How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Ask for help about NoScript, no registration needed to post
Manju

How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Manju »

Hi,

why don't you include synchronisation of noscript list with multiple computers, because people like me find it difficult while using multiple computers like home pc and office pc. it will be a great option for us....

regards
Manjunath
t-s-m-a-n-j-u.-r-a-o-@gmail.com

mod: somewhat obscured email to guard against SPAM harvesters
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.6) Gecko/2009011913 Firefox/3.0.6 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

@Giorgio: Since this has come up several times in the last week or so alone, do you think it would be a good idea to post a sticky thread on this topic, with your current status on the project and the several presently-available methods?

@Manju, HI! Yes, this is being worked on. If you "search" the forum, you'll find numerous interim methods, including using the NS Export/Import function or just copying your entire Fx profile to a flash drive, plug into the other machine, open the profile on flash, copy *all*, open the profile folder on the other machine and select it, paste "all" (yes to overwrite), close it up, restart browser. This latter syncs your entire Fx and all its extensions, not just NS. To do just NS, use the first method. They're in more detail if you search. If you can't find them, let us know. Regards, Tom T.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
User avatar
Giorgio Maone
Site Admin
Posts: 9454
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Palermo - Italy
Contact:

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Giorgio Maone »

Tom T. wrote:Since this has come up several times in the last week or so alone, do you think it would be a good idea to post a sticky thread on this topic, with your current status on the project and the several presently-available methods?
Yes, definitely.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.2; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032609 Firefox/3.0.8 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

Giorgio Maone wrote:
Tom T. wrote:Since this has come up several times in the last week or so alone, do you think it would be a good idea to post a sticky thread on this topic, with your current status on the project and the several presently-available methods?
Yes, definitely.
Sorry for the delay, just saw your reply. (Memo to self: Must auto-subscribe. Screw the inbox clutter.) Need to go offline now, so if it's not done by late Sunday US time, will try to get it done.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
Aerik
Junior Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:24 pm

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Aerik »

That doesn't seem too difficult to do without Giorgio's help. You can copy and paste about:config entries wholesale, you know. It's how I backup my firefox profile. I use FEBE to backup selectively each part of my profile as well as a one-file copy of the whole thing, which alone backs up Noscript's lists, and then I backup those lists manually in text files incase FEBE doesn't work for some reason. Easy.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1b4pre) Gecko/20090328 Shiretoko/3.5b4pre
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

Aerik wrote:That doesn't seem too difficult to do without Giorgio's help. You can copy and paste about:config entries wholesale, you know. It's how I backup my firefox profile. I use FEBE to backup selectively each part of my profile as well as a one-file copy of the whole thing, which alone backs up Noscript's lists, and then I backup those lists manually in text files incase FEBE doesn't work for some reason. Easy.
Aerik, unless I'm misunderstanding you, those are just more methods for *backup*, whereas the OP asked about "*synchronizatioon" on multiple PCs. Any of these methods, copied to a Flash drive, or shared folder if networked, would work. So yours can be added to that. But GM is working on an auto-synchronize feature, which the proposed sticky thread would give him a place to track status, announcements, updates, etc.

btw, when you have a moment, could you help me out with the question I posted about your comment on XBL at http://hackademix.net/2009/03/09/cross- ... -the-dead/ ? I made the changes I could find, and all has been well. Still would like to know how to do the others and what they would do (how affect browser appearance/behavior) . Many thanks if you can find the time. Cheers.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
User avatar
therube
Ambassador
Posts: 7924
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:17 pm
Location: Maryland USA

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by therube »

This is really a question I meant to ask in the PM, but I guess you'll see it here anyhow ...

When you import/export (or I guess really only applies on import) does the import overwrite, append, merge, duplicate ... existing entries? So if you "sync'd" from A to B one day & then B to A the next, are you going to end up with A+B+B+A kind of thing?

(I'm only asking in general & not looking for an answer myself.)
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball NoScript FlashGot AdblockPlus
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.22pre) Gecko/20090327 SeaMonkey/1.1.16pre
User avatar
Giorgio Maone
Site Admin
Posts: 9454
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Palermo - Italy
Contact:

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Giorgio Maone »

therube wrote:When you import/export (or I guess really only applies on import) does the import overwrite, append, merge, duplicate ... existing entries?
They're "merged" with the following "common sense" algorithm: imported items are appended if no matching item is found in the current list. If an item in the current whitelist matches (i.e. is implied by) an imported item, it gets overwritten.
This applies both to whitelist and blacklist, but the whitelist get processed first and blacklist items matching a whitelist item (either current or imported) prevail.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.2; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032609 Firefox/3.0.8 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

I'm ready to dive in and post the instructions. They're here.
Last edited by Tom T. on Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: add link to sticky instructions
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
Charley M
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:35 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Charley M »

The sticky post is only for Windoze, is too long, too many words, and doesn't generalise for the average user.
A user so inexperienced to need a recipe like the sticky post really shouldn't be editing their profile at all.
Heres my heavy edit of the sticky post.
It's for evaluation and the developer can use any/all of it without attribution to me.


To Synchronise **only your whitelist** (which includes your "Untrusted" list).
Use the IMPORT/EXPORT feature of NS

Step 1
EXPORT THE PREFERRED WHITELIST (WHICH INCLUDES "UNTRUSTED') TO WHERE YOU CAN UPLOAD IT TO MULTIPLE MACHINES
NS Options/Prefs > Whitelist tab, choose "Export" button at the bottom of the dialog, 'save as' a text file, OK out of dialog.

Step 2
IMPORT THE WHITELIST TEXT FILE SAVED IN STEP 1 TO ANY MACHINE
NS Options/Prefs > Whitelist tab, choose "Import" button at the bottom of the dialog, browse to the saved whitelist text file, select it, OK out of dialog.

To Synchronise **all** NS data (Version and configuration)
Manually replace NS folder and part of the Fx configuration file.
Care: you can break your Fx with manual file fiddling, so backup. You have been warned.

Step 1
COPY THE NS FOLDER FROM THE MACHINE WHOSE SETTINGS YOU WANT TO USE FOR ALL MACHINES
NS folder (titled 73a6fe31... WTF! kinda title is that, that's Fx all over) is in the Extensions folder, which is in the profile folder. [Link] Title: Where's my profile folder? source: from the Mozillazine official documentation[/ Link].

Step 2
MAKE A TEXT FILE OF THE NS ENTRIES FROM THE PREFS.JS FILE ON THAT SAME MACHINE
"prefs.js" is in your [Link] where's my profile folder?[Link].
Always make a backup of any file you are opening in an editor **before** you open it.
Use the "Open with" context menu command to open "prefs.js" in your text editor (not your browser) and copy/paste the block of lines that begin with "noscript" into a new text document.

Step 3
USE THE FOLDER AND FILE MADE IN STEPS 1 AND 2 TO UPDATE THE SAME NS FOLDER AND FILE ON ALL YOUR MACHINES
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032711 Ubuntu/8.04 (hardy) Firefox/3.0.8
User avatar
Giorgio Maone
Site Admin
Posts: 9454
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Palermo - Italy
Contact:

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Giorgio Maone »

@Charley M:
thanks, I appended your contribution as a "fast cross-platform path" in the sticky.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.2; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032609 Firefox/3.0.8 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

Charley M wrote:NS folder (titled 73a6fe31... WTF! kinda title is that, that's Fx all over)
@ Giorgio: Although "WTF" may be common on the Net, I question whether it is appropriate language in a sticky post that represents the forum. Also whether the implicit sneering at Fx ("that's Fx all over") should remain in the post. Since you approved it, I won't edit and will leave it to your judgment.
Charley M wrote:The sticky post is only for Windoze, is too long, too many words, and doesn't generalise for the average user.
A user so inexperienced to need a recipe like the sticky post really shouldn't be editing their profile at all.
@Charley M.: We get users of all knowledge levels here, and welcome them all. Note that the "NOSCRIPT QUICK START GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS" has had (at this moment) 105 views in less than four days.

This particular question has come up many times, also by users of various knowledge levels. We had a private discussion before posting that included the risks of editing the profile. Hence the "hold-your-hand", or step-by-step, guide that anyone who can follow the directions can do safely. Many low-tech users have multiple computers in their homes; others would like their work and home machines synched. Would you not agree that the lowest-knowledge users are more likely to be using Windows? Those on *nix, BSD, etc., are probably knowledgeable enough to figure this out for themselves, but thanks much for contributing your cross-platform fast-path for the high-tech user.

However, I think we both missed something. (I assume you were working only from my guide instead of doing your own research before writing your Guide, correct?)
and copy/paste the block of lines that begin with "noscript" into a new text document.
For one thing, none of the lines begin with "noscript". I know that you're assuming a high-tech user who "knows" that you "really" mean "user_pref("noscript.

But there are also a couple of non-contiguous lines far above this block, which start with "user_pref("capability.policy.maonoscript..." It appears to be the Whitelist, whereas the Untrusted is stored farther down in the block we both referenced, "user_pref("noscript.untrusted",".

@Giorgio, can you confirm/deny this? If true, I can edit both Charley's high-tech guide and my average-user guide. Thanks.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
Alan Baxter
Ambassador
Posts: 1586
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:47 am
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Alan Baxter »

Tom T. wrote: But there are also a couple of non-contiguous lines far above this block, which start with "user_pref("capability.policy.maonoscript..." It appears to be the Whitelist, whereas the Untrusted is stored farther down in the block we both referenced, "user_pref("noscript.untrusted",".

@Giorgio, can you confirm/deny this? If true, I can edit both Charley's high-tech guide and my average-user guide. Thanks.
The long one is the whitelist. Don't copy it. It will be modified when the whitelist is imported. I don't think the other one is a "setting" either, so no need to copy it. In fact the noscript.untrusted pref will be modified when the whitelist is imported. No harm done by copying it as long as the whitelist is imported after prefs.js is edited.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032609 Firefox/3.0.8
Tom T.
Field Marshal
Posts: 3620
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:58 am

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Tom T. »

Alan Baxter wrote:The long one is the whitelist. Don't copy it. It will be modified when the whitelist is imported. I don't think the other one is a "setting" either, so no need to copy it. In fact the noscript.untrusted pref will be modified when the whitelist is imported. No harm done by copying it as long as the whitelist is imported after prefs.js is edited.
But both the long and short versions assume that the prefs.js edit will accomplish the whole sync. Neither version says to export/import AND edit prefs.js.
Apparently, in order to do the entire sync, one would first have to do the sync/prefs part, and then do the export/import also. My goal was to have the entire sync be done in the copy/pastes, with "Whitelist/blacklist only" being a different, shorter goal, not something to be added to the complete sync.

It was a bit of a surprise to me to find that the whitelist was discontiguous from the block of lines that includes the untrusted list. It seems that one of the following two edits has to be made to both the long and short Guides:

1) After doing the Sync, then do the Whitelist ex/im
or:
2) In the Sync instructions, add a step to copy and paste the "user_pref("capability.policy.maonoscript...." lines

Comments, please?
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.20) Gecko/20081217 Firefox/2.0.0.20
Alan Baxter
Ambassador
Posts: 1586
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:47 am
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: How about synchronisation of Noscript list with multiple PCs

Post by Alan Baxter »

Oh, smacks head, I think you're right. Whitelist import not necessary if you copy the line from pref.js instead. Wouldn't hurt to just say something like "copy both lines that begin with user_pref("capability.policy.maonoscript."
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.8) Gecko/2009032609 Firefox/3.0.8
Post Reply