Same old "how to limit history" question with FF 27.0.1
Windows 7 Pro., FF 27.0.1, Add-Ons Adobe and Flash (and it's auxiliaries)...just the basics. My box is a server as well as used for more ordinary tasks...email, browsers, document editors, etc, so it is always "on" and never in "idle." Therefore the add-ons that do these things don't do anything on my box.
This is, I know, is an old question, but unresolved, in my opinion. I revive it from this post: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/799503?fpa=1
First let me say I consider Firefox the best browser period. I like Mozilla's and Firefox's essential philosophy of user customization and control, while respecting their need to insure security and stability.
OK, the question is obvious from the title, How can I limit the history with Firefox? I have observed more recently where the enabling and disabling of JavaScript from the preferences options was removed. I read the Bugzilla and Firefox rationale and it was not difficult for me to open a about:config tab next to a tab containing a page I was working on so I could see how the page rendered without JavaScript. Once you knew how, it was only slightly more difficult than using the preferences options...so that does not really bother me.
The limiting of history is implied in the browser itself where, if you open up the history window, you can see your history and (for me) see an "older than six months" option which if you mouse over and right click will get a "delete" option. I think everyone who tries this crashes their browser and if anything is removed when you finally get it back up, it will be your cache.
I know that the amount of history is set in about:config in the setting "places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages" as an integer. From reading many articles here in "support", and from personal trial, I find that though that number can be increased, it can't be decreased. If one does, it reverts back to the old setting as soon as Firefox is re-opened.
I have read the blog referenced in the first link above: http://blog.bonardo.net/2010/01/20/places-got-async-expiration and it even seems outdated, containing references to places.history.expiration.max_pages, which is not the file in about:config in 27.0.1
In https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=643254 I read the debate/discussion about these changes where Marco Bonardo steadfastly holds to his position while I find the comment by al_9x discussing the issue with him; "You have removed functionality that people use and like, that's been in Fx from its inception. It is you who need to justify its removal. And your justification of "nobody really wants to expire history" is a lie, people do and I explained why", to represent my feeling completely. I have no need or desire for history longer than 3 months. It is high-handed to limit Firefox users ability to limit their history. And no...I did not create yet another Mozilla account and "vote."
There must be some way I and other users can limit (or increase) their history. So I am asking "How"? If it is currently impossible, by design itself, to do so then I find that a very disturbing trend away from the whole philosophy of user control and customization.
If I am missing something, please inform me. Please *don't* send me a bunch of the standard "help" articles, for I have read them all. So that's my question.
Regards, Axis
Chosen solution
You need to create a new integer places.history.expiration.max_pages pref if you want to change the default behavior.
You can look at the extension that I posted at the bottom of my reply above.
Read this answer in context 👍 2All Replies (4)
The "places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages" is a read-only and modifying this pref doesn't have any effect.
You can only set a maximum number if pages (visits) to keep and not a time frame.
See:
- Expire history by days: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/expire-history-by-days/
Hello cor-el
Yes, if you read my post you would see: a.) I reference the http://blog.bonardo.net/2010/01/20/places-got-async-expiration post in my first comment, further the file he talks about does not exist, i.e., places.history.expiration.max_pages is not in Firefox 27.0.1...and as I already said the places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages has replaced it.
b.) as I said above as well, in the add-on you mention, "Expiration happens on idle" and, again as I mentioned above, my computer is never on "idle." I have tried this add-on and nothing was removed after several hours.
c.) when you say, "The "places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages" is a read-only and modifying this pref doesn't have any effect AND saying "You can only set a maximum number if pages (visits) to keep and not a time frame", that it DOES have an effect you are telling me two opposite things at once.
I can't modify it but if I did it would only remove the amount of pages but not a time frame. So can I modify anything or not?
I understand you like to help people, and appreciate that, but I would appreciate it if you would have read my post/question a little deeper before telling me half of what I just what I told/ask the FF support forums.
Regards, Axis
Chosen Solution
You need to create a new integer places.history.expiration.max_pages pref if you want to change the default behavior.
You can look at the extension that I posted at the bottom of my reply above.
Thank you cor-el!
I have added the new integer places.history.expiration.max_pages and when I added it places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages changed its value to equal what I had put in places.history.expiration.max_pages.
This is all I needed, I believe. I did not know I was to create the new integer, now I know how to do so and to your credit you I would like to say to all the Firefox users that this is the best solution I have read to the oft asked question, "How Can I Limit my History in Firefox."