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Resize Description Box of Library Window

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First time posting here so I'll explain as best as I can.

Firefox version is 40.0.3 (I'll update at the end of the month). I doubt the appearance theme is the cause or part of the cause of this little annoyance but just in case, it is FT DeepDark v13.0.2.

Whenever I add a bookmark that links to a story, I add in the description box details about the story such as word count, chapter count, rating, etc. Later on, when I'm browsing through my bookmarks in the Library window, I have it sized so that I see 11 bookmarks at once when the description box is shown. This makes it so that I don't have to open the bookmark to know what kind of story it is.

However, about a week ago, the description box became bigger. This isn't me going crazy and never realizing the box was always that size, I noticed the change as soon as I saw it. What's more annoying is that I don't know what caused the size change.

I have uploaded an image comparing the size difference. The left one is how it looks now while the right one is how it used to look, which I recreated with an image editing software.

Ideally, I would like to be able to manually resize the description box, either while running FireFox or editing a text or .INI file or any other way.

If not, how can I revert the library window to its factory settings, like I just installed FireFox?

Thanks in advance.

First time posting here so I'll explain as best as I can. Firefox version is 40.0.3 (I'll update at the end of the month). I doubt the appearance theme is the cause or part of the cause of this little annoyance but just in case, it is FT DeepDark v13.0.2. Whenever I add a bookmark that links to a story, I add in the description box details about the story such as word count, chapter count, rating, etc. Later on, when I'm browsing through my bookmarks in the Library window, I have it sized so that I see 11 bookmarks at once when the description box is shown. This makes it so that I don't have to open the bookmark to know what kind of story it is. However, about a week ago, the description box became bigger. This isn't me going crazy and never realizing the box was always that size, I noticed the change as soon as I saw it. What's more annoying is that I don't know what caused the size change. I have uploaded an image comparing the size difference. The left one is how it looks now while the right one is how it used to look, which I recreated with an image editing software. Ideally, I would like to be able to manually resize the description box, either while running FireFox or editing a text or .INI file or any other way. If not, how can I revert the library window to its factory settings, like I just installed FireFox? Thanks in advance.
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

Actually, even though a style rule can't change the number of rows, a style rule can set the height and maximum height of the box. So using either the Stylish extension (pictured) or creating/editing a userChrome.css file, you can limit the height of the box to approximately 3 rows using the following rule:

@namespace url(http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul); #editBMPanel_descriptionField{   height: 64px !important;   max-height: 64px !important;   overflow-y: auto !important; }

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All Replies (6)

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I'm not sure your theme is involved here. In Firefox 41.0.1, the description box is a textarea editing control (like the box I'm typing in now) with coded with rows="4" which seems to allows 5 line of small font text.

You can see the code of this editing area if you select and copy the following address and paste it into the address bar and press Enter:

view-source:chrome://browser/content/places/editBookmarkOverlay.xul

You'll find it toward the bottom:

<textbox id="editBMPanel_descriptionField" multiline="true" rows="4" onchange="gEditItemOverlay.onDescriptionFieldChange();"/>

I'm not sure it's possible to resize this control with a custom style rule; it might require an add-on.

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NeoSpearBlade said

However, about a week ago, the description box became bigger.

Looking at your add-ons, you are using quite a few. Does the issue also occur when starting Firefox in Safe Mode?

Also, please note there are 2 entries for what should likely be one plug-in, so you might want to fix that first by removing / reinstalling one or both.

  • Adobe Shockwave for Director Netscape plug-in, version 11.6.6.636
  • Adobe Shockwave for Director Netscape plug-in, version 11.6.4.634

Either that, or an update of your other plugins may have started it.

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Sorry for taking so long to reply.

As an update, I'm now running v41.0.1.

jscher2000 said

I'm not sure your theme is involved here. In Firefox 41.0.1, the description box is a textarea editing control (like the box I'm typing in now) coded with rows="4" which seems to allows 5 line of small font text. I'm not sure it's possible to resize this control with a custom style rule; it might require an add-on.

I would like to be able to edit that. However, the only way to do so at the moment is by opening [omni.ja] in WinRAR, find the file [editBookmarkOverlay.xul], copy it to another folder, open the file with Notepad, change the row number, save it, put it back inside [omni.ja] and run FireFox. Of course, I would create a backup of [omni.ja] before I do this. This way is my last resort, though.

So is there anything I can do? Any Internal option or setting I can change? If not, what add-on do you recommend?

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Chosen Solution

Actually, even though a style rule can't change the number of rows, a style rule can set the height and maximum height of the box. So using either the Stylish extension (pictured) or creating/editing a userChrome.css file, you can limit the height of the box to approximately 3 rows using the following rule:

@namespace url(http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul); #editBMPanel_descriptionField{   height: 64px !important;   max-height: 64px !important;   overflow-y: auto !important; }

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You can look at this extension:

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@cor-el That does allow me to resize the description box but not the one from the Library window. Still, I might get some use of that extension. Thanks anyway.

@jscher2000 That Stylish extension did it. I can now resize at will. Thanks! (If you're wondering, my setting is 52px.)