I’m not entirely sure, but according to this MDN doc, it would still be possible. However, this recent bug (and related dupe) mentions removing the description field completely, and hence the ability for website to read/write/edit them.

Is the latter what you referred to?

Your "this MDN doc" has links, including (for example) bookmarks.create(). The latter link shows fields of title and url, but not description.

So, yes - your recent bug is related to my question. Was description recently removed?

I've been using Firefox since before version 1, and removing description may be the reason to bail.

True. As far as I see in the bug, it’s not done yet and something UX still has to decide about. There may be other people who know more about this - there’s one (small so far) thread mentioning removal of the bookmarks description on Reddit. How about exchanging thoughts there? Please do not use Bugzilla for comments on decision making.

Personally I wonder why people want to abandon Firefox just because of 1 feature disappearing without honoring all other advantages it has (especially after using it since version 1). Remember you don’t need to fully switch browsers, and removing features (such as NPAPI extensions) is often followed by other browsers too. But feel free, choice is always good and Mozilla encourages it. :)

I just want to nail it down. One whiner won't bring back the field. According to Xmarks, the "Firefox API does not allow us to sync bookmark properties like descriptions and tags anymore." If the feature is gone, I'd like to know. If it's still there, I'd like to know the function/documentation to read and/or write descriptions.

I'm willing to write a Firefox extension, if I can share bookmarks with descriptions via an extension/addon. (Currently having difficulty retrieving fields implementing browser.storage.local.get(), but I should be able to figure it out.)

tuxpower said

I just want to nail it down. One whiner won't bring back the field. According to Xmarks, the "Firefox API does not allow us to sync bookmark properties like descriptions and tags anymore." If the feature is gone, I'd like to know. If it's still there, I'd like to know the function/documentation to read and/or write descriptions. I'm willing to write a Firefox extension, if I can share bookmarks with descriptions via an extension/addon. (Currently having difficulty retrieving fields implementing browser.storage.local.get(), but I should be able to figure it out.)

Did you read the two Tracking Bugs? This the first from 2 years ago. Support bookmark descriptions https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1276819 Status: (NEW bug which will not be worked on by staff, but a patch will be accepted)

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1276819#c15 Looks like a decision was made to remove Descriptions; thus https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1402890 was filed.

That's your "nail in the coffin".

I did not read the threads as you did, but I'm sure you're more in tune with the interpretation. Apparently a bug was assigned 3 months ago to remove description from the bookmarks API?

I'm playing with Firefox's built in sync now, and it has promise. interesting to note that it seems to have functionality (updating descriptions) that is not available via the add-on API. And, the descriptions field is editable by the user, despite the comment(s) on the threads. From the discussions, I'm thinking that it might not remain for the long term, though.

The final solution for people like me may be an addon that syncs urls stored in the browser with a database on a web site that stores more fields. Click on a "bookmark page" add-on icon that brings up a site with a user's bookmarks, along with editable fields. I'll work on that when I have time.

tuxpower said

The final solution for people like me may be an addon that syncs urls stored in the browser with a database on a web site that stores more fields. Click on a "bookmark page" add-on icon that brings up a site with a user's bookmarks, along with editable fields. I'll work on that when I have time.

I would be very surprised if Mozilla would allow "remote storage" of any user data by an extension that recreates a data type that was, or is, removed, regardless of how innocuous that data may appear to be. My quick read of the WebExtensions format or goals precludes such an addition; but hey, I'm not a programmer.

The way I see things is that when Places was created for Firefox 3.0 the developers who created Places allowed for future expansion based on the "state of art" in web browsers 10 to 11 years ago. And the current developers feel that "feature" wasn't used enough, plus they created "a description field in moz_places, used by Activity Stream, we can rely on that, if we really care to show a description anywhere in the UI". Problem is that "It wouldn't be user modifiable though". Now-a-days the needs of extensions or the availability of features that might be needed by extension developers take a back seat to Mozilla overall goals.

Yes, with a new API or an improved API a service such as Xmarks may be able to work in Quantum as it has in the past - but if or when that Description field is removed it would be hard for an extension to put that field back in Firefox.

IMO, Quantum was released too soon; too many API's still being worked on and more are still in the process of being created.

Overall, when an extension developer like Xmarks (which was originally named Foxmarks because it was made for Firefox [before Chrome was available] long before Mozilla came up with Sync) needs an API for Firefox for their extension or needs an API to be modified or amended with a feature - they should submit it to Mozilla for consideration and then work with Mozilla to "make it happen". The only downside (as I see it) is that the API would be open source that anyone could make use of, and not be an "owned" proprietary API that a commercial application can derive profit from via licensing the code for others to use.

tuxpower said

Apparently a bug was assigned 3 months ago to remove description from the bookmarks API?

Not from the API used by extensions, from Firefox completely and for all purposes.

I think we won't know what creative uses people have found for the Description field until it goes away and the screaming commences.

The final solution for people like me may be an addon that syncs urls stored in the browser with a database on a web site that stores more fields. Click on a "bookmark page" add-on icon that brings up a site with a user's bookmarks, along with editable fields. I'll work on that when I have time.

The cloud is more practical from an add-on perspective than local storage. But in case the service stops working, allowing the user to regularly back up to their Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc., would be a nice feature.

jscher2000 said

Not from the API used by extensions, from Firefox completely and for all purposes.

Then, the Firefox sync will also stop working. I believe it (description) is operational now (57.0.1)

I think we won't know what creative uses people have found for the Description field until it goes away and the screaming commences.

It is all kinds of useful, especially when sharing bookmarks. I include instructions for my (non-techie) wife, usernames, why I need to save the bookmark, etc.

The cloud is more practical from an add-on perspective than local storage. But in case the service stops working, allowing the user to regularly back up to their Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc., would be a nice feature.

Yeah, that is kind of where I'm headed. I think I have a proof of concept (for myself) now. Click on the add-on icon, and it feeds the url and title to a web page (on my server), which stores more fields in a database. It has a basic "download bookmarks from database" (for import purposes) feature, editing, deleting, search. Storing notes/descriptions is an important part of my browsing approach, so I'll create something (for myself) if no one else does.

the-edmeister said

I would be very surprised if Mozilla would allow "remote storage" of any user data by an extension that recreates a data type that was, or is, removed, regardless of how innocuous that data may appear to be. My quick read of the WebExtensions format or goals precludes such an addition; but hey, I'm not a programmer.

I'm not sure I follow. browser.tabs.query({active: true, currentWindow: true}), then browser.tabs.create({'url':url}) with a url that includes the resultant title and url. The web page compares the fed url to the database and pulls up the extra fields. Unfortunately, the extra fields won't be available except through the site.

Problem is that "It wouldn't be user modifiable though".

description is currently modifiable via bookmarks -> show all bookmarks -> more. I'm there for maybe half of my bookmark saves.

IMO, Quantum was released too soon; too many API's still being worked on and more are still in the process of being created.

No argument from me!

Overall, when an extension developer like Xmarks (which was originally named Foxmarks because it was made for Firefox [before Chrome was available] long before Mozilla came up with Sync)

I think I was using it when it was FoxMarks, and have been reliant on it ever since. Now that it's broken, I'm scrambling...