FM Poll - missing Links tool bar

RLBrooks · 7 Feb 2007, 07:37 AM

I'm using Firefox under WinXPpro. When I start an FM Poll/refresh window I then close the tab that FM was in. Later I click the 'Mailbox' link in the Poll window and a new Firefox session is started for FM.

The problem is that new Firefox window is missing the bookmark links tool bar that is in my normal Firefox windows. This doesn't limit FM but it does hamper me getting to those links I normally have handy on the tool bar.

Russ

JRobert · 8 Feb 2007, 12:22 AM

You can prevent pages which open a new Firefox window from disabling certain features of that window.
On this page, search for the word 'toolbars' this page for information on the settings to accomplish this.

-jeff-

RLBrooks · 8 Feb 2007, 09:27 AM

Ok, this is a possible last resort action but why is FM hiding that toolbar to begin with?

Russ

David · 8 Feb 2007, 09:41 AM

Could you not just disable 'tabs' (in options) and open new links in a new page.... Then you would be able to just shut the new page down (when you are finished with it)

RLBrooks · 8 Feb 2007, 11:48 AM

Opening separate windows is not as convienent as working with multiple firefox tabs. But that's not the main issue. If I make use of the FM Poll window to monitor when I have new mail, so I don't have to keep an open FM window, then when I do open FM *from the "Mailbox" link in the FM Poll window* I end up with a Firefox window without the bookmarks toolbar.

What I've done is put about a dozen main folders on the bookmarks tool bar, one per various topics like email, news, games, etc. All I have to do is select a site from one of those folders and I can (usually) cause it to open in a new tab. I open up Sneakemail.com this way frequently to generate a new disposable email address for signing up to a new newsletter or some other announcement.

Now if I've just opened FM from Poll, and a email suggests an interesting new site, I can open that site in a new tab along side of FM. But If I need/want to open one of my bookmarked sites also in a new tab the toolbar I rely on isn't there. I have to go thru the Bookmarks link and drill down to what I'm looking for. This is doable but is less useful than having the bookmarks toolbar that is always present EXCEPT when a Firefox window is opened from FM's Poll window.

I'm not asking for something that doesn't exist, I just want what is normally there to remain. I want FM to NOT remove that toolbar.

Why was it removed anyway?

Russ

robmueller · 14 Feb 2007, 08:36 AM

I've looked into this now.

It wasn't explicitly removed. Basically the problem is this. What we want to do is:

1. User has mailbox open in a window
2. Clicks on Poll
3. That opens a new small poll window
4. When they click Mailbox in that window, it either
a) Opens a new mailbox tab in the original existing window
b) Opens a new window in the mailbox

Unfortunately 4a is impossible, because there's no way to tell the browser to do that. Only 4b is possible using javascript to do a window.open(...) call.

Now when you do call window.open(...) you have to tell it exactly what things you want the window to support (eg menubar, location bar, status bar, etc). Unfortunately there's no way to just say "do everything the user would normally expect", you have to specify them all individually.

It seems in FF, you have to add "directories=yes" to display the bookmarks toolbar. I've done that on the beta server now (http://www.fastmail.fm/beta/) and will roll out soon.

Rob

RLBrooks · 14 Feb 2007, 08:58 AM

Thank you. I look forward to closing my FM tab and only opening it from the Poll window.

Russ

7 Feb 2007, 07:37 AM	#1
RLBrooks Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Walla Walla, WA USA Posts: 28	FM Poll - missing Links tool bar I'm using Firefox under WinXPpro. When I start an FM Poll/refresh window I then close the tab that FM was in. Later I click the 'Mailbox' link in the Poll window and a new Firefox session is started for FM. The problem is that new Firefox window is missing the bookmark links tool bar that is in my normal Firefox windows. This doesn't limit FM but it does hamper me getting to those links I normally have handy on the tool bar. Russ

8 Feb 2007, 12:22 AM	#2
JRobert Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 1,561	You can prevent pages which open a new Firefox window from disabling certain features of that window. On this page, search for the word 'toolbars' this page for information on the settings to accomplish this. -jeff-

8 Feb 2007, 09:27 AM	#3
RLBrooks Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Walla Walla, WA USA Posts: 28	Ok, this is a possible last resort action but why is FM hiding that toolbar to begin with? Russ

8 Feb 2007, 09:41 AM	#4
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	Could you not just disable 'tabs' (in options) and open new links in a new page.... Then you would be able to just shut the new page down (when you are finished with it)

8 Feb 2007, 11:48 AM	#5
RLBrooks Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Walla Walla, WA USA Posts: 28	Opening separate windows is not as convienent as working with multiple firefox tabs. But that's not the main issue. If I make use of the FM Poll window to monitor when I have new mail, so I don't have to keep an open FM window, then when I do open FM from the "Mailbox" link in the FM Poll window I end up with a Firefox window without the bookmarks toolbar. What I've done is put about a dozen main folders on the bookmarks tool bar, one per various topics like email, news, games, etc. All I have to do is select a site from one of those folders and I can (usually) cause it to open in a new tab. I open up Sneakemail.com this way frequently to generate a new disposable email address for signing up to a new newsletter or some other announcement. Now if I've just opened FM from Poll, and a email suggests an interesting new site, I can open that site in a new tab along side of FM. But If I need/want to open one of my bookmarked sites also in a new tab the toolbar I rely on isn't there. I have to go thru the Bookmarks link and drill down to what I'm looking for. This is doable but is less useful than having the bookmarks toolbar that is always present EXCEPT when a Firefox window is opened from FM's Poll window. I'm not asking for something that doesn't exist, I just want what is normally there to remain. I want FM to NOT remove that toolbar. Why was it removed anyway? Russ

14 Feb 2007, 08:36 AM	#6
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,102 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	I've looked into this now. It wasn't explicitly removed. Basically the problem is this. What we want to do is: 1. User has mailbox open in a window 2. Clicks on Poll 3. That opens a new small poll window 4. When they click Mailbox in that window, it either a) Opens a new mailbox tab in the original existing window b) Opens a new window in the mailbox Unfortunately 4a is impossible, because there's no way to tell the browser to do that. Only 4b is possible using javascript to do a window.open(...) call. Now when you do call window.open(...) you have to tell it exactly what things you want the window to support (eg menubar, location bar, status bar, etc). Unfortunately there's no way to just say "do everything the user would normally expect", you have to specify them all individually. It seems in FF, you have to add "directories=yes" to display the bookmarks toolbar. I've done that on the beta server now (http://www.fastmail.fm/beta/) and will roll out soon. Rob

14 Feb 2007, 08:58 AM	#7
RLBrooks Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Walla Walla, WA USA Posts: 28	Thank you. I look forward to closing my FM tab and only opening it from the Poll window. Russ