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How can I copy a single bookmark file in the bookmark library?

  • 19 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 39 views
  • Last reply by weybrew

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Is thee a way to copy a single bookmark file (category) from the complete bookmark library to save/share outside of the library? I'd like to copy a single file and save it to my Desktop and then attach it to an email.

Is thee a way to copy a single bookmark file (category) from the complete bookmark library to save/share outside of the library? I'd like to copy a single file and save it to my Desktop and then attach it to an email.

Modified by cor-el

Chosen solution

Thanks cor-el for all the tech. WOW, I didn't realize I was going to open such a can of worms with what I thought was going to be something even a non-techie like me could do. I may need to rethink this... but I want to study your reply, too. You have helped me smooth out other problems in the past... glad you are still "online" for all of us!

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All Replies (19)

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Are you trying to save a single entry, a folder, or the whole thing?


Open the Bookmarks Manager; Press the Alt or F10 key bring up the tool bar, and select Bookmarks. Hot key is <Control>(Mac=<Command>) <Shift> B.

Once the window is open, at the top of the page, press the button labeled Import and Backup. Select Export Bookmarks To HTML, and follow the prompts and save it to a HTML file. Copy the file to another computer. Repeat the instructions above, BUT select Import Bookmarks From HTML,

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Thanks for the reply, FredMcD... I'm familiar with your info but I'd like to copy just a single file not the whole bookmarks library. And I don't want to copy/paste within the Library, I want to paste onto my desktop.

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You can copy the bookmark to the clipboard. Firefox places Library items (bookmarks, history) in various formats on the clipboard. If you paste the links in a text area like on the forum then you only get the URL (text/unicode). If you paste in a HTML capable editor (text/html) then you get <a href> code that is the same you see in an HTML bookmarks backup. If you right-click a folder in the Library or sidebar then you get the full folder content Firefox uses internally a JSON format.

  • text/unicode
  • text/html (A HREF HTML code)
  • text/x-moz-place (JSON)

You can use this code in the Browser Console to get the HTML data or JSON data as plain text from the clipboard. You can open the Browser Console ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Web Developer). Set devtools.chrome.enable to true on the about:config page to enabled the command line.

Paste the JavaScript code in the command line. Press the Enter key to evaluate the JavaScript code.


flavors = ["text/html","text/x-moz-place"];
flavor = flavors[1]; // use 0 for HTML format and 1 for JSON format
var trans = Cc["@mozilla.org/widget/transferable;1"].createInstance(Ci.nsITransferable);
trans.init(null);
trans.addDataFlavor(flavor);
Services.clipboard.getData(trans, Services.clipboard.kGlobalClipboard);
var str       = {};
var strLength = {};
trans.getTransferData(flavor, str, strLength);
if(str){pastedTxt = str.value.QueryInterface(Ci.nsISupportsString).data;
var obj = new Object; obj.value = pastedTxt;
Services.prompt.prompt(null, "Clipboard", pastedTxt.substr(0,1000), obj, null, {})
}

Copying download involves more effort. See:

Modified by cor-el

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Open the tab(s) you want and use this;

Send Tab URLs {web link} Send a list of browser tab URLs to email, Web mail, or the clipboard

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Chosen Solution

Thanks cor-el for all the tech. WOW, I didn't realize I was going to open such a can of worms with what I thought was going to be something even a non-techie like me could do. I may need to rethink this... but I want to study your reply, too. You have helped me smooth out other problems in the past... glad you are still "online" for all of us!

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And thanks to FredMcD for the FF add-on link.

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Glad to help. Safe Surfing.

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If it only one website then why don't you search for that bookmark in the Bookmarks Manager (Library) and copy the name and location from the Details pane at the bottom right in the Library to a file on your computer?

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Unable to copy, cor-el, and paste. The only thing I can do is take a screen shot and put that into a folder. Using Firefox v51. And that is only a single bookmark, not an entire bookmark folder.

I have tried to understand your previous detailed instructions as well as the link to the add'l discussions but I'm really out of my depth here. But thank you for trying.

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How far did you get with the above posted steps?

Did you try to copy the bookmark to the clipboard via the right-click context menu?

You can do this in a lot of places via the right-click context menu (Copy).

  • in the Library in the pane on the right (Copy)
  • in the Bookmarks menu drop-down list (Copy)
  • in the "Show your bookmarks" drop-down list (Copy)
  • in the bookmarks sidebar (Copy)

In all cases except in the Library you can also get the name and the location (URL) via the Properties in the right-click context menu.

Does that work for you?

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Tried all of those options and was able to COPY via rt. click context menu but PASTE was either grayed out or the PASTE command chimed it me without any action. Also, on any single bookmark or bookmark folder my rt. click context menu does not have a PROPERTIES option.

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Where did you right-click?

In the Bookmarks Manager (Library) you won't find properties in the right-click context menu because there you have the details pane at the bottom right to inspect and modify properties. In all other mentioned places (menu drop-down list and sidebar) you should find a Properties item in the right-click context menu. You can use Copy in the right-click context menu of a bookmark or folder and check what you get if you paste this content in this text area. In the Library you should be able to paste the selected bookmark(s) to another folder, but pasting in this tet area should give you the URLs of the selected item(s).

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Many have had trouble with copy/paste between programs, Copy from the original. Paste to a 'word' type program. Now copy from 'word' to where you want to go.

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Now that I can follow! That was the "missing" step I needed. Simple for most but I didn't know this step. Thanks so much, FredMcD.

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to cor-el... Tried your suggestions and discovered where to find and copy items. But, what please is the "text area" you mention?

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The text area that I mean is the editor space where you type your replies that you post on this forum (Post a Reply).

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I understand now. Sorry to be so needy, but thanks for hanging in there with me. Regards.

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You're welcome.

We are there to help everyone, whether they are experienced or require more precise steps and explanations how things work. When we notice that more details are needed then we try our best to provide needed details.

Did you manage to copy the bookmark(s)?

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YES! - thanks to you.