Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

When I try to install extensions in Firefox, I get a golden banner at the top of the screen telling me that software installation is disabled. How can I get FF to let me install extensions?

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

OK, I think I've narrowed it down to running Firefox in safe mode. However, I am simply clicking the icon that came with the dotpup. How do I start FF in non-safe (standard) mode?

Guest · Guest

i think you enable extensions in the menu: Edit, Preferences, Content tab, Warn Me When Websites Try To Install Extensions Or Themes ... you can allow a website to install extensions by clicking the Exceptions button ... i think if you click the golden banner at the top of the screen it automatically opens the Exceptions window so you can allow that web site to install extensions

you can also install extensions by downloading the file and clicking File, Open File

i'm running Firefox 1.5.0.1

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

I have tried all of those things to no avail. I have also tried reinstalling FF from the dotpup repository, and making sure that I have the 1.5.0.1 update. Does anyone have any ideas as to what's wrong?

GuestToo · Puppy Master Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 4078

does the message look like this?

if so, if you click the Edit Options button, then click the allow button to allow that particular website, it should work

edr4d · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 61

GuestToo speaks wisdom. Use the Edit button and it'll work.

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

I'm afraid that's not how the golden bar looks. The bar states

"Software installation is currently disabled. Click Edit Options... to enable it and try again."

In addition to that, I've made sure that the sites that I want to get extensions from are in the 'allowed' list, and I'm working with the official Mozilla extension site rignt npw (addons.mozilla.org) which is a default in the list.

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

After more testing, I have discovered that I cannot install themes either. This encourages me to believe that Firefox is running in safe mode. All I do is click the icon after installing FF from the dotpup repository, so I do not understand how I could find out if it is in safe mode, much less run it in normal mode.

krumpli · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Florida USA

"When run in Safe Mode, Firefox disables all Extensions and reverts to the Default Theme."

This is from FF own on line help. So it appears you are correct. Now I only wish I had an answer.

Since I got the above quote from a help page that was titled:
"Extension Versioning, Update and Compatibility", may I ask if you had a prior FF version installed before using the DotPup for vs 1.5.

Paul M

krumpli · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Florida USA

Here is a search page from Google with query "linux firefox safe mode".
It appears that starting with FF vs 1.5 it will automatically boot into safe mode if it finds any incompatibility with extensions or plugins (&themes??)

So if I am understanding what I read on the first few pages of the search, the questions are:
1. did you have a prior install of FF?
2. OR did you get to install any extensions, themes, plugins on the downloaded version 1.5 before this occurred?

Hope this helps.

Paul M

GuestToo · Puppy Master Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 4078

some versions of Firefox will not install extensions if the size of the cache is set to 0 (disabled) ... i don't know if that applies to Firefox 1.0.5.1

Brian C · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 168

krumpli: I do not believe that I had another versoin of FF installed before I installed 1.5, and I have not successfully installed any extensons/themes.

GuestToo: I checked my cache, and it was set to 0. I changed it to 20MB, and restarted FF, but I fwas still unable to install any extensions.

shankargopal · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 295

I had the same problem, but in my case the fact was that there was indeed a previous Firefox install. I suspect you have that too, because if you do a search of the Mozilla knowledge base, it has a page on this. The problem is that there used to be an option for this that was removed from the UI in Firefox 1.5 onwards, but if there was an old version of Firefox present that had the option switched off, that is carried forward.

The way out is to type about:config into the address bar and go to that page. In the "Filter" box, type "xpi". One of the options is xpinstall.enabled. Change that to true. That should do it.

Flash · Posted: Wed 01 Mar 2006, 13:01 Post subject:

Brian, how did you install Firefox?

krumpli · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Florida USA

On Feb 9th Brian said: