Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How do I enable the use of Jim Thatcher's Favelets that were disabled with the latest version of Firefox.

  • 3 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by ThePCTech

more options

I need to use Jim Thatcher's Favelets to check accessibility aspects of websites. The latest update of Firefox (10/7/2016) disabled the tools. the Extensions page indicates, "Jim Thatcher's Favelets could not be verified for use in Firefox and has been disabled." http://www.jimthatcher.com/favelets/ I don't care if you can't verify it. I need to use it.

I need to use Jim Thatcher's Favelets to check accessibility aspects of websites. The latest update of Firefox (10/7/2016) disabled the tools. the Extensions page indicates, "Jim Thatcher's Favelets could not be verified for use in Firefox and has been disabled." http://www.jimthatcher.com/favelets/ I don't care if you can't verify it. I need to use it.

Chosen solution

Hi ThePCTech, Firefox 48 and later cannot run extensions that were not signed by Mozilla. This article has background on this change, as well as options for advanced users to select a different version of Firefox as a workaround: Add-on signing in Firefox.

When I look at the code of that add-on, it seems to contain about 15 different buttons that inject a script into the page. That can be done using bookmarklets on the bookmarks toolbar (as I think would be the case in IE with favelets on the Links bar), but the conversion is not exactly straightforward. You can use a variation of the installation method described on that page for Internet Explorer, which would be as follows:

(1) Create a new folder for the favelets

If you use the Bookmarks Toolbar:

  • right-click the location where you want the new folder and choose New Folder from the context menu
  • In the small dialog that appears, choose a name like JT Favelets, then click OK to create the folder

If you do NOT use the Bookmarks Toolbar:

I suggest turning on the toolbar so these favelets are conveniently available if you use them often. You can do that as follows, either:

  • right-click a blank spot on the tab bar (or the "+" button)
  • tap the Alt key to activate the classic menu bar > View > Toolbars

Click Bookmarks Toolbar on the list of toolbars you can show/hide. Then proceed with the previous method of adding a folder.

If you do NOT use the Bookmarks Toolbar AND you do not want to:

  • Display the Bookmarks Menu, right-click the location where you want the new folder and choose New Folder from the context menu
  • In the small dialog that appears, choose a name like JT Favelets, then click OK to create the folder

(2) Add the favelets to your new folder

You have two options for this:

(A) Drag and drop:

  • On the page you linked to before, scroll down to the section titled "The human review favelets"
  • Drag each link to your folder and hover briefly until the folder list opens (initially it will be empty, and for later links it will show what you already added), then drop the favlet in the desired position on the list

(B) Add Bookmark dialog:

  • On the page you linked to before, scroll down to the section titled "The human review favelets"
  • right-click each link then click Bookmark This Link. That will display a drop-panel with the Bookmarks Menu set as the destination. You can lick that button and select your JT folder -- the first time, you probably will need to use Choose... to select that folder.

Maybe I can come up with something faster...

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

Hi ThePCTech, Firefox 48 and later cannot run extensions that were not signed by Mozilla. This article has background on this change, as well as options for advanced users to select a different version of Firefox as a workaround: Add-on signing in Firefox.

When I look at the code of that add-on, it seems to contain about 15 different buttons that inject a script into the page. That can be done using bookmarklets on the bookmarks toolbar (as I think would be the case in IE with favelets on the Links bar), but the conversion is not exactly straightforward. You can use a variation of the installation method described on that page for Internet Explorer, which would be as follows:

(1) Create a new folder for the favelets

If you use the Bookmarks Toolbar:

  • right-click the location where you want the new folder and choose New Folder from the context menu
  • In the small dialog that appears, choose a name like JT Favelets, then click OK to create the folder

If you do NOT use the Bookmarks Toolbar:

I suggest turning on the toolbar so these favelets are conveniently available if you use them often. You can do that as follows, either:

  • right-click a blank spot on the tab bar (or the "+" button)
  • tap the Alt key to activate the classic menu bar > View > Toolbars

Click Bookmarks Toolbar on the list of toolbars you can show/hide. Then proceed with the previous method of adding a folder.

If you do NOT use the Bookmarks Toolbar AND you do not want to:

  • Display the Bookmarks Menu, right-click the location where you want the new folder and choose New Folder from the context menu
  • In the small dialog that appears, choose a name like JT Favelets, then click OK to create the folder

(2) Add the favelets to your new folder

You have two options for this:

(A) Drag and drop:

  • On the page you linked to before, scroll down to the section titled "The human review favelets"
  • Drag each link to your folder and hover briefly until the folder list opens (initially it will be empty, and for later links it will show what you already added), then drop the favlet in the desired position on the list

(B) Add Bookmark dialog:

  • On the page you linked to before, scroll down to the section titled "The human review favelets"
  • right-click each link then click Bookmark This Link. That will display a drop-panel with the Bookmarks Menu set as the destination. You can lick that button and select your JT folder -- the first time, you probably will need to use Choose... to select that folder.

Maybe I can come up with something faster...

more options

Here's a faster method to add the favelets to the Bookmarks Toolbar:

(1) Open this page:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/JTFavelets.html

(2) Save that page to your computer using either:

  • right-click the page > Save Page As
  • (menu bar) File > Save Page As

By default, it will be named JT Favelets Bookmarks.htm

Use a convenient folder such as Downloads to make the next steps easier.

(3) Open the Library dialog using either:

  • Ctrl+Shift+b (Mac: Command+Shift+b)
  • "Show All Bookmarks"

(4) Import the JT Favelets Bookmarks.htm file using the Import and Backup menu. This article has a more complete explanation of what you're doing: Import Bookmarks from an HTML file.

(5) After importing, a new JT Favelets folder should appear at the bottom of your Bookmarks Menu. To move it to the Bookmarks Toolbar:

(A) In the left column of the Library dialog, click Bookmarks Menu. (If necessary, expand the All Bookmarks category first.)

(B) Scroll the list on the right side to the bottom where you should find the new JT Favelets folder

(C) Click and drag JT Favelets to the Bookmarks Toolbar category in the left column. If you drop it on that category name, it will be added to the end of the toolbar.

(D) If necessary, click Bookmarks Toolbar in the left column to list the contents in the right pane. Then you can drag JT Favorites to the position you prefer in the list.

Then when you have a page open, you can test the new favelets. (Same as the old favelets, really.)

I noticed an issue. These were created before HTTPS was so common, and they do not work on HTTPS pages for security reasons (mixed active content blocking). If you are not examining HTTPS pages, that won't be an issue for you, but if you notice "nothing happens" on HTTPS pages, that's why, Firefox is blocking the scripts from the JimThatcher website because he uses HTTP and not HTTPS.

more options

Thanks for the solution and the follow-up to place it in the menu. Very good instructions. I appreciate your time in working with this.