Advanced: Tabs

browser.link.open_external (Integer). This option specifies how Firefox opens links launched externally, e.g. e-mail or Microsoft Word. 3 options are available;

1. Selecting this option launches the link in a new tab in the most recently active Firefox window. This would be recommended if you don't wish launching such links to affect your most recently active webpage and you aren't concerned about the links content.

2. Selecting this option launches a new Firefox window to view the link. This would perhaps be the safest option to select (In that if you launch something questionable you may be able to end the process without affecting other windows).

3. Selecting this option (default) launches the link in the most recently active Firefox window/tab. This would be recommended if you aren't concerned about launching links is the most recently active window/tab (You can always use the back button to view the previous page if you need).

browser.link.open_newwindow (Integer). This option allows you to specify how links which request to be opened in a new window are handled, 3 options are available;

1. Selecting this option specifies that new window links are launched in the current Firefox window/tab.

2. This option specifies that new window links are launched in new Firefox windows when requested.

3. Selecting this option (default) specifies that new window links are launched in a new tab in the current Firefox window. This would generally be preferred to select over 1 as it has no effect on the current window/tab content.

browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground (Boolean). Setting this to false specifies that new tabs launched from bookmarks are to be loaded in the foreground, i.e. launching a bookmark in a new tab launches the link in a new tab and switches you to that tab. When set to true (recommended) the new tab is opened in the background, i.e. launching a bookmark in a new tab launches the link in a new tab but you remain in the current one.

browser.tabs.loadInBackground (Boolean). Setting this to false specifies that new tabs launched from links in pages are to be loaded in the foreground, i.e. middle clicking on a link and launches the link in a new tab and switches you to that tab. When set to true (recommended) the new tab is opened in the background, i.e. middle clicking on a link launches the link in a new tab but you remain in the current one. Note - This is the same as the When I open a new tab, switch to it immediately option in the Tabs menu.

browser.tabs.opentabfor.middleclick (Boolean). When set to true, clicking/depressing the middle mouse button (Scroll wheel more commonly) over a link opens that link in a new tab. When set to false this does not occur (You can still open the link in a new tab by right clicking on it and selecting Open link in new tab).

browser.tabs.warnOnClose (Boolean). When set to true (Default), this option forces Firefox to confirm closure of a window if it contains multiple tabs.

This may be useful as you may accidentally choose to close such windows, forgetting there were other active tabs you wished to finish viewing also. If you do wish to proceed closing the window select Close tabs, otherwise select Cancel. Ticking Warn me when I attempt to close multiple tabs leaves this confirmation request in place for the future. Note - This is the same as the Warn when closing multiple tabs option in the Options menu, Tabs tab.

browser.tabs.warnOnOpen (Boolean). When set to true (default) Firefox will prompt for confirmation when attempting to open an excessive number of tabs (The threshold for which is specified by browser.tabs.maxOpenBeforeWarn);

Set this to false to disable such prompts.

browser.tabs.maxOpenBeforeWarn (Integer). This specifies the maximum number of tabs open, beyond which Firefox will prompt as to whether it should continue to load a new tab(s). By default this is set to 15; increase/decrease this value as you see fit depending on your browser habits.

browser.search.openintab (Boolean). When set to false (default) the result of search queries entered in the Search bar are loaded in the current window/tab. Setting this to true displays the results of such queries in a new tab in the current window; this is my personal preference.