Default container

[comzeradd]

It would be nice if I could set a default container for new tabs.

So for instance if I click on an external app it opens without any container at all. It feels like there is an extra default container besides the ones I've set.

[jonathanKingston]

We have "No container" in various context menus etc and functionality wise that as you say behaves the same way as a container.

Are you essentially looking to change the name, color and icon of "No container"? Or is the issue more around menus not containing "No container" everywhere?

[comzeradd]

Yes, I think that the "No container" should also somehow visualized. From a UX perspective I think it would be more clear that actually this is also a container.

[ruihildt]

On the other hand, I would like to define myself what is the default container: when I click on "+" to open a tab, I want it to open by default in the container of my choice.

The "No container" is in fact a container, the "Default" one from the user perspective.

[jimdigriz]

Most intuative would be 'New Tab' should open a tab in same container as the current selection. Also, I think pushing home the message that 'No container' is 'personal' will fix a lot of the UI problems here too.

For example I put everything into my personal container, and now SnoozeTabs and Pocket are un-usable. By putting them in 'No container' I avoid this problem, but the instructions encourage a 'personal' container when in practice it just does not work out at all well for me.

[smichel17]

An alternative resolution would be to make new tabs private by default (#419, #427), potentially with the option to change the default to open in the current container (#245, #342).

[happyGNU]

I would like an option to have a default container as soon as Firefox opens, so I won't forget I have containers and I can use them. 😄

[chicagobuss]

Hi, just adding my voice here - I use firefox MOSTLY for work but I have a few cases where I need / want to use containers. So for me, I just want the work container to be the default container - the big thing I'm hoping for is ctrl-t ALWAYS make a new work container.

So to be super clear - I just want the option to set a default container to something other than this 'no container'.

[anthonyrisinger]

I left Firefox for use/development at the turn of the decade... some 8+ years ago. I seek now to rekindle an old flame. This one single feature overcame great "no objection to status quo" headwind and successfully lured me back to Firefox.

I admit the newfound duo quickly ;-) sell themselves! Nice!

Alas... most of the container experience encourages me, the user, to pretty much avoid using containers. Every single interaction is a break to existing workflow because there is no way to use containers naturally; one must devote energy in keeping yourself "contained". Hah! Hardly! :-D

I'd love to see containers be hyper-sticky to the intent and current context of the user. I only ever see/read/use a handful of major workflows, ordered by specificity (issues exist already):

• Current Tab
• Current Window
• Current Domain

Right now I can only set a default container namespace for "Current Domain", which does work sometimes, but not at all for major service providers like Google, Amazon, etc. I spend most the day on.

For my own needs anyway, it would be enough to add "assign default namespace for a given window" and "clone current tab's namespace when opening a new one". At this point the user need only assign a "Work" window and "Personal" window, then get on with loving Firefox.

I cannot agree more with most everything said here on UX: "no container" may as well be default/private. Anything! "No Container" yields no information. The user isn't interested in "containers" per se; they've already opted-in 100% to whatever they are because they understand the outcomes they deliver [isolated "logins"], and thus sought the extension and will accept "container" as an analogue, but are now forced to wonder "what happens when I forget and am 'uncontained'?! Un-isolated logins?! Oh noes!" It's a functionally meaningless distinction from a default or anonymous container.

Anyways, love what I see and it's good to be home, but also curious where this issue stands and how it stacks against other priorities.

[milezhacks]

FWIW, I think Chrome nailed this part of the UX with their multi-user mode. This binds a user to a window rather than a tab but the flow is always more natural.
That said, one way to improve FF's container flow/experience (IMHO) is: if I hit alt/cmd-T to open a tab, it should spawn the same type of tab that I'm currently in.

For me, I'm using containers to mix personal and work activities. When I'm looking at a personal page and open a tab, chances are I want a personal container. If I'm looking at a work tab and I spawn a tab, chances are I want a work container. CS101: Locality of (P)reference

The last bit of behavior that breaks the flow is when I click a link from an external app. If someone sends me a pull-request in Slack, I want that link to open in my work container. How would I control that? A link should open in the container type of the last viewed container. So if I look at a work tab and click a link, I want a work container. If someone sends me a l ink to reddit in iMessage, I'll look at a personal container and then click the link.

In the general case, all things boil down to : new container( type = typeof(lastviewed) )

[Kylejustknows]

I want another kind of "Default Container" which I failed to get. Users can not define rules like wildcard.

I want google.com in Container1(for account reason), but everything else in Container2. But now all the page I open from google.com(even I open in new tab) will keep using Container1, no way to switch containers automatically, no default container settings.

[eskemojoe007]

I actually love the one window, tabs of different types mix that containers allows, but I do wish that I could set the color and name of the "default" container. AKA the default container shows up on the list, is customizable.

[ghost]

An option to set the color of the "default" container would be nice, but an option to have links leave the container based on domain would be extremely useful, especially for isolating, say, Google, from the rest of my personal stuff. I don't use Facebook, and I don't trust that third-party "Google Container" addon.

[TuranTimur]

Hi. Any update on this subject? I'm surprised to see many ppl are interested. Here is my use case

• I want to use multi session container for gmail
• gmail for company and gmail for my own
• currently: everytime my new tab does not have any session container. so I have choose which session to use regardless of what I want
• change: i set new tab default to my own gmail session. If I need I just change session container.

[andrewcrook]

The biggest issue that I have is not being able to set a default container (to act like a catch all) so that links to other sites in a container don't open in the same container but rather to a default one, unless they are already configured to their own container that is.

example: clicking on a link in Twitter to a site that I have never visited before.

I agree on being able to see this default container in the list.

[rr0ss0rr]

I have "Temporary Containers" installed and like having my default container being a temporary one. The container is removed when the last tab is closed. I just wish this feature would be added to MAC

[TuranTimur]

so how many upvote is needed?

[jonashaag]

@donghwicha Please think about how you communicate online. This is a free program; you are not paying any money, nobody owes you anything. Maybe you can try to implement it yourself and send a pull request?

[TuranTimur]

@donghwicha Please think about how you communicate online. This is a free program; you are not paying any money, nobody owes you anything. Maybe you can try to implement it yourself and send a pull request?

@jonashaag I think it is you who should think about how you communicate online. This is a free program; we are not paying any money, nobody owes you anything, you don't own anything. Having communication is also part of participation, and asking how community works regarding valid number of vote is not offending anything. Please do not troll here throwing harsh expression like why don't you do it yourself?

[andrewcrook]

@donghwicha @jonashaag please take this argument off this thread it doesn’t help anyone and isn’t what issues are for it just makes issues harder to manage. Also please take a look at the code of conduct for this project. Thank you.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/governance/policies/participation/

[DIW79]

I was wondering about this issue myself and had a look around Github.

I saw that there have been so very very many discussions and duplicates of this topic which made me recognise that there is CLEARLY a need in the community for there to be some sort of option that allows people to select if they wish to open a new tab in a fully operating container!

Why this has been such a hard thing to at least get some practical movement on is a bit of a mystery to me, but seems, from the conversations I have read, to centre around what different people think the default container should be/how it should act.

Unless I am barking up the wrong tree entirely (and I admit in advance that I may have misinterpreted things) it seems to me that this issue has been gone over time and time and time and time again ad infinitum to a point where the community seems to be at a standstill

I would like to propose what I think is both a workable solution, and which leaves open the potential for further development in terms of user-defined behaviour/functionality.

I propose the following:

1. That (simply to get things moving) an option is included to allow the user to specify whether they want new tabs to open in a container (one which functions as already existing containers with regards to security), or, whether they wish new tabs to open as normal (as if there were no container present).

2. This user-defined functionality sets the behaviour of all new tabs by opening them in a 'new container tab' - maybe the new container tab has it's own colour not already listed - a rainbow line or black and white dashed line?

3. This behaviour is set via a drop-down menu which could be placed in the empty space next to the sort tabs button, and options within it perhaps have a tick box which becomes selected and highlighted when selected by the user

4. The first such option will be an option in the menu to open all new tabs (blank new tabs) in a 'new tab container' when highlighted. When not highlighted, new tabs open as they would if not using multi-account containers

5. A second such option will allow the user to choose whether to open links in an already exiting page in either a 'new tab container' or in a normal blank new tab (one with no container)

6. If the need then arises in the future (from further discussion) that different people wish such functionality to operate in differing ways then surely, the highlighted button could become a menu which opens to drop-down options to allow users to define the specific behaviour of the "new tab container"

7. Lastly, there will second and third items in the 'tab menu' accessed by left-clicking on a tab which offer the options to "reopen in default container" or simply "open new default container". I can see there also being the need to offer the option to "open new default container" in the container add-on menu (right click on multi-account containers icon in toolbar).

[Solid-Ice8]

@DIW79, I understand you're frustration as I too, see many duplicate being suggestions/features every now and then. Please try to remain calm and collective as I have too. You may even see me posting in multiple issues here and there as well. With the COVID-19 going around, I'm sure everyone is anxious too. Now back to the topic at hand.

You can use a combination of add-ons to achieve what you're implying.

You should note that Multi-Account Container's "Default" is essentially no container at all. None. Not existing. Here's 2 add-ons I'll suggest to you and many users alike:

1. Temporary Containers; which I've explained here > #1722
2. Simple Tabs Groups; which I've also explained here > #1695 & #1707

[AlienResidents]

I propose the following: . . . 7. Lastly, there will second and third items in the 'tab menu' accessed by left-clicking on a tab which offer the options to "reopen in default container" or simply "open new default container". I can see there also being the need to offer the option to "open new default container" in the container add-on menu (right click on multi-account containers icon in toolbar).

Thanks for your proposed ideas, @DIW79 . I'd like to add an 8th option.

8. When using CLI tools, or anything external to the browser, that opens a page, I would like the option to select the container before loading the page requested from the external source. Perhaps in somewhere like the "new tab" page, and if FF is aware that an external source requested a page to be opened, then ask me first. Maybe through a setting/toggle that gives me an option to say "open in the default container", "ask me" which container, or "select container from new tab page" etc.

A couple of real-world examples for me:

e.g. 1. I use CLI tools to authenticate myself for using a particular CLI tool (e.g. gcloud, gcs, awscli etc). I have multiple accounts, and so I'd like to select the container that I have tied to a particular account, instead of the default container. I know it's easy enough to right click, and open in the correct container, but sometimes I have to catch the site before it fully loads in order to authenticate properly, which of course is a self-made race condition for how I use containers.

e.g. 2. I click a link in slack/discord/steam/uplay etc, and that opens in the default container (or the "remembered" container for that particular site/URL).

[Solid-Ice8]

2. I click a link in slack/discord/steam/uplay etc, and that opens in the default container (or the "remembered" container for that particular site/URL).

This is working as intended. You'll first need to assign a site to the container. Tick "Always open in X container".

Then, on a different container, navigate to that site. It'll ask which container you want to open it in. Since I also use Temporary Container (add-on), I'll always see that screen whenever I assign a new site to container and open that assigned site.

Tick "Remember my decision for this site" and your all set.

As I also mentioned above, Multi-Account Container's "Default" (or better described as "Current") has no container at all.

[AlienResidents]

2. I click a link in slack/discord/steam/uplay etc, and that opens in the default container (or the "remembered" container for that particular site/URL).

This is working as intended. You'll first need to assign a site to the container. Tick "Always open in X container".

This was an example usage based on the proposal I put forth, and while I understand you can "always open in X container", this isn't what I meant. I'll try to explain this more in detail.

I use slack and discord , with different channels, and depending on the channel, I want an option to open github for instance, with the account based on the channel I click a link from. I have my personal github account, and I have my work github account. I can't always, open github.com in container X.

I would like an option where I don't have to re-open a tab in a different container, but instead be prompted for the container I'd like to open the site in, before it loads.

I hope this makes more sense.

[Solid-Ice8]

If that's the case, you can simply unassign GitHub from your current X container.

Locking a site to one specific container won't allow you to use multiple accounts.

This also applies to those add-ons like FaceBook & Google Containers. If you have any of those 2 installed in FireFox, you also won't be able to log into more than one account at a time.

The only other workaround is to make a new profile.

[AlienResidents]

If that's the case, you can simply unassign GitHub from your current X container.

Locking a site to one specific container won't allow you to use multiple accounts.

This also applies to those add-ons like FaceBook & Google Containers. If you have any of those 2 installed in FireFox, you also won't be able to log into more than one account at a time.

The only other workaround is to make a new profile.

I'm fairly certain you've misunderstood me. Maybe I have used bad examples.

In short, I'd like to be able to select a container to open an externally opened site/URL before the site/URL loads. That behaviour, as far as I'm aware, does not exist, but I'd sure like it.

[Solid-Ice8]

I'd like to be able to select a container to open an externally opened site/URL before the site/URL loads. That behaviour, as far as I'm aware, does not exist, but I'd sure like it.

Are you referring to history/bookmarks or like using Google search for example. You want to be able to "select X container" when Google redirects you to an external site.

Something along the lines of: You search Cats, click an external link and you "should" be able to select "Always open in 'Cats' container" before the page loads correct?

Like you should be able to "choose" which container the external link will open?

Or you may even want to be able to open History/Bookmarks into Containers as well?

edit: Note that you can middle click any external links to open it to the current active container.

Just like how you have many GitHub tabs opened, you can middle click any other external link will open in GitHub's container.

[AlienResidents]

I'd like to be able to select a container to open an externally opened site/URL before the site/URL loads. That behaviour, as far as I'm aware, does not exist, but I'd sure like it.

Are you referring to history/bookmarks or like using Google search for example. You want to be able to "select X container" when Google redirects you to an external site.

ugh, no I'm referring to the initial comment I made, which I think you've forgotten about.

https://github.com/mozilla/multi-account-containers/issues/356#issuecomment-620942515

External to the browser, so the command line interface (CLI) which is external to the browser, Slack which is external to the browser, discord which is external to the browser. The browser in this case is of course, Firefox. External to the browser means, it didn't happen in the browser. Something external to the browser makes the browser do something. In this case, something external to the browser, tells Firefox to open a link, let's call that external something, in this example, Slack. So again, Slack, which is external to the browser tells Firefox to open a link/site. I want a choice to select which container Firefox uses, before Firefox opens the link/site that Slack requested.

At this point, I'm unsure how to make my request/proposal any more clear. Happy to hear suggestions about how to approach this proposal differently. If I had video, and animation skills I'd make a video.

[Solid-Ice8]

Thank you for clarifying and being more specific.

Since Slack is an external program, then it calls under:

Automatically reopens tabs in Temporary Containers when:

• Opens a new tab
• Tab tries to load a website in No Container
• External program opens a link in the browser

TC works with Slack. In advanced options, you can tick 'close leftover redirects" in Isolation. Slack is listed in there. You'll know more here.

Note that TC also has the ability to 'Convert Temp Container to Perm Container' (vice versa) & I've tested can confirm its compatible with MA-C.

I don't know if there's a real 'perfect solution' to pre-select a container before FireFox launches but the closest thing I can think of is to make a container for those selections of external links from Slack. Tick "Always Open in Slack" container, but don't tick "Remember my decision for this site". I'll explain below. Test & confirm it works with Slack.

If you tick "Remember my decision for this site", this will lock yourself out in case there's a need to use multiple accounts for any social media related sites and also won't be able to choose which container to open in.

It will always open in one specific container and no other.

Example of what I'm trying to say is here > #1721

And, also note:

I've had cases where MA-C is clashing with other containers add-ons like Google, Fb, TC & Containerise because "Always Open In" wasn't ticked & TC's temp container was over-lapping with MA-C's existing containers trying to assign it in a new container, Thus crashing the tab in an infinite loop.

Basically, FireFox is saying: MA-C has assigned this site to X container. TC has also assigned "Temp" container.

Which one do I use? And thus confusing itself.

As soon as I ticked "Always Open In", the problem was resolved. I re-produced in TC / MA-C & solved it.

[Solid-Ice8]

Warning: this will be a long read

I have read your post in #1727 and I'll leave my comments here as I don't want to post in multiple locations (and I'm sure that's also your intention)

I've been using Thunderbird, which sounds like a more simple version of Slack (based on my brief search on Google, it doesn't use emails like TB) but, this also means that external links clicked in emails will open anywhere as well, un-contained so to speak.

Let me know if the information I have is correct.

1. When Slack (external program, outside of FireFox) opens external links, you want to be able to select "Slack Team" or "Slack Workplace" containers.

2. Of course these will over-lap in websites, different identities (or logins) will be used.

3. In Slack, you click an external link in "Team", and FireFox should automatically open in "Team" container which has existing 'session' of logins and preferences.etc

4. Once again, in Slack, you click an external links in "Workplace", FireFox starts and "Workplace" container opens automatically with different existing 'session'

I've made a diagram to show my understandings. I'm no artist or anything, so don't mind me.

https://i.postimg.cc/pTWRLyzr/Slack-Fire-Fox.png

Feel free to edit anything that's incorrect.

If CLI = command line interface then, you'd need something that will intercept between Slack and FireFox.

You'll notice I put text along the linking area to Slack & FireFox boxes.

In my opinion, this goes beyond just FireFox (MA-C) and Slack. This is what a power user would want.

Sure, you can make containers matching multiple account logins with MA-C, but you'll need:

1. Something that will specifically say "These belong in 'Team' container" and "These belong in "Workplace" container.

2. If these belong in "Team" container, then launch FireFox and start "Team" container. Same with Workplace container.

3. The real question is: How will FireFox automatically start in these specific containers?
   Whenever you close FireFox, the whole session is saved including other containers. How will FireFox "know" which containers are opened and which container is currently active?

Even with the add-ons I'm familiar with, they won't even come close to doing that. Like I said, I use TB and I've played around all day trying to figure it out.

I noticed if you bookmark the main site and have ticked "Always Open In", but not having "Remember my decision" ticked will give you more of a choice to choose which container you want to open. Still that's manual and not automatic.

The only workaround I can think of is to create another FireFox profile. Name them accordingly. When Slack clicks a link in "Team", it'll open up FireFox "Team" Profile. And when clicking links in Workplace, it'll open in Workplace Profile.

---

I will now talk in code language....if I can:

Slack : External link was clicked > Link(s) belong to Team or Workplace?

If Team, then execute: FireFox in Team Profile If Workplace, execute: FireFox in Workplace Profile.

The ability to open more than one profile is to make shortcut and add -P (Profile Name) -no-remote at the end of target in case you aren't aware.