You would need separate launchers on the desktop or on the Doc to start each instance via a bash script that specifies the profile via the -P switch and the profile name as listed in the Profile Manager.

• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Command_Line_Options#Mac_OS_X

#!/bin/sh

/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -P "<profile_name>"

.....

cor-el said

You would need separate launchers on the desktop or on the Doc to start each instance via a bash script that specifies the profile via the -P switch and the profile name as listed in the Profile Manager.

• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Command_Line_Options#Mac_OS_X

#!/bin/sh

/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -P "<profile_name>"

Thank you cor-el,

Your script works for my main firefox icon.

I have another firefox application installed in another folder (called Applications Simultaneous). This folder is in the same folder/directory as the original Applications folder that contains the original Firefox.app. I have the icon (which I changed) of this FF app on the icon too.

I tried renaming your script to:

#!/bin/sh

/Applications Simultaneous/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -P "<profile_name>"

but I got the message (which I don't know what it means): -bash: /Applications: is a directory

I've written command lines in Terminal before but I'm no expert. How can I make this work for the second icon (to launch a different profile)?

Best would be to avoid using a Space character in folder names to prevent such issues. You likely need to add quotes around the path name in case of embedded spaces and may use 'cd'

#!/bin/sh

cd "/Applications Simultaneous/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS"
./firefox -P "<profile_name>"

cor-el said

Best would be to avoid using a Space character in folder names to prevent such issues. You likely need to add quotes around the path name in case of embedded spaces and may use 'cd'

#!/bin/sh

cd "/Applications Simultaneous/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS"
./firefox -P "<profile_name>"

Thank you again cor-el but it doesn't seem to be working without being called via terminal. When I use terminal to change the profile, it seems to effect both FF installations.

Firstly let me mention that I have renamed the 'Applications Simultaneous' folder to 'Applicationss', to avoid the space issue.

Secondly, I have only 2 profiles, 'default' (which I haven't changed it's name and contains add-ons) and 'secondffprofile' (which I created using the profile manager dialog/window and is without add-ons).

Thirdly, I know I'm launching the two different installations as, 1) I've used a different icon and 2) I'm launching them directly from their folders (not using the shortcuts in the dock).

To explain more: I used both versions of your command, both cases were unsuccessful. I've included at the bottom, a copy of the commands I used with the actual profile names. After the second command, both FF installations (ie. the one installed in the Applications folder and in the one in the Applicationss folder) launch the secondffprofile. In other words, the commands seem to be affecting both installations and are not installation specific.

Have I done something wrong?

Version 1)

#!/bin/sh
/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -P "<default>"

#!/bin/sh
/Applicationss/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -P "<secondffprofile>"

—

Version 2)

#!/bin/sh

cd "/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS"
./firefox -P "<defualt>"

#!/bin/sh

cd "/Applicationss/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS"
./firefox -P "<secondffprofile>"