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Can Firefox be optimized for google docs

  • 22 replies
  • 5 have this problem
  • 78 views
  • Last reply by l6griffin

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When I bring up a spreadsheet online in google docs Firefox starts dimming the screen, others tabs run slow. The screen dimming will last, for 2-3 minutes, and then clear up, 2-3 minutes later it will dim again. The fewer tabs I have helps, but not the answer. IMO the problem has gotten worse over the few upgrades. I have an HP 2000 Laptop, CPU 1300.000 MHz, memory 7586 MiB.

Thx, Larry

When I bring up a spreadsheet online in google docs Firefox starts dimming the screen, others tabs run slow. The screen dimming will last, for 2-3 minutes, and then clear up, 2-3 minutes later it will dim again. The fewer tabs I have helps, but not the answer. IMO the problem has gotten worse over the few upgrades. I have an HP 2000 Laptop, CPU 1300.000 MHz, memory 7586 MiB. Thx, Larry

Chosen solution

Well some good and some bad.

I backedup Firefox with FEBE, then un-instaled, and shut down. Brought the computer backup and re-i9nstalled Firefox. When I opened up Firefox I had a problem with Gdrive (Ubuntu 'My Drive' interface), so re-installed/updated Gdrive. In the process there was msg that the old Gdrive files were going to be deleted. It also appears the un-install of Firefox left most Firefox environment behind. I was able to get to the spreadsheet and got the script error. I opened another file about half the size of the first , same script error. I created a new file and added a few googlefunctions, no error. Google recently update their Calc program for spreadsheets and I noticed a difference in the new file. I had assumed that the upgrade update was backwards compatible, perhaps not. I'll check google to see if there are similar problems. Solved?

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All Replies (20)

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Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac Options)
key, and then starting Firefox. Is the problem still there?

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Brought Firefox up in 'Safe Mode', opened 4 Tabs (my usual), then Gdrive, and my spreadsheet in google docs. Same problem as the spreadsheet loads the screen dims. Except now a window pops up and says 'Warning Unresponsive Script', there are a couple of lines of code, and two button 'Stop Script', and 'Continue'. If I click continue the warning windows continue as though all the script is bad. I can't open other Tabs, and can't close the spreadsheet Tab till I 'Stop Script'. Firefox and Ubuntu should be up to date as the auto update allows. I tried Opera and got a script error, and unsupported browser warning. I'll install another browser from Ubuntu. Now what

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Do it again. But this time, write down Exactly what the messages say.

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OK, I'll do it again. I'm not sure that it will be definitive, as it appears that multiple lines of code could be the problem. IIRC The code that is displayed as a problem changes each time I click the continue button. I'll see how many I can collect.

Modified by l6griffin

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Here is the text from the error message;

Warning Unresponsive script

? A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, open the script in the debugger, or let the script continue.

  Script: https://docs.google.com/static/spreadsheets2/client/js/283136883-ritz_waffle_i18n_core.js:346

The script line repeats with each continue.

I've uploaded a copy of the screen shot for verification.

Thanks, Larry

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Does the same problem happen with other browsers? Script errors are usually website-related. If you receive script errors on other browsers while using Google Docs, it's a problem with the website, not Firefox.

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I tried Opera, but google quickly said it was unsupported, so I didn't pursue. There are several other browsers available for Ubuntu, but I douubt that google would like them any more than Opera.

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Please follow these directions; The next time this happens, STOP ! ! On the bottom of the error window, press Debug Script. Change Nothing ! ! Left click once. Now <Control> A to highlight everything, then <Control> C to copy it. Next have your browser go to; https://pastebin.mozilla.org. Paste <Control> P the content of the file in the window. Now press Save. The page will reload. Copy the new web address, and post it here.


From now on, any time you get an Unresponsive Script error, press Stop Script.

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OK, think I got it, I used <Control> V to paste, and 'Send' to save;

https://pastebin.mozilla.org/8827518

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FredMcD said

From now on, any time you get an Unresponsive Script error, press Stop Script.
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OK, got that. Did I get what you wanted?

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I called for more help.

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Script errors can also happen when your computer has insufficient resources. It looks like your computer specifications are okay to run Firefox, but we need to take outside factors into mind here. If many programs are running in the background, they can eat up all of your RAM and CPU. Open System Monitor and give us the amount of resources your computer has (click the Resources tab).

Modified by user1194064

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More possible reasons:

Add-ons or bad settings. A reset (a.k.a. refresh) of Firefox should solve the problem if it is being caused by add-ons or incorrect settings. Your Firefox installation is corrupt. Here are instructions below on how to completely uninstall and reinstall Firefox:

Certain Firefox problems can be solved by performing a Clean reinstall. This means you remove Firefox program files and then reinstall Firefox. Please follow these steps:

Note: You might want to print these steps or view them in another browser.

  1. Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from mozilla.org (or choose the download for your operating system and language from this page) and save the setup file to your computer.
  2. After the download finishes, close all Firefox windows (or open the Firefox menu New Fx Menu and click the close button Close 29).
  3. Delete the Firefox installation folder, which is located in one of these locations, by default:
    • Windows:
      • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
      • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
    • Mac: Delete Firefox from the Applications folder.
    • Linux: If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it - see Install Firefox on Linux. If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder firefox in your home directory.
  4. Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:
    1. Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
    2. Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.

More information about reinstalling Firefox can be found here.

WARNING: Do not use a third party uninstaller as part of this process. Doing so could permanently delete your Firefox profile data, including but not limited to, extensions, cache, cookies, bookmarks, personal settings and saved passwords. These cannot be easily recovered unless they have been backed up to an external device! See Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.

Modified by user1194064

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l6griffin said

I tried Opera, but google quickly said it was unsupported, so I didn't pursue. There are several other browsers available for Ubuntu, but I douubt that google would like them any more than Opera.

You should try Google Chrome, then. See if script errors happen in Google Chrome.

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Got some work to do. Haven't what I think is a good program for system info on Ubuntu yet, but if you need it. I don't usually run add-on, and extension, keep it simple. Typically what I have open for programs are Firefox(6-12 tabs), LibreOffice Calc, Terminal.

I installed and ran Chrome, no script error, unfortunately it reported a crash as I was writing this, Chrome remained up, I hope. Not a script error.

In the morn I'm going to see if I can backup Firefox and re-install. I'll post again when done.

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These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox

FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backup of files that you choose.

OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences

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Thanks Fred for the heads up on the extension. I'm going to take this chore as an opportunity to get more familar with the Ubuntu directory structure and how Firefox works in it.

Hopefully when all done the SMF extension will work.

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Does this problem happen to all spreadsheets? Create a new spreadsheet in Google Docs and type a few things in there. See if the same problem happens. (ignore this if reinstalling Firefox fixed your problem) Each Google Docs document has a unique link, so if there's something wrong specifically with the spreadsheet you were working on, that could be the problem.

Modified by user1194064

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Chosen Solution

Well some good and some bad.

I backedup Firefox with FEBE, then un-instaled, and shut down. Brought the computer backup and re-i9nstalled Firefox. When I opened up Firefox I had a problem with Gdrive (Ubuntu 'My Drive' interface), so re-installed/updated Gdrive. In the process there was msg that the old Gdrive files were going to be deleted. It also appears the un-install of Firefox left most Firefox environment behind. I was able to get to the spreadsheet and got the script error. I opened another file about half the size of the first , same script error. I created a new file and added a few googlefunctions, no error. Google recently update their Calc program for spreadsheets and I noticed a difference in the new file. I had assumed that the upgrade update was backwards compatible, perhaps not. I'll check google to see if there are similar problems. Solved?

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