Size of ABP storage file changing

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cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by cjsmall »

With the new location and format of the Adblock Plus storage.js file, I have been noticing some periodic serious reductions in size.

Soon after the upgrade that instituted these changes, I saw my storage.js file go from 27719778 bytes down to 18181243 bytes.

After this reduction, I continued to add more blocked items and the file size grew back to around 20206991 bytes. However, today I see that it has once again been reduced to 19377678 bytes.

There is no easy way to determine whether this represents some sort of internal compaction or is an actual loss of definitions for certain blocked items. Is this reduction normal and/or is there some limit to the size of the storage.js file?

I have been backing up the storage.js file. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the contents of this file are represented in the Adblock Plus Filter Preferences->Custom Filters->New filter group. Is it better/safer to back up all filters from the Adblock Plus Filter Preferences dialog rather than just copying the local storage.js file?

Thanks.
cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by cjsmall »

This problem continues. I keep seeing large reductions in the storage.js file. Today it is down to 17873254 bytes.

Is there some sort of upper limit to the size of the filters? It seems to be reset after the file grows much beyond 20000000 bytes. I keep find myself visiting sites where I know I have blocked content and it has reappeared.

I'd really appreciate the developers weighing in on this.
cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Bug: ABP constantly truncates its filter file

Post by cjsmall »

ABP: 2.9.1
Subscriptions: EasyList, AakList, Custom Filters
Firefox: 55.0.2 (and previous versions)
OS: Linux Xubuntu 17.04

I've reported this in the support forum and received no replies. I'm now treating it as a bug, which as best as I can tell, is supposed to be reported here.

I use ABP to remove various annoying elements from sites that I visit. What I see is that as the filter storage file:

~/ g.mozilla/firefox/<profile_id>/browser-extension-data/{<identifier>}/storage.js
grows to somewhere over 18,000,000 bytes, it gets constantly truncated. There are too many elements to try and keep an inventory of what is getting lost, but I notice that I return to certain sites and known blocked elements are displayed once again. I can continue to re-block these items and new ones without problem, but later I will see the file truncated once again. I haven't noticed any pattern as to what is being lost during the truncation. No one has indicated that there is a hard upper limit to the number of blockable items, so I consider this a bug that should be investigated. This is probably the single most important browser extension, so having this fixed would be great.

Regards.
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mapx
Posts: 21940
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Bug: ABP constantly truncates its filter file

Post by mapx »

Use the last beta version, give up 2.9.1 (deprecated)
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addo ... sions/beta

in about:config set
extensions.adblockplus.patternsbackups to 0 (zero) (from 5)

also, you should use FF 57 (last beta), FF 55 is buggy.
cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by cjsmall »

Thanks for the feedback.

Can I just install the beta over 2.9.1 or a previous beta or must the existing extension be uninstalled first?

Isn't FF 57 the version that is going to break almost all other extensions?
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mapx
Posts: 21940
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by mapx »

Sure, FF 57 will use the new extensions framework and also will be a lot faster until now.
Just install ABP beta upon the old one (and will migrate the lists and your custom filters in the new one).
(you could first save your custom filters as text file)
cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by cjsmall »

After installing the beta, Ctrl-Shift-F3 is no longer working.

How do you select elements to block now? Is it still highlighted with the red box?

Also, there is no "extensions.adblockplus.patternsbackups" entry in about:config. Does this need to be manually created and set to 0? What does it do?
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mapx
Posts: 21940
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by mapx »

There is no EHH now (compatible with the new webextensions).
If you click ABP icon, you'll get a "block element" entry which helps you to select a zone on page and then create the filter.
cjsmall
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:54 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by cjsmall »

mapx wrote: "There is no EHH now (compatible with the new webextensions). If you click ABP icon, you'll get a "block element" entry which helps you to select a zone on page and then create the filter."

OK, thanks. Hopefully there will be a keyboard shortcut (like Ctrl-Shift-F3) to launch this directly without the need for two mouse clicks. Also, <Esc>is not canceling the selection process now. I hope this will also be reactivated.

I edited my previous post and you may not have seen the addition:

There is no "extensions.adblockplus.patternsbackups" entry in about:config. Does this need to be manually created and set to 0? What does it do?

I really appreciate all the help!
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mapx
Posts: 21940
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Size of ABP storage file changing

Post by mapx »

Still seeing the backup settings, ...could be it's useless now as I remember a discussion on the bug tracker between the devs.

There are still some bugs (especially due to FF new framework), so ...
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