Firefox changes the last destination directory for downloads randomly without warning.
This is a known bug, it's still happening. I save a series of files, thinking the last destination will remain the same until I change it, only to discover that Firefox has changed it to something else. How many years does a problem have to remain unfixed before someone there fixes it? (And I know Mozilla is not using volunteer labor. Mozilla has become another Microsoft.)
All Replies (4)
You can disable the feature to remember a host based download directory by creating a new Boolean pref on the about:config page with the name browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite pref and set its value to false.
- https://developer.mozilla.org/Mozilla/Preferences/Preference_reference/browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config
You can delete the content-prefs.sqlite file in the Profile Folder to only remove settings stored in this file. That way you keep exceptions stored in permissions.sqlite that would get lost if you clear the "Site Preferences" via Clear Recent History.
You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder:
- Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
Okay, I created the boolean.
This is very confusing:
"You can delete the content-prefs.sqlite file in the Profile Folder to only remove settings stored in this file. That way you keep exceptions stored in permissions.sqlite that would get lost if you clear the "Site Preferences" via Clear Recent History."
Are you saying that clearing recent history will delete the boolean I just created? If so, how do I make it permanent?
Thank you.
Settings in about:config should not change unless you change them.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-fix-preferences-wont-save
Note: Some software, like Advanced SystemCare with Surfing Protection, can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.
content-prefs.sqlite stores the download locations that are stored for a website. That is the way Firefox knows what folder to show when you save a file. If you remove this file then all website specific settings are removed (forgotten). This is not about prefs that you modify on the about:config page. Pref settings that have been changed from the default are stored in prefs.js.