Why can I not set the new tab page to a local html file?
It is possible to set the homepage to a local html file, but why can I not set my new tab page to this same file? The option to set the new tab page to the homepage would instantly solve this issue. I'm really confused about why my local html file can be properly displayed when starting up firefox through the homepage or when using a bookmark or simply by going to the local address using "file:///...". There are a few extensions that would supposedly allow this such as "new tab override" and "new tab homepage", however none of them allow the use of local files.
Before firefox 57.0 (quantum) I used the "new tab homepage" addon, which did in fact allow this. However, firefox 57.0 broke this. That all said, in firefox 57 I can still use that exact same local file as my homepage, and it works exactly as it should. So once again, why can't I just set some preference for the newtab page to use my homepage instead of about:newtab? The newtab thing is nice and all, but it's far from as nice as my custom homepage.
Alla svar (3)
hi Pluige, an extension is needed to modify your new tab page. however in the new webextensions api model for security reasons, extensions are not granted the right to access file on your disk randomly anymore. this is only possible on a one-to-one basis with a file-picker dialog, but this is not practical for your usecase... https://wiki.mozilla.org/WebExtensions/Filesystem
Yes, but this doesn't solve my problem. This simply changes my question to: "why can I not set the new tab page to the home page and why do I need to go as far as installing an extension for this very basic thing?". This sounds like an incredibly basic feature to me. I mean, it all works as the homepage, so why can't this homepage also function as a new tab?
A simple workaround is of course bookmarking my homepage and just opening that instead of a new tab, but this just makes it even more obvious about how ridiculous it is to be unable to use your homepage as the new tab.
Where can I request to have this feature added? I just want to click a button in the preferences that says "Use homepage as new tab page". For example, add it in the place of my picture. Why am I forced to use the default about:newtab? I'm having so much trouble comprehending how this is not already an option, especially because of the fact that all these things work for the homepage.
as this is a primarily community-run support forum it's probably not the right place to request features (we cannot implement any features & devs won't read here). if you feel that it's a missing feature in the browser, please file a bug at bugzilla.mozilla.org.