I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.

Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
update to that version, ever.)

TIA
--
John C.

On Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:08:45 -0700, "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>
>Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>update to that version, ever.)

I'm running 115 here. The only extensions that are grayed out are
those that I've disabled.

Ken Blake wrote:
> John C. wrote:
>>

Note the next line:

>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>>
>> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>> update to that version, ever.)
>
> I'm running 115 here. The only extensions that are grayed out are
> those that I've disabled.

Ken, thanks for replying but that doesn't help me at all. I clearly
listed my OS and the Firefox version I'm using (see the first quoted
line above), and then explained exactly why I'm not using 115 (see the
last line of my quoted OP.)

I haven't disabled any of my extensions. When I open the extensions
dropdown and select "Manage extensions", in the "Manage Your Extensions"
tab that opens, none of my extensions are grayed out or are disabled.

Yet in the dropdown list, more than half of them are grayed out.

--
John C.

On 7/10/23 10:08, this is what John C. wrote:
> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>
> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
> update to that version, ever.)
>
> TIA
Has this been a running system for a while?
And no updates, like 114.0.1 -> 114.0.2?
--
Linux Mint 21.1 Cinnamon 5.6.8
Al

John C. schrieb:

> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
> [noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out]

According to Microsofts end of support for Windows 7 in 01/2020
(<https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/14-2020-b75d4580-2cc7-895a-2c9c-1466d9a53962>)
some software manufacturers decided to drop support for that OS.
Please switch to an appropriate operating system.

Read this in advance:
<https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support#w_why-has-firefox-ended-support-for-windows-7-8-and-8-1-users>

> [...]

--
Kind regards
Herrand

"John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>
> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
> update to that version, ever.)

https://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-finally-declutters-the-toolbar-with-the-unified-extensions-button/

To me, Mozilla actually ADDED clutter by forcing the appearance of this
new toolbar button. I never needed it to configure the extensions. I
used the "menu -> Add-ons and themes" path (or Ctrl+Shift+A).

Manifest v2 extensions will be grayed out. You don't manage them from
that drop-down list using the toolbar button. It's there for Manifest
v3 extensions: the extension types that will get severely crippled.

While Mozilla says they will support Manifest v2 extensions for a while,
the implication is the "a while" will someday expire. That means many
types of extensions, like ad/content blockers, will become severely
crippled to be nearly useless. Even if those extensions rewrite their
code to be Manifest v3 compliant, they will be severely crippled by
limitations in table sizes. I use uBlock Origin. While the author
developed a "Lite" version to be M3 compliant, it is nowhere as robust
as the M2 version of his extension. Moving (rewriting) to M3 compliance
means add-ons lose functionality.

Since Google has mandated extensions shall be M3 compliant, and refuses
to allow submission of new or updated extensions to their Play Store,
you can, for example get uBlock Origin Lite at play.google.com. Since
Mozilla is still supporting M2 alongside M3 add-ons, you don't need the
Lite version of uBO with Firefox, and can continue using the M2 version.
Well, until Mozilla decides to shed their M2 compatibility, and also
force use of M3 add-ons. They are also updating their Chrome web
browser to block M2 add-ons. Those M2 add-ons already installed will
get disabled as they will longer be compatible with Chrome.

https://www.ghacks.net/2022/09/24/mozilla-reaffirms-that-firefox-will-continue-to-support-current-content-blockers/
(dated 09/24/2022)

I've yet to find declaration from Mozilla as to just when (which part of
which year, or in which version of Firefox) they will drop Manifest 2.

Google doesn't like ad/content blockers. Those cut into Google's
revenue for ads and their analytics they sell to web sites. Raymond
Hill, author of uBlock Origin, has stated:

"Google is making things easier for advertisers and harder for users.
Google’s new restrictions are preventing extensions from driving
innovation."
(https://www.ghostery.com/blog/ublock-origin-stopped-working-manifestv3)

Tis obviously an "info" article to promote Ghostery. Also, no datestamp
which is important because information is time sensitive, and the
article was obviously published before Ray came out with a M3 version of
uBO.

When, not if, Mozilla drops M2 support, you'll be stuck if M3 add-ons.
That means, for me, having to sacrifice a robust M2 adblocker for a less
robust and definitely tinier blacklist tables for the M3 adblocker.

Mozilla is acclimitizing you to M3 add-ons for their eventual drop of M2
support. Mozilla's claim is they will support M2 "for the foreseeable
future". Well, foreseeable is until M2 gets dropped. At one, time
Mozilla forecasted M2 would get dropped "towards the end of 2023".

Big Al wrote:
> John C. wrote:
>>
>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>>
>> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>> update to that version, ever.)
>>
>> TIA
> Has this been a running system for a while?

Not sure what you mean. This is my main computer. I turn it off after
every use.

> And no updates, like 114.0.1 -> 114.0.2?

Up to version 114.0.2, I was updating every time. By the way, here's a
screenshot of what I'm talking about:

https://imgur.com/a/lFDfgAD

--
John C.

Herrand Petrowitsch wrote:
> John C. schrieb:
>
>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>> [noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out]
>
> According to Microsofts end of support for Windows 7 in 01/2020
> (<https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/14-2020-b75d4580-2cc7-895a-2c9c-1466d9a53962>)
> some software manufacturers decided to drop support for that OS.
> Please switch to an appropriate operating system.

No. Absolutely not going to do that.

> Read this in advance:
> <https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-users-windows-7-8-and-81-moving-extended-support#w_why-has-firefox-ended-support-for-windows-7-8-and-8-1-users>

I couldn't care any less about that and besides, it has nothing to do
with the issue I'm talking about. Version 115 has this change:

"Certain Firefox users may come across a message in the extensions panel
indicating that their add-ons are not allowed on the site currently
open. We have introduced a new back-end feature to only allow some
extensions monitored by Mozilla to run on specific websites for various
reasons, including security concerns."

according to this page:

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/115.0/releasenotes/

and this is precisely why I refuse to upgrade to 115 and will never go
past 114.0.2.

If the graying out of my extensions is due to this, then the developers
released this change sooner than 115. I'm hoping that this isn't the
case because if it is, then I will find an archived version of FF which
doesn't do this.

--
John C.

VanguardLH wrote:
> "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>>
>> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>> update to that version, ever.)
>
> https://www.zdnet.com/article/firefox-finally-declutters-the-toolbar-with-the-unified-extensions-button/
>
> To me, Mozilla actually ADDED clutter by forcing the appearance of this
> new toolbar button. I never needed it to configure the extensions. I
> used the "menu -> Add-ons and themes" path (or Ctrl+Shift+A).

Totally agree.

> Manifest v2 extensions will be grayed out. You don't manage them from
> that drop-down list using the toolbar button. It's there for Manifest
> v3 extensions: the extension types that will get severely crippled.

So at what version did they start graying out Manifest v2 extensions? TIA.

> While Mozilla says they will support Manifest v2 extensions for a while,
> the implication is the "a while" will someday expire. That means many
> types of extensions, like ad/content blockers, will become severely
> crippled to be nearly useless. Even if those extensions rewrite their
> code to be Manifest v3 compliant, they will be severely crippled by
> limitations in table sizes. I use uBlock Origin. While the author
> developed a "Lite" version to be M3 compliant, it is nowhere as robust
> as the M2 version of his extension. Moving (rewriting) to M3 compliance
> means add-ons lose functionality.
>
> Since Google has mandated extensions shall be M3 compliant, and refuses
> to allow submission of new or updated extensions to their Play Store,
> you can, for example get uBlock Origin Lite at play.google.com. Since
> Mozilla is still supporting M2 alongside M3 add-ons, you don't need the
> Lite version of uBO with Firefox, and can continue using the M2 version.
> Well, until Mozilla decides to shed their M2 compatibility, and also
> force use of M3 add-ons. They are also updating their Chrome web
> browser to block M2 add-ons. Those M2 add-ons already installed will
> get disabled as they will longer be compatible with Chrome.
>
> https://www.ghacks.net/2022/09/24/mozilla-reaffirms-that-firefox-will-continue-to-support-current-content-blockers/
> (dated 09/24/2022)
>
> I've yet to find declaration from Mozilla as to just when (which part of
> which year, or in which version of Firefox) they will drop Manifest 2.
>
> Google doesn't like ad/content blockers. Those cut into Google's
> revenue for ads and their analytics they sell to web sites. Raymond
> Hill, author of uBlock Origin, has stated:
>
> "Google is making things easier for advertisers and harder for users.
> Google’s new restrictions are preventing extensions from driving
> innovation."
> (https://www.ghostery.com/blog/ublock-origin-stopped-working-manifestv3)
>
> Tis obviously an "info" article to promote Ghostery. Also, no datestamp
> which is important because information is time sensitive, and the
> article was obviously published before Ray came out with a M3 version of
> uBO.
>
> When, not if, Mozilla drops M2 support, you'll be stuck if M3 add-ons.
> That means, for me, having to sacrifice a robust M2 adblocker for a less
> robust and definitely tinier blacklist tables for the M3 adblocker.
>
> Mozilla is acclimitizing you to M3 add-ons for their eventual drop of M2
> support. Mozilla's claim is they will support M2 "for the foreseeable
> future". Well, foreseeable is until M2 gets dropped. At one, time
> Mozilla forecasted M2 would get dropped "towards the end of 2023".

Thanks for your reply, VanguardLH. However, again, at what version did
they start graying out Manifest v2 extensions? TIA.

--
John C.

On 7/10/23 16:23, this is what John C. wrote:
> Big Al wrote:
>> John C. wrote:
>>>
>>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>>>
>>> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>>> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>>> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>>> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>>> update to that version, ever.)
>>>
>>> TIA
>> Has this been a running system for a while?
>
> Not sure what you mean. This is my main computer. I turn it off after
> every use.
What I mean is: Is it a new install. But you answered that.
>
>> And no updates, like 114.0.1 -> 114.0.2?
>
> Up to version 114.0.2, I was updating every time. By the way, here's a
> screenshot of what I'm talking about:
>
> https://imgur.com/a/lFDfgAD
>

--
Linux Mint 21.1 Cinnamon 5.6.8
Al

"John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:

> So at what version did they start graying out Manifest v2 extensions? TIA.

The moment they added the Extensions toolbar button (which then users
were scrambling on trying to remove). Manifest v2 add-ons aren't
managed using the toolbar button. You click on the settings gear icon,
or go through the menu system as before, to configure those add-ons.

They didn't "start" to gray out MV2 add-ons. They were always grayed
out in the drop-down list shown by the Extensions toolbar button. I
remarked before that it is idiotic to bother showing MV2 add-ons in that
drop-down list since you still have to go to the config pages for those.
I only keep posts going back 3 months, so it was longer back when I
remarked how stupid it was the Extensions toolbar button's list should
show MV2 add-ons. As I recall, the gear icon was missing when this
first showed up. Looks like Mozilla still lists MV2 add-ons in the
list, but they provide a shortcut to the options page for the add-ons.
There is an about:config settings to remove the Extensions toolbar
button, but I left it shown since Mozilla one day may figure out they
should've be showing MV2 add-ons in this drop-down list. Or maybe they
figure that'll happen when they yank MV2 support, and all existing
installed MV2 add-ons will get automatically disabled.

As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.

VanguardLH wrote:
> John C. wrote:
>
>> So at what version did they start graying out Manifest v2 extensions? TIA.
>
> The moment they added the Extensions toolbar button (which then users
> were scrambling on trying to remove). Manifest v2 add-ons aren't
> managed using the toolbar button. You click on the settings gear icon,
> or go through the menu system as before, to configure those add-ons.
>
> They didn't "start" to gray out MV2 add-ons. They were always grayed
> out in the drop-down list shown by the Extensions toolbar button.

I guess I just never noticed it until the other day. Thanks for pointing
out that they have been grayed out for a while then.

> I remarked before that it is idiotic to bother showing MV2 add-ons in that
> drop-down list since you still have to go to the config pages for those.
> I only keep posts going back 3 months, so it was longer back when I
> remarked how stupid it was the Extensions toolbar button's list should
> show MV2 add-ons. As I recall, the gear icon was missing when this
> first showed up. Looks like Mozilla still lists MV2 add-ons in the
> list, but they provide a shortcut to the options page for the add-ons.
> There is an about:config settings to remove the Extensions toolbar
> button, but I left it shown since Mozilla one day may figure out they
> should've be showing MV2 add-ons in this drop-down list. Or maybe they
> figure that'll happen when they yank MV2 support, and all existing
> installed MV2 add-ons will get automatically disabled.
>
> As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
> remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.

That sounds about right IIRC.

--
John C.

"John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
>> remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.
>
> That sounds about right IIRC.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/109.0/releasenotes/

109 was released on January 17, 2023, but that doesn't mean it got
pushed to you on that date. Could've been later when you got it. It's
only been 6 months since the Extensions button showed up. Most users
have long become engrained into using the menu screens to configure
add-ons instead of using the Extensions toolbar button which merely
opens the same config screens in Firefox. The result is they polluted
the toolbar with a duplicate function that has long been available using
the menu nav path, so you can 2-click instead of 3-click to get to the
same config screen.

On 11 Jul 2023 12:13:45 -0500 VanguardLH wrote:
>"John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> VanguardLH wrote:
>>
>>> As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
>>> remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.
>>
>> That sounds about right IIRC.
>
>https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/109.0/releasenotes/
>
>109 was released on January 17, 2023, but that doesn't mean it got
>pushed to you on that date. Could've been later when you got it. It's
>only been 6 months since the Extensions button showed up. Most users
>have long become engrained into using the menu screens to configure
>add-ons instead of using the Extensions toolbar button which merely
>opens the same config screens in Firefox. The result is they polluted
>the toolbar with a duplicate function that has long been available using
>the menu nav path, so you can 2-click instead of 3-click to get to the
>same config screen.

The button is not merely an alternative way of getting to the extention's
config settings. It also tells you that one or more extensions access the
current page, or will access it if you grant permission. The icon then has
a blue dot.

You can install an MV3 extension which wants to access one several or all
sites without initially granting permission. You can then grant (or
withdraw) permission whenever the blue dot appears.

I don't know why it includes MV2 extensions either.
--
(Remove numerics from email address)

On Tue, 11 Jul 2023 12:13:45 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
>
> "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > VanguardLH wrote:
> >
> >> As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
> >> remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.
> >
> > That sounds about right IIRC.
>
> https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/109.0/releasenotes/
>
> 109 was released on January 17, 2023, but that doesn't mean it got
> pushed to you on that date. Could've been later when you got it. It's
> only been 6 months since the Extensions button showed up. Most users
> have long become engrained into using the menu screens to configure
> add-ons instead of using the Extensions toolbar button which merely
> opens the same config screens in Firefox. The result is they polluted
> the toolbar with a duplicate function that has long been available using
> the menu nav path, so you can 2-click instead of 3-click to get to the
> same config screen.

It would be one click if they didn't put that annoying
"Recommendations" screen in the way. I suspect that
pushing their recommendations on us is the reason they
created that Extensions widget in the first place,
because Firefox isn't (yet) as annoying as Windows.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA
https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On Tue, 11 Jul 2023 19:56:47 +0000, Dave Royal wrote:

> On 11 Jul 2023 12:13:45 -0500 VanguardLH wrote:
>>"John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> VanguardLH wrote:
>>>
>>>> As for when the Extensions toolbar button showed up, I don't exactly
>>>> remember when. The referenced article says Firefox 109.
>>>
>>> That sounds about right IIRC.
>>
>>https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/109.0/releasenotes/
>>
>>109 was released on January 17, 2023, but that doesn't mean it got
>>pushed to you on that date. Could've been later when you got it. It's
>>only been 6 months since the Extensions button showed up. Most users
>>have long become engrained into using the menu screens to configure
>>add-ons instead of using the Extensions toolbar button which merely
>>opens the same config screens in Firefox. The result is they polluted
>>the toolbar with a duplicate function that has long been available using
>>the menu nav path, so you can 2-click instead of 3-click to get to the
>>same config screen.
>
> The button is not merely an alternative way of getting to the
> extention's config settings. It also tells you that one or more
> extensions access the current page, or will access it if you grant
> permission. The icon then has a blue dot.
>
> You can install an MV3 extension which wants to access one several or
> all sites without initially granting permission. You can then grant (or
> withdraw) permission whenever the blue dot appears.
>
> I don't know why it includes MV2 extensions either.

I've just been looking at this in Nightly (117), which may be different
from what the OP is seeing, and if so maybe shows where this is heading.

The ones that are NOT greyed out are those that
(a) Are requesting permission to access the aite - they have a blue dot
beneath the icon. In my case these are both MV3. (I know that because I
wrote them).
(b) Those that are already accessing the site and have a site-specific
config/info page (e.g. uBlock Origin). In my case these are MV2 (I think).

An MV3 addon that has been given permanent permission to access the site
is thereafter greyed out.

So my hypothesis is that
- not greyed out = requesting permission (blue dot) or info available. In
the case of uBo this is instead of it having its own icon.
- greyed out = nothing to do or tell you.

One stated objective of this icon is to absorb addons' separate icons.
--
(Remove any numerics from my email address.)

Op ma 10-07-2023 om 22:58 schreef Big Al:
>> https://imgur.com/a/lFDfgAD

I've never seen that list. Instead, that button leads me to the same page as Tools > Add-ons and themes.

--
Alex.

Op za 15-07-2023 om 13:33 schreef Alex Plantema:
> Op ma 10-07-2023 om 22:58 schreef Big Al:
>>> https://imgur.com/a/lFDfgAD
>
> I've never seen that list. Instead, that button leads me to the same page as Tools > Add-ons and themes.

Correction: it leads to Recommendations, whereas Tools > Add-ons and themes leads to the latest used subpage.

--
Alex.

On 7/15/23 08:21, Alex Plantema wrote:
> Op za 15-07-2023 om 13:33 schreef Alex Plantema:
>> Op ma 10-07-2023 om 22:58 schreef Big Al:
>>>> https://imgur.com/a/lFDfgAD
>>
>> I've never seen that list. Instead, that button leads me to the same
>> page as Tools > Add-ons and themes.
>
> Correction: it leads to Recommendations, whereas Tools > Add-ons and
> themes leads to the latest used subpage.

On my FF (latest v115), that button shows 3 extensions (2 are greyed
out). Tools > add-Ons > extensions shows 9 extensions.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Without the intervention of the civil authority what would our percepts
become?- Platonic laws." [Melanchthon, as quoted in Frans Funck-Brentan,
_Luther_ (London: Jonathan Cape, Ltd. 1939) P. 260]

On 10/07/2023 15:32, John C. wrote:
> Ken Blake wrote:
>> John C. wrote:
>>>
>
> Note the next line:
>
>>> I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox version 114.0.2.
>>>
>>> Just clicked on the extensions dropdown button (next to the hamburger)
>>> and noticed that the majority of my extensions are grayed out. Can
>>> anybody explain to me what's going on here? I thought that this wasn't
>>> supposed to happen until version 115 (and is the reason I'm not going to
>>> update to that version, ever.)
>>
>> I'm running 115 here. The only extensions that are grayed out are
>> those that I've disabled.
>
> Ken, thanks for replying but that doesn't help me at all. I clearly
> listed my OS and the Firefox version I'm using (see the first quoted
> line above), and then explained exactly why I'm not using 115 (see the
> last line of my quoted OP.)
>
> I haven't disabled any of my extensions. When I open the extensions
> dropdown and select "Manage extensions", in the "Manage Your Extensions"
> tab that opens, none of my extensions are grayed out or are disabled.
>
> Yet in the dropdown list, more than half of them are grayed out.
>

I think that just means you can't click on them to do something.
If they're not greyed out in "Manage Extensions" then they're not disabled.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).

On 15 Jul 2023 09:58:25 -0500 Mark Lloyd wrote:
>
>
>On my FF (latest v115), that button shows 3 extensions (2 are greyed
>out). Tools > add-Ons > extensions shows 9 extensions.
>

All 9 enabled?
--
(Remove numerics from email address)

Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> wrote:

> On my FF (latest v115), that button shows 3 extensions (2 are greyed
> out). Tools > add-Ons > extensions shows 9 extensions.

I have 6 add-ons listed using the Extensions toolbar button. I have 8
add-ons installed, all enabled. The 2 not listed are:

- A helper add-on. Doesn't care which site you visite. Used to create
and manage aliases (AnonAddy).

- uBlock Origin. Doesn't care which site you visit. I control the
/content/ of the web doc as to what resources it can reach (network
filters), or modify the content (cosmetic filters).

Mozilla has, so far, chosen not to provide public documentation on the
operation, function, or behavior of the Extensions toolbar button, so
all we users can do is guess and discover through trial and error -- or
maybe Mozilla figures we users should dig through bugzilla.mozilla.org
to discover the tickets related to this button provided we know on which
components of the product in which to search.

I looked at the manifest.json for each add-on, but I couldn't see an
obvious attributed defined within that clearly triggers listing by the
Extensions button. I thought it might be the notifications permission
for some add-ons, but others listed by the Extension button did not have
that permission. I didn't obvious differences in the manifest files to
determine which might dictate if an add-on was or was not listed by the
Extensions button.

MV3 add-ons are listed by the Extension button to let you decide if the
add-on has a permission at the site. MV2 add-ons cannot be similarly
managed by the Extension button, and why listing MV2 add-ons under the
Extensions button is stupid. The only adjustments you can make to MV2
add-ons is back in their config page (and where Manage takes you in the
Extensions button).

Another purpose of the Extensions button was to cleanup the toolbar.
Instead having N toolbar buttons for N add-ons, Mozilla through a
drop-down listbox under one toolbar button made the UI cleaner.
However, in recognizing that many users do still want some add-ons to
show their icons in Firefox's toolbar, especially if they show some
status, you can right-click on an add-on under the Extensions button to
Pin to Toolbar whereupon you can reposition the add-on toolbar icons by
using Customize Toolbar.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/extensions-button

According to the article, if you use Pin To Toolbar for an add-on, it
will no longer be listed under the Extensions button. The icon is
either in the Extensions list, or on the toolbar. If the add-on is
disabled, it also will not appear under the Extensions button. Remember
that just because you install an add-on does not mean it is enabled by
default, especially if you don't specifically allow the add-on in
private browsing mode.

That article is the extent of documentation that I found on the
Extensions toolbar button. Other online articles are merely a review of
the new feature.

You can choose to show/hide the Extensions toolbar button using an
about:config edit. Customize Toolbar won't show that button to let you
drag to/from the toolbar.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/extensions-button

I forgot why, but when I removed the button using about:config to set
extensions.unifiedExtensions.enabled to False, it wasn't long after that
I found I needed it; i.e., removing it had an unwanted side effect.
Also, these type of settings often disappear later. Even if you define
and set them, they get ignored. At some point, I suspect will
remove/ignore this setting as they figure they know what's best for you,
or they choose not to bother to continue supporting legacy code.

On 7/15/23 16:23, Dave Royal wrote:
> On 15 Jul 2023 09:58:25 -0500 Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>
>>
>> On my FF (latest v115), that button shows 3 extensions (2 are greyed
>> out). Tools > add-Ons > extensions shows 9 extensions.
>>
>
> All 9 enabled?

Yes, all enabled.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for
every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect." -- James Madison
(1751-1836), letter to William Bradford, Jr., January 24, 1774

On Sat, 15 Jul 2023 18:03:10 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:

> I have 6 add-ons listed using the Extensions toolbar button. I have 8
> add-ons installed, all enabled. The 2 not listed are:
>
> - A helper add-on. Doesn't care which site you visite. Used to create
> and manage aliases (AnonAddy).
>

On Nightly - 117a - I have one addon (out of 4 enabled) that does not
appear in the toolbar icon list - Firefox DevTools ADB Extension (MV2). It
does not request or require any permissions.

> - uBlock Origin. Doesn't care which site you visit. I control the
> /content/ of the web doc as to what resources it can reach (network
> filters), or modify the content (cosmetic filters).

But uBlock Origin /does/ appear. It says "Can always read and change data
on this site". If I click it I get the popup that previously resulted from
clicking uBO's own toolbar icon.

I can move (pin) the it to toolbar, which reverts to the old uBO icon. And
I can reverse that: r-click. (uBO is v1.50.0)

The other two are MV3 and request permission to modify specific site(s). I
can grant and revoke permisions with the gearwheel icon - for this visit
or permanently.
--
(Remove any numerics from my email address.)

Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 15 Jul 2023 18:03:10 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> I have 6 add-ons listed using the Extensions toolbar button. I have 8
>> add-ons installed, all enabled. The 2 not listed are:
>>
>> - A helper add-on. Doesn't care which site you visite. Used to create
>> and manage aliases (AnonAddy).
>>
>
> On Nightly - 117a - I have one addon (out of 4 enabled) that does not
> appear in the toolbar icon list - Firefox DevTools ADB Extension (MV2). It
> does not request or require any permissions.
>
>> - uBlock Origin. Doesn't care which site you visit. I control the
>> /content/ of the web doc as to what resources it can reach (network
>> filters), or modify the content (cosmetic filters).
>
> But uBlock Origin /does/ appear. It says "Can always read and change data
> on this site". If I click it I get the popup that previously resulted from
> clicking uBO's own toolbar icon.
>
> I can move (pin) the it to toolbar, which reverts to the old uBO icon. And
> I can reverse that: r-click. (uBO is v1.50.0)

Ah, the presence of the add-on's icon in the toolbar resulting in
absence of the add-on in the Extension button's drop-down list explains
why uBO was absent in the list.

I have a toolbar icon for uBO, but don't remember having explicitly used
Pin To Toolbar in the Extension buttons Manage options for that add-on,
but that doesn't mean I didn't do it back when the Extensions toolbar
icon appeared. uBO's toolbar icon lets me know if that add-on blocked
some resources (network filters) or content (cosmetic filters) at a
site, and the number blocked indicates just how much shit that site uses
that uBO blocked. Without that info, or hiding it under a drop-down
list for the Extensions button, would severely detract from the
usability of the add-on.

I can see similar crippling of add-ons using the Extension button. Say
you installed an add-on to toggle Javascript support in Firefox.
Mozilla took away the user-configurable options regarding Javascript,
and left only programmatic access to Javascript enable/disable (and why
you now have to use an add-on to toggle Javascript support). The
add-on's toolbar icon changes color, or even icon images, to indicate if
Javascript is enabled or not. Without that visual cue, and by hiding
the add-on in the Extension button's drop-down list, the user wouldn't
know when Javascript was enabled or not, but then they wouldn't have
access to the toolbar icon to toggle Javascript support.

A Mozilla article that I referenced mentioned that pinning add-on icons
to the toolbar will remove them from the Extensions button drop-down
list. In the past, configuring which add-ons showed their icons in the
toolbar was done in the Customize Toolbar dialog (assuming the add-on
didn't add its icon in the toolbar, by default). Now we have 2 places
to customize the toolbar: Customize Toolbar (right-click on the
toolbar), and the Extensions button's Pin To Toolbar. Yeah, like the
minimalizing of the UI really got better ... not! Mozilla tries to
proclaim they made extension config simpler, but instead they made it
more complicated.