How to Set Up Quick Data Recovery in Firefox Using TextArea Cache

At-home workers commonly have small offices that are separated from other rooms.

It's fair to say that in 2011, many rely on a stable internet browser to accomplish personal and professional tasks. Users rely on their computers to document, file, and research online. Many compose and reply to emails in a web-based email client. Distance learning students type and submit their assignments in an online classroom. Telecommuting professionals typically work within web-based browsers. If your browser crashes, the risk for losing data exists. If you use Firefox, you can install an add-on that will help you to quickly recover from an unexpected browser shutdown.

Instructions

Set Up Data Recovery

1. Navigate to Mozilla's "Add-Ons For Firefox" website.

2. Bring up the "Textarea Cache" Web page.

3. Click the "Download Now" button. Select the "Allow" button on the yellow bar at the top of the browser.

4. Choose "Install Now" in the dialog box.

5. Select "Restart Firefox" in the "Add-Ons" dialog box. This completes the installation of the Textarea Cache add-on.

6. Click "View" at the top of the Firefox browser. Select "Toolbars" and then "Customize."

7. Scroll down to the bottom of the "Customize Toolbar" dialog box. Place your cursor over the "Textarea Cache" icon. Drag the icon to the toolbar at the top of Firefox. Drop the icon next to any other icon, such as the "Home," "Back" or "Stop" icons. Click "Done" to close the dialog box. Remember the location of this icon.

8. Proceed as usual on the web. The data you type into text boxes on Web pages (e.g., when composing Web-based email, or writing a blog) will now be recoverable.

Recover Stored Data

1. Click the "Textarea Cache" icon on the toolbar at the top of Firefox, which opens a dialog box. Click the drop-down menu at the top of the box to see the data collected by the add-on. The title of the data is arranged in the following format: "Year-Month-Day, Military Time, Organization Name, Web Page Title, Web Address."

2. Select a line from the menu based on the timeframe, date or other identifying information to help you pick and recover your data. For example, pick a line that shows data that was stored 10 or 15 minutes ago. The stored data will appear in the text area below the drop-down menu.

3. Place your cursor in the dialog box at the end of the stored text. Press the "Ctrl" and "A" keys on the keyboard to highlight all data. Press "Ctrl" and "C" to copy the highlighted data.

4. Move your cursor back to the text box or form field that lost your data. Press the "Ctrl" and "P" keys to paste the data.

Tips & Warnings

• If Textarea Cache is failing to save data, consider adjusting your history settings in Firefox. Click "Tools" and then "Options." Click the "Privacy" tab. Click the drop-down menu next to "Firefox Will" under "History." Select "Remember History."

• The Textarea Cache may not sense text typed in single-lined boxes. For example, typing the link to a website in the address bar will not get recorded by this add-on. Textarea Cache is better suited for long paragraphs and compositions, such as in emails and blogs.

• If your computer completely shuts down, along with the Firefox browser, the Textarea Cache add-on might purge your stored data.

References

• Mozilla: Firefox Help: How to Customize the Toolbar
• Microsoft: Windows 7: Copy Information Between Files
• Tech Crunch: Online Workers Doing Fine, Odesk Passes One Million Hours a Month
• Read Write Web: Biz: 2010: A Big Year For Remote Web Workers

Resources

• Mozilla: Add-Ons For Firefox: Textarea Cache
• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Unable to Install Add-Ons
• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Customizing Firefox With Add-Ons