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Firefox Developer Edition 137.0b5 lost bookmark folders

Dear Mozilla Geeks—

As practically every other Firefox user, my bookmarks evolved into a lengthy file system that uses folders to segregate categories of bookmarks.

That is, it used to have this feature.

After the last update all or most of the bookmarks (I can't tell by scrolling down the long list) are devoid of their organizing folders. This puts a great deal of information beyond easy reach. In Mozilla Help topics one is advised to click on the library icon in the toolbar ... only there is no such icon on my copy of Developer's Edition.

Can someone suggest a method or methods to recover the folders?

Some passwords have been lost as well.

Yours Sincerely,

Glen

Dear Mozilla Geeks— As practically every other Firefox user, my bookmarks evolved into a lengthy file system that uses folders to segregate categories of bookmarks. That is, it used to have this feature. After the last update all or most of the bookmarks (I can't tell by scrolling down the long list) are devoid of their organizing folders. This puts a great deal of information beyond easy reach. In Mozilla Help topics one is advised to click on the library icon in the toolbar ... only there is no such icon on my copy of Developer's Edition. Can someone suggest a method or methods to recover the folders? Some passwords have been lost as well. Yours Sincerely, Glen

Asịsa ahọpụtara

Time Machine might have more files from the bookmarkbackups folder than Firefox currently shows.

If you want to see what is in a compressed backup file before restoring it, I have a tool to convert the file to an HTML page of clickable links that can be indented to show the folder structure.

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

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All Replies (8)

Hi Glen, where do you normally view your bookmarks? For example:

  • menu bar > Bookmarks menu
  • Bookmarks Sidebar (Command+B)
  • Library window (Command+Shift+O)

Do they all show the same problem, or is it specific to one of those lists?


Could you check the "Restore" menu in the Library window and see whether there was a recent unusual change in the number of items in your automatic bookmark backups (just by looking at the menu items, not by rolling back your bookmarks)? The following article describes how to find that menu: Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer.

Helpful?

Thanks for thinking about my question.

All three methods for showing bookmarks show the same long, undifferentiated list.

The library window does not have a visible 'restore' command.

Is there a way to restore the bookmarks from a previous backup?

Best Regards,

Glen

Helpful?

Hi Glen, Restore is on one of the little menus in the Library window. The support article I linked mentions this icon:

As a Windows person, I can't confirm that myself.

Helpful?

Sure enough, that icon reveals the restore menu.

There is no great change in the number of items. Do you suppose there is some point in regressing the bookmarks in hopes that folders might return from an earlier record?

Helpful?

If it was normal within the past few days, I think it is worth a try. If you want a reference copy of what you have right now, you can use the Export feature first, which creates a readable HTML page of clickable links:

Export Firefox bookmarks to an HTML file to back up or transfer bookmarks

Helpful?

I wasn't clear. The folders have been missing for over a week. What I was considering was finding the bookmarks in a Time Machine backup and putting them into the current Firefox.

Helpful?

Asịsa Ahọpụtara

Time Machine might have more files from the bookmarkbackups folder than Firefox currently shows.

If you want to see what is in a compressed backup file before restoring it, I have a tool to convert the file to an HTML page of clickable links that can be indented to show the folder structure.

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

Helpful?

Okay, it's all back, including passwords. I used a backup library from two weeks ago. One or two bookmarks won't be there, but the main resources are all there.

Thanks for directing my attention to the restore command in the library.

Edeziri site na Glen Kohler

Helpful?

Jụọ ajụjụ

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