't have a theory on what causes it. Especially if backups work normally.

A couple things you could try, although you may have done a variation of this before. Please make a backup first. See: Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.

Database Maintenance

You can find the "Verify Integrity" function on the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

You can use Find (Ctrl+f) to search for integrity to get to the Places database section. Note that this function takes a long time to run, so it's normal to have a delay before it starts providing information on what it's doing.

Safe Mode Test

In its Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).

Any improvement?

Clean Reinstall

We use this name, but it's not about removing your settings, it's about making sure the program files are clean (no inconsistent or alien code files). As described below, this process does not disturb your existing settings. It's not essential to uninstall Firefox, but you can if you like, saying No to any request about removing personal data.

It only takes a few minutes.

(A) Download a fresh installer for Firefox to a convenient location:

https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/

(B) Exit out of Firefox (if applicable).

If you use Microsoft Office, please change your default browser to Internet Explorer temporarily before the next step.

(C) Using Windows Explorer/My Computer (hold down the Windows key and press E to launch it), right-click > rename the program folder as follows (you might have one or both):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files (x86)\OldFirefox

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(D) Run the installer you downloaded in step (A). It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement?

jscher2000,

I had already tried the Database Maintenance steps already and the Safe Mode Test yesterday and again today. I just tried again these two steps again with NO luck in exporting the HTML file. I then just now did the steps you provided for a Clean Reinstall carefully and again NO luck. Then again after the Clean Reinstall I tried the Database Maintenance and the Safe Mode Test on the new Clean Reinstall and it did not work. I have also attached another Browser Console screenshot after I did the reinstall.

Luck again to your help and reply,

Thank you,

Billy

Hi Billy, I don't know what is causing that error. I looked at the source code at line 954, which does not seem to have been recently updated.

952 for (let key of [ "toolbarFolder", "unfiledBookmarksFolder" ]) { 953 let root = rootsMap.get(key); 954 if (root.children && root.children.length > 0) {

From: https://dxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-release/source/toolkit/components/places/BookmarkHTMLUtils.jsm#940

The implication of the error is that rootsMap doesn't contain one of those two standard categories (Bookmarks Toolbar or Other Bookmarks), which would be very peculiar. I assume you see all three of the standard categories (Bookmarks Toolbar, Bookmarks Menu, Other Bookmarks) in the Library window, left column, under All Bookmarks. (The only other category you might see is Mobile Bookmarks, if you use Sync.)

Assuming you have all of those folders, the implication then is that rootsMap is incorrect for some reason but if the database isn't corrupted, I cannot explain it.

Hi jscher2000,

Yes, all 3 of the standard categories are in the Library window, left column, under All Bookmarks. See attached screenshot.

I appreciate all your help. Can you forward/escalate this issue?

Please let me know and how would I be contacted if escalated please.

Look forward to your continued help.

Thank you,

Billy

Did you ever use a developer build (Beta, Developer Edition, Nightly) with this profile?

cor-el,

No, I have never.

Billy

Hi Billy,

I'm starting to look into this.

Have you ever used the Xmarks add-on?

Would you be willing to share a file from your profile with us, so that I can get more details on the issue? It would be your bookmarks & history file. I can send you details direct if you are willing (don't attach them here).

Standard8,

I absolutely loved Xmarks, but when Firefox Quantum was released it never worked correctly and I uninstalled it and created a new profile to make sure it was removed. I did this back when Quantum was released.

I do have some good news. I am now able to export my bookmarks to HTML, but it took some time.

First, I made sure that my Google Chrome browser bookmarks were save as HTML and matched my Firefox bookmarks are far as none missing on either browser.

Then I deleted the following files from my Firefox profile:

places.sqlite places.sqlite-shm places.sqlite-wal

Then I closed Firefox and reinstalled it, which as expected, no bookmarks were there when I launched Firefox. I then opened Chrome and selected the Bookmark Manager and reduced it so that I could drag and drop each of my bookmarks to where they needed to be to match Chrome (i.e Bookmark bar, Bookmark folders in Firefox). After dragging and dropping about 200 bookmarks in Firefox, I closed Firefox and reopened it and tested the export to html and it worked.

I then used the following add-on to restore my bookmark favicons: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/checkmarks-web-ext/

Glad this worked, but there must be a bug somewhere that is causing my issue and I hope a fix for the other people having this issue also!

Now my problem is that I have in the past used a legacy add-on that allow me to change the blank bookmarks favicon (standard globe icon for sites that do not provide one) with one and it does not work in Firefox Quantum :(

Is there a way to change these globe bookmark icons like IE and Chrome allow you to do? This I hope (!!) can be done. Strange that Firefox will not allow this now if that is the case.

I look forward to your help and reply,

Thank you!

Billy

Hi Billy, normally when you delete or hide the places.sqlite file and start Firefox again, it automatically imports its latest automatic backup (one of the .jsonlz4 files in the bookmarkbackups folder). That didn't happen? Or did you hide or remove that folder to prevent it from happening?

If you still have any files from the bookmarkbackups folder created during the time you had this problem, could you set one aside for possible later study? Otherwise, Firefox will eventually cycle it out when saving a newer one. The error in structure might be documented in there.

jscher2000,

I failed to mention that I also deleted from my Firefox profile the bookmarkbackups folder.

I figured that deleting all 3 of the files & the bookmarkbackups folder would be something to try and rather than import bookmarks from Chrome and testing, I chose to do it the drag and drop way...just felt it would work and it did...not to say that importing from Chrome would work also.

I also failed to mention that I backed up my Firefox profile FIRST in case my way failed. Very Important! I also failed to mention that if anyone uses the Firefox Sync to sync their bookmarks, make sure that you are logged in before making changes to your Firefox bookmarks so that Firefox Sync will "record" the changes you make to your Firefox bookmarks. Very important!

Again, as I have said, something strange was going on with not being able to export to html. Hope this does not happen again.

Do you have any info on the favicon question that I asked?

Thank you for your help and I look forward to your reply,

Thank you,

Billy

Firefox4Billy said

Now my problem is that I have in the past used a legacy add-on that allow me to change the blank bookmarks favicon (standard globe icon for sites that do not provide one) with one and it does not work in Firefox Quantum :( Is there a way to change these globe bookmark icons like IE and Chrome allow you to do?

I think you mean generally, and not on a site-by-site basis. I can't figure out the correct CSS to change (or even remove) those default icons. This does NOT work:

/* [FAIL] Hide default bookmark favicon */
#BMB_bookmarksPopup .bookmark-item:not([container="true"]),
#BMB_bookmarksPopup .bookmark-item:not([container="true"]) .menu-iconic-left,
#BMB_bookmarksPopup .bookmark-item:not([container="true"]) .menu-iconic-icon {
  list-style-image: none !important;
}

I have the same problem, namely that nothing happens when I click "Export Bookmarks to HTML" in the "Import and Backup Menu" of the "Show All Bookmarks" or "Library" window. I, however, am getting different error messages in the Browser Console. Perhaps my problem is easier to fix? I hope.

I am adding the error messages below as text that I copied because the "Add Images: Browse" button doesn't work for me below. Neither does right clicking and selecting "save image" when I want to save a picture. I wonder if all of these problems aren't related.

Error Messages:

=

Cross-Origin Request Blocked: The Same Origin Policy disallows reading the remote resource at https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?passive=1209600&osid=1&continue=https://notifications.google.com/u/0/_/idv2&followup=https://notifications.google.com/u/0/_/idv2&authuser=0. (Reason: CORS header ‘Access-Control-Allow-Origin’ missing). (unknown) ReferenceError: Cu is not defined[Learn More] browser-sync.js:8:1 TypeError: gSync is undefined[Learn More] places.js:141:5 Attempt to set a forbidden header was denied: Connection 4205232061-lcs_client_bin.js:114:385

Firefox4Billy said

jscher2000, NO visible error message(s) occurred. Then followed your instructions and I have attached a screenshot of the Browser Console the moment after trying to export my bookmarks to html.

Hi Luddite777, I think one of those messages is related to bookmarks, but it's unfortunately quite vague:

TypeError: gSync is undefined[Learn More] places.js:141:5

Could you try doing a conversion of one of your bookmark backup files using my page here:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html

In particular, does the page report any data problems if you click the Check/Repair JSON button?

You can create a new backup file or use one of the ones Firefox creates automatically.

To create a new one, see: Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer

To find an existing one:

Open your current Firefox profile folder. There's a buton for this on the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

(On Mac: In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Show in Finder" button. If Finder highlights an icon with a semi-random name like a1b2c3d4.default, double-click it to display the contents of that profile folder.)

Then double-click into the bookmarkbackups folder to find the automatic backup files.

Thanks for your help jscher2000! When I drag and drop it, it immediately tells me that the file "... (appears to be/contain valid JSON)".

When I click "Check/Repair JSON" it just says "Checking: Done." I guess that means it's alright.

The "Export HTML" button worked perfectly! Thank you so much! Now I can move my bookmarks to another computer without having to tinker with Firefox on this one just to export them.

What do you think is the issue with the "browse" button when trying to attach a picture? Could it be related to the "save picture" option on the right-click menu not working?

Luddite777 said

When I click "Check/Repair JSON" it just says "Checking: Done." I guess that means it's alright.

It at least means you don't have one cause of Firefox 59 not exporting bookmarks from structurally unsound Places databases. I add new tests as I learn about them.

What do you think is the issue with the "browse" button when trying to attach a picture? Could it be related to the "save picture" option on the right-click menu not working?

If there is a problem any time Firefox needs to show a file browser on the system, perhaps those are related. Do you want to start a new question on that?

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new/desktop/fix-problems

Scroll down past the suggestions to continue with the form.