Firefox/Thunderbird question

[VJ]

Hello!

A simple question for the Firefox/Thunderbird users out there: is it possible to have an installation of these programs on one system, so that each user can has his/her own language interface?
(I prefer English, my dad would like to see it in Dutch...)


Jörg

[breezer]

VJ,

This is quite easy - just create another profile and select the language of your choice. This is store in your prefs.js folder so it will be no problem.

user_pref("intl.accept_languages", "en");

Breezer

[VJ]

This is quite easy - just create another profile and select the language of your choice. This is store in your prefs.js folder so it will be no problem.

I have found the language setting in tools\options\advanced, but doesn't that control the language webpages are shown in if there are more languages defined for it?

I mean, how would I install a Dutch interface next to an English interface Firefox? The various language releases are full installations, not add-ons... Also, how do you create an additional profile? (and/or is it automatically done for different users?)


Jörg

[TnT]

I have found the language setting in tools\options\advanced, but doesn't that control the language webpages are shown in if there are more languages defined for it?

I mean, how would I install a Dutch interface next to an English interface Firefox? The various language releases are full installations, not add-ons... Also, how do you create an additional profile? (and/or is it automatically done for different users?)


Jörg

I believe a locale switcher is what you are looking for:

https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=1333

Profiles are managed by Firefox's profile manager which is a separate icon that is installed if you are in windows. In linux I can load the manager with the commandline argument "-ProfileManager". I'd guess it's something like "/ProfileManager" in windows.

Is it me or are extensions the least advertised feature of Mozilla based products even though they are, in my eye, the most important?

[VJ]

I believe a locale switcher is what you are looking for:

https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=1333

Great, thanks!

But euhm, how does one install multiple languages? Just install firefox with different languages on top of each other?

Profiles are managed by Firefox's profile manager which is a separate icon that is installed if you are in windows. In linux I can load the manager with the commandline argument "-ProfileManager". I'd guess it's something like "/ProfileManager" in windows.

For thunderbird, there is a seperate icon for the profilemanager, but not for firefox.

Is it me or are extensions the least advertised feature of Mozilla based products even though they are, in my eye, the most important?

I don't know, but have close to 10 extensions installed... I just didn't think of looking in the extensions for a language switcher...


Jörg

[KeiFront]

Great, thanks!

But euhm, how does one install multiple languages? Just install firefox with different languages on top of each other?

Different directories will probably work e.g. FireFoxEng and FireFoxNL.

For thunderbird, there is a seperate icon for the profilemanager, but not for firefox.

kuch kuch, http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/profile

Just experiment a little and it will probably work (but it could be that you need to edit a preference file yourself).

[TnT]

Great, thanks!

But euhm, how does one install multiple languages? Just install firefox with different languages on top of each other?

I don't know, but have close to 10 extensions installed... I just didn't think of looking in the extensions for a language switcher...

Jörg

Okay I finally figured this out. I thought most of the standard translations would be easy to find... but they are not. Don't know why Mozilla doesn't have these linked to directly on their site -- or I could have completely missed them.

If you go their ftp site:
ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/
Go into the version of Firefox you have, then OS, then xpi. You can then download/install the language packs you want.
I thought the point of xpi for Mozilla platform would not need separate ones for each OS?

I wasn't targeting you really when I mentioned extensions. I was just thinking about all the pro-Mozilla/Firefox arguments I have read and only remember them ever stating improved security, tabs, size, etc.

[VJ]

Different directories will probably work e.g. FireFoxEng and FireFoxNL.

Then you wouldn't be able to switch using the extension mentioned above... TNT however has posted the solution.

Okay I finally figured this out. I thought most of the standard translations would be easy to find... but they are not. Don't know why Mozilla doesn't have these linked to directly on their site -- or I could have completely missed them.

Well, if they are on the site, I missed them too.

Thanks, I'll try it, and let you know my findings!


Jörg

[VJ]

It works, just as it should!

Thanks TNT!


It makes one wonder why Mozilla hides this functionality so well...


Jörg