Stay-Open Menu -- Firefox Extension

Stay-Open Menu is a extension created for Firefox® to keep the bookmarks or history menu open when middle-clicking, to enable easily opening multiple items in tabs. I find it especially handy for RSS feed (Live Bookmark) items. This extension provides similar functionality to the no longer maintained middleclicknocollapse extension currently hosted at remarqs.net.

View typical usage images

Due to Firefox code changes, middleclicknocollapse only works on versions prior to Firefox 3. Stay-Open Menu uses different code, is designed to be used with Firefox 3, and requires version 3 to work. I am in no way associated with middleclicknocollapse or it's author, although I have used it and it worked fine for me.

Firefox 3 has been recently released! Click the button to the left, if you haven't downloaded it yet.

Extension has been submitted to addons.mozilla.org to facilitate installation and updating in the future; however, at this time it is still in their 'Sandbox' (aka 'Experimental'). Auto-update (and 'Check for updates' from the Addons dialog box) do not work for addons in the sandbox, thus you will need to install a newer version in the same manner as the original. Why? Older versions can be found at the AMO location as well. View it at AMO

Additional Usage Notes

• Middle-clicking each Bookmarked item in the Bookmarks Menu will open it in a tab, while leaving the menu open for further selections. (Left-click the desired menu to open it, find the items you wish to open, then middle-click each desired item to open it in a tab.) When you are done making selections, click somewhere outside the menu (or press ESC) to close the menu.
• Also works in the same way with the Bookmarks Toolbar. This applies to the new 'Smart Bookmarks' as well, since by default it is a folder residing in the Bookmarks Toolbar.
• Same functionality in History Menu (added in version 0.5).
• New!  Fixed in version 1.0. : Ability to middle-click a bookmarks folder (to have all contained bookmarks open in tabs) became disabled when using this extension.
• New!  Added in version 1.2. : Middle-clicking "Open All in Tabs" and "Open (Feed Name)" now keeps the menu open.
• The Bookmarks Sidebar stays open by default even without this extension, but I prefer the Bookmarks Menu because I like the way the folders automatically open when hovered.
• If you are using an extension such as 'Hide Menubar', or another method (theme?) to suppress the display of the menubar, you may need to press a specified key ('Alt' ?) in order to see the menubar as shown in the above screenshot. I don't hide the menubar since I prefer it to the sidebar. I just combine it with the Bookmarks Toolbar to save space (see screenshot).

Install Stay-Open Menu (version 1.2)

Alternate installation method: Right-click and download above file, then drag and drop it onto an open Firefox 3 window.

Contact me with any questions/problems/comments or leave rating at its addons.mozilla.org location. A forum is available at the mozillazine site.

View another extension by same author