Score:0

Firefox creates a firefox.tmp folder in the desktop folder, instead of in the proper /download folder

kr flag

I understand what this folder is used for, but i do not understand why it is created in my desktop folder rather than in the downloads folder. It is a bit annoying as I'm trying to get this folder as clean as possible, with only the ongoing tasks on it. Is there a way to «tell» Firefox to use the downloads folder instead ? This folder exists and is empty... Thanks.

vanadium avatar
cn flag
The file is created where you are attempting to save the download. Firefox can be set to automatically download in e.g. the Downloads folder.
kr flag
Sorry, but this does not seems right. If I delete this folder, it is recreated as soon as I launch firefox, even if i do not download anything. In my FF settings, the download folder is not set, I have set the «always ask where to download files» option.
ChanganAuto avatar
us flag
That being the case then the last folder you used to download is what matter and that's why FF is recreating the temp folder there.
vanadium avatar
cn flag
I see, this is about the snap specific firefox.tmp directory, which is used instead of /tmp. Strange. This should default to ~/Downloads/firefox.tmp.
heynnema avatar
ru flag
Create a `~/.hidden` file, with the contents of `firefox.tmp` (or `/home/username/Desktop/firefox.tmp`), and the file will be out-of-sight. Set your FF downloads folder to ~/Downloads.
kr flag
Hello, thanks all for your suggestions. I change the FF settings so that the default folder for downloads is .... downloads. But, it dit not change anything, at the next launch, the same firefox.tmp folder is created in the desktop folder. I also have tried the .hidden folder, containing the firefox.tmp folder, but I get the same, at the next launch firefox.tmp is created again in desktop.   I should find a way to say where to create this file, but does not find how to do that...
Koen avatar
ca flag
Do you have TMPDIR, TEMP or TMP environment variables set ? - i.e. do an echo $TMPDIR in a terminal - https://searchfox.org/mozilla-release/source/xpcom/io/SpecialSystemDirectory.cpp - for snap it also seems TMPDIR is defined as export TMPDIR=$(xdg-user-dir DOWNLOAD)/firefox.tmp
Koen avatar
ca flag
personal XDG directories (including personal DOWNLOAD dir) can be changed by editing this file : ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs
Score:0
ca flag

Firefox snap uses following directory for firefox.tmp

TMPDIR=$(xdg-user-dir DOWNLOAD)/firefox.tmp

see - https://searchfox.org/mozilla-release/source/taskcluster/docker/firefox-snap/tmpdir

To change the personal DOWNLOAD directory edit the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs

you can check the value with

xdg-user-dir DOWNLOAD
kr flag
Many thanks !!! That's exactly what I needed to know, works perfectly !
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