Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

chiaroscuro —Wed, 07/01/2009 - 16:24

The developer telega is unwell at the moment.

There have been a whole number of reports of problems with Fast Dial 2.22b/2.23b1 and Firefox 3.5+

The symptoms are that the Fast Dial suddenly presents just a Blank Page with no cells visible.

If one looks in Bookmarks one discovers that all the bookmarks from the Fast Dial Root Folder (Fast Dial) have ended up in Unsorted Bookmarks.
The Fast Dial Folder seems to be populated by a random selection of bookmarks.

It is quite unclear what triggers this sudden transformation.

---

I would strongly recommend the regular backup of your Full Firefox Profile with FEBE as a way of safeguarding your Fast Dial (as well as your Firefox Profile).

It would seem that one can adopt different Approaches to resolving this problem, which is essentially a corruption of Bookmarks.[places.sqlite]

Approach 1

This is the method we have been recommending on this site as a result of feedback from users.
(see here and here)

Joe Blogs paraphrased this method very well on AMO

---

Fast Dial Lost Icons Fix

This is what you do,delete nothing.

Start Fire Fox.
Click Bookmarks.
Click organise bookmarks.
Click import and back-up.
Click restore
Choose the latest date when it was working, i.e Yesterday.

It's back now.
Like it never happened. ;-)

Thanks JoeBlogs

---

I have tested this method and it seems to work fine for restoring Fast Dial.

---

For a more detailed description of this same procedure please see here

---

Bookmarks are automatically backed up in more recent Versions of Firefox, so you should be able to find an earlier backup of Bookmarks, even though you yourself made no backup.

If on doing the above Fast Dial is still blank, then please see which folder in Bookmarks contains your Root Cells and if the Folder is called Fast Dial or your original Root Folder name, then please do the following:

Please see here

This worked for me in this situation.

For Russian users please see here

Approach 2

Used by Ria Klaassen here [for the more technically minded perhaps]

This essentially is the same as Approach 1 but uses a different and perhaps more elegant technique to arrive at the same end.

Quote:
I could solve the problem by deleting the file places.sqlite in my profile.
Then it imported automatically a bookmarks backup. Deleting places.sqlite will
make you lose your history.

For more details on how to do this please see here

---

I have tested this Method.
Works just fine
Fast Dial was back as before.

For a more detailed description from Mozilla about this whole procedure see here

---

If on doing the above Fast Dial is still blank, ( I experienced this once) then please see which folder in Bookmarks contains your Cells and if the Folder is called Fast Dial or your original Root Folder name, then please do the following:

Please see here

This worked for me in this very situation.

Approach 3 (found on AMO)

This involves copying all the Fast Dial bookmarks that have ended up in Unsorted Bookmarks (this seems to happen every time) into a new Fast Dial Folder.
Excellent and Very clear description

Please find here

(uploaded to Userlogos)

Many users have found this system works fine for them.
But for user simplicity my impression is that Approach 1 or 2 are less involved.

Approach 4

Others have found it sufficient to simply uninstall and reinstall Fast Dial.
But this is less common.

For users of XMarks (Previously Foxmarks) there is a detailed and helpful post on AMO.
I have uploaded it to Userlogos.
Please find here

In an effort to centralise this question in one thread, I am listing below links to reports of this problem.

The developer telega has tried to reproduce the problem without success.

All feedback most welcome, this needs sorting fast !!

Userlogos Threads

I upgraded to Fast Dial 3.5 and all cells empty - may 25

FD and FF 3.5 - june 6
includes bug report
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=495898

fast dial draws link from history - june 8

Does this happen to anyone else - june 14

My Fast Dial is Blank - june 25

Null color and blank cells - june 25

Firefox 3.5 - june 30

Fast Dial 2.22b konnte nicht installiert werden - july 7

Fast Dial not working with new Firefox 3.5 - July 14

Lost all my fast dial Bookmarks - July 23

Fast Dial does not work in 3.5 - July 25

AMO (Mozilla Addons)

There are many users with problems

chiaroscuro's blog
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Comments

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 01:27

Suman

I got the problem solved.
Thanks a ton

Good news !

Thanks for letting us know.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by jppayne (not verified) on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 08:41

After many years if satisfied use with Fast Dial I awoke this morning to a blank page with no thumbnails.
It has been uninstalled and speed dial installed as a replacement.

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by ingalls on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 10:26

If you like fast dial why don't you just use the fix?

----------

---------- reality.sys corrupted. universe halted. reboot (y/n)?

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 10:51

jppayne

Thanks for your feedback.

If you chose to return to Fast Dial, then a restore of an earlier Bookmarks backup may help you recover your Fast Dial Folder in Bookmarks.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 13:25

Ebony's problem also solved

here

Thanks for the feedback, Ebony

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by jimwg on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 15:34

Fast Dial Creator:

Not everyone is a techie. I think experienced users grossly overlook this. If you want Fast Dial to prosper and flourish, don't just make the program itself user-friendly, but any remedies should be _just as_ friendly. DON'T have newbies or non-geek users have to go drilling and swapping bookmarks or whatever under the hood to fix the problem; Make a "click and go" script that will do it for them! Part and parcel of being an inventor today is also being your own salesman and customer service agent!

JimWG

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 16:02

Mmmmm....

Thank you for your comment.

I am running Fast Dial in Firefox 3.5.1.

What are your experiences with this problem ?

The cause of the present problem is most unclear.

This bugzilla report may interest you

I am not the developer of Fast Dial.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 13:00

Hello,

Working with Firefox 3.5 / 3.5.1 I've still a problem with FastDial, even version 2.23b1.

Starting Firefox FastDial works normally. - But after a few moments FastDial makes problems.
I can open a new tab, and there are all frames, but only the frames, no content.

Till now I didn't found a way to solve the problem.

But after restarting Firefox the game starts too.

Working with Firefox 3.0.11 f.e. there are no problems.

Thank you, Hannes

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 13:04

Hannes

Many thanks for you feedback.

Please could you make a backup of your corrupted Fast Dial by doing a backup of your bookmarks.

This would be most helpful to the developer to try and understand this problem.

Please could you do that first.

Some users have reported that their opacity settings get set very low.
Please try going to Preferences/Appearance/Thumbnails and increase Opacity to 10 for both settings.

If that does not work please go to the post at the head of this thread and try as suggested loading an earlier backup of your bookmarks.

I would be very interested to know if simply by going to Firefox 3.0.11 if Fast Dial returns.

I ask all these questions because I am unable to reproduce this problem.

I would also be very interested to learn about your Preferences setttings. Is there anything unusual there, like Sort option, or any other setting?

It is most unclear why some users experience problems and others do not.

I thank you for your patience.

I will endeaavour to get you going in 3.5, which seems a preferable Firefox Version in terms of general behaviour.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 15:34

It wont even let me add it on. its says its not compatible! Help im lost without it!

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 15:38

It wont even let me add it on. its says its not compatible! Help im lost without it!

Please could you clarify

What Firefox Version are you running ?

Where are you getting your Fast Dial ?

Don't worry we will sort you out !

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 04:24

its firefox 3.5.1 and im trying to get my fast dial from the firefox add on page. Thank you

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 13:03

Please go here first

(not from AMO/Mozilla Addons)

Download the xpi

And then follow the posted instructions as to how to load the XPI into your add-ons page

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 19:34

Thanks..kinda it let me go as far as getting it on add ons, but its says must restart firefox to finish install and it just closes, doesnt restart. im gonna scream.. thanks for helping me

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 19:54

Anon

Thanks..kinda it let me go as far as getting it on add ons, but its says must restart firefox to finish install and it just closes, doesnt restart. im gonna scream.. thanks for helping me

Are you saying you can't open Firefox ?

Try opening Firefox in Safe Mode

Switch off all extensions in safe mode.

Start Firefox again in non safe mode (with all extensions disabled)

Then try enabling Fast Dial in Addons

If Firefox does not crash, but you see no cells then try restoring an earlier Version of Bookmarks, that is before you had trouble.

See if that works...

If this does not work then try uninstalling Version 2.22b of Fast Dial and try installing Fast Dial 2.23b1 (again from the xpi on Userlogos) and repeat the procedures where necessary

If you find that Fast Dial works I would install immediately the extension FEBE (Version 6.1.11debug works fine)
And then make a full backup of your Firefox Profile.

Once you have done that, start enabling your other Extensions, backing up with FEBE, each time when the new extension seems to work OK.

Please let us know how you get on

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 01:35

Still no luck. I tried everything you suggested. It just wont install. its on my list of add-ons and keeps saying restart to complete update, but It wont restart when i try. I can open firefox on my own, but it just wont install and restart.

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 09:17

Mmmmm....

This is most strange.
And untypical.

Maybe try uninstalling Fast Dial and then deleting the Fast Dial Folder in Bookmarks, before loading the xpi.
See if Fast Dial installs.
If it does then restore bookmarks

Are all your other extensions disabled ?

Please could you do me a favour.

Open a new Firefox Profile

Start/Run firefox.exe -p and create a new Profile.

Load the xpi that you have downloaded from this site into your new Profile add-ons page

And see if Fast Dial will install in this Profile.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by desmo (not verified) on Sun, 07/26/2009 - 05:36

Hi !

I also try all of the recommended "solutions" but without success.

I think I have to re-intsall and re-arrange all of the items.

Maybe there should be a warning "before" installing a newer version.

It sucks to do it all again and I think I should use Safari with the "top-Sites" extension.

Sorry.

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Sun, 07/26/2009 - 06:28

desmo

Are you restoring your bookmarks from an earlier backup ?

Please give more information.

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by AdriaNnLA (not verified) on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 22:08

I just updated to FF3.5 ~1wk ago.

Did not have this problem at all for any of that time.

Only problem so far had been that I would have to open a new tab in order to close whatever tab I was browsing with (or I suppose click to HOME) before closing FF, else when FF was re-opened, that previous URL would present instead of the HOME page?

Today the Fast Dial lost its mind, and I was very frustrated by it until looking on the add-ons page for FD, found the link to this thread.

Your condensed version fix (listed top-most) did the trick exactly for me.

I noticed that the most recent auto-backup was from earlier today -- I wonder if it is this auto-backup that is somehow causing this "corruption"?

hope you get it sorted and well wishes to telega
thanks for Fast Dial!

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 23:19

AdriaNnLA

Today the Fast Dial lost its mind, and I was very frustrated by it until looking on the add-ons page for FD, found the link to this thread.

Your condensed version fix (listed top-most) did the trick exactly for me.

I noticed that the most recent auto-backup was from earlier today -- I wonder if it is this auto-backup that is somehow causing this "corruption"?

Good to get your feedback and to learn that you have solved your problem.
Thanks

It is most strange that this problem seems to occur seemingly randomly.
I feel that there must be a trigger that is causing this but do now know what it is.

The JSON backup of places sqlite is automatic.
And I suppose if places.sqlite is corrupt then the backup itself will become corrupted also.

Not too sure what is happening here.

1. In Firefox go to tools/options/general
And check that either

When Firefox starts is set to "show a blank page"

When Firefox starts is set to Home Page
with Home Page set to about:blank

2 Have you got in Fast Dial settings to open Fast Dial in new tab in Preferences/General

Maybe also worth checking the following
Please see here

We should be able to get this problem sorted.

Please let me know how you get on

Many thanks

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by AdriaNnLA (not verified) on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 23:23

chiaroscuro,

to be more clear, when I mentioned "I wonder if it is this auto-backup that is somehow causing this "corruption"?" -- what I had intended to posit is that perhaps it is the execution of this automatic backup function that is causing the corruption we are seeing?

In fact the backup data itself appeared to be just fine -- it was what I restored and it worked perfectly.

I then downloaded FEBE, ran it's check and got OKs on all.

As to the other issue, I don't believe it is related to FastDial at all, most likely FF3.5 itself. Prior to 3.5, I could hit the X on each tab to close it, including the last tab remaining open. When I hit the X on the last tab, it would close of course, and immediately reopen with the home page displayed (in this case FastDial) -- unfortunately it appears that 3.5 mirrors IE7s behaviour in that when you hit the X on the next-to-last tab, then the X on the last tab dissapears, so that you cannot then "close" that last tab.

It was so quick and intuitive before -- a lot less now.

And yes, I deliberately have my When FF starts: set to show tabs from last time -- this, because I often have to close FF with half a dozen tabs open and got tired of answering the prompt of whether to save or not.

thanks again,
AdriaNnLA

Re: Problems with Fast Dial 2.22b and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 09:14

I would recommend you install the Extension Stylish.

And then load this Style.
Puts a close button on the last tab

Many thanks

Re: Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by Arbaz on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 14:24

very glad with you

Re: Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 14:39

very glad with you

A pleasure
Good News

Many thanks for the feedback. Arbaz

Re: Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by bianconeri36 on Fri, 08/21/2009 - 19:20

Working well for me. Thanks

Re: Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by mark of sore-o on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 20:15

--well, it won't work for me--upgraded to latest firefox--restore only offers last few days, i need to go back months--i have blank cells and cannot move links from one row to another---tried uninstall and re-install--no dice--this is one of my main add-ons----

Re: Workarounds to problems with Fast Dial and Firefox 3.5

Submitted by chiaroscuro on Fri, 01/22/2010 - 20:18

well, it won't work for me

I would first try making sure that you are in the right bookmarks folder

restore only offers last few days, i need to go back months

unclear why you have to go back months..
you should have a selection of automatic backups available to reload that should predate your problem if it has just occured.

many thanks

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