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Load a new URL from command line under Mac OS X 10.5

AnonymousUser
AnonymousUser
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Under Mac OS X 1.05: if Firefox is already running and I type (in a Terminal): /Applications/Firefox.App/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin http://google.com

a pop-up comes out and complains that "Firefox is already running". The behavior under Linux is load the requested URL in a new tab|window. I have also tried *documented* options such as "-new-tab" and "-remote", but I get the same error. This only happens when Firefox is already running.

Is there a way to load a new URL from the command line if Firefox is already running, under Mac OS X? I have tried Mac's open(1), but it does not get along well with Tab Mix Plus, so it is useless for me.

I think that this difference in the behavior between Linux and Mac's version is very very very annoying for developers and users!

Under Mac OS X 1.05: if Firefox is already running and I type (in a Terminal): /Applications/Firefox.App/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin http://google.com a pop-up comes out and complains that "Firefox is already running". The behavior under Linux is load the requested URL in a new tab|window. I have also tried *documented* options such as "-new-tab" and "-remote", but I get the same error. This only happens when Firefox is already running. Is there a way to load a new URL from the command line if Firefox is already running, under Mac OS X? I have tried Mac's open(1), but it does not get along well with Tab Mix Plus, so it is useless for me. I think that this difference in the behavior between Linux and Mac's version is very very very annoying for developers and users!

All Replies (3)

AnonymousUser
AnonymousUser Question owner
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open -a Firefox.app http://www.google.com

AnonymousUser
AnonymousUser Question owner
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Note that I mention that "I have tried Mac's open(1), but it does not get along well with Tab Mix Plus, so it is useless for me.".

I appreciate the suggestion, but "open -a Firefox " fails to restore the session if using Tab Mix Plus. I have reported this to the TMP developers, but got no answer so far.

AnonymousUser
AnonymousUser Question owner
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Ok, I didn't note the problem with restoring the session state stated in the original post.

I have Tab Mix Plus 0.3.8.2 installed on FF 3.6.3 running on OS X 10.6.3 and was able to launch a URL from the open command above into an existing FF window.

I now understand your problem with Tab Mix Plus.