Temporary files

By default, Firefox 2.0 saves temporary files to the desktop, what's worse is that it doesn't clean up after itself. It seems as if there would be a simple configuration setting for this directory. Unfortunately, there isn't.

The temporary directory, and the cleanup, can be configured, but it's far from obvious. I found the solution on Adam Kalsey's blog:

• Change the temporary file directory in Safari, that's right Safari! Thunderbird and Firefox use this same directory.
• In Firefox,
  • Go to the URL about:config
  • Right/Control-click anywhere in the page, and select “New” - “Boolean” from the context menu.
  • In the dialog that pops up, enter browser.helperApps.deleteTempFileOnExit for the pref name, and then choose true for the value in the next dialog.
• In Thunderbird, the setting is in Thunderbird -> Preferences… -> Advanced -> General -> Config Editor
  • Follow the same procedure as above