"All three guys, was your Opera set set as the "default browser" prior to the "update"?"

I had both Opera 12.17 and 24 installed.

Opera 24 was updated without any notice to 25.

Apparently Opera 24 was set to the default browser and that carried over to 25. So no, 12 was not set as the default before the unannounced update. 12 had been having problems displaying some newly revised websites, so I used it for some things (working with my bookmarked sites, and used 24 for other things.

And after I reset 12.17 to my default browser and went to opera://flags/#first-run-import and enabled the first run import, it obviously doesn't work.

So Opera CAN import the bookmarks but ONLY if the user has ESP and knows in advance of the update and in advance of the first run that they have to set their preferred browser to be the default browser.

And now, even though the ability is there, it's too late and we have to wait (months?) for the next update.

How does that make any sense? Why should the user have to have expected that?

There is an "Imported Bookmarks" link in the Bookmarks tab, but no mention of how to import them!

I've done the opera://flags/#first-run-import, but that doesn't work either.

If it is true that after 10 updates there is still nothing as basic as a bookmark importer, I find that appalling. Here's an idea: quit working on flashy stuff (Stash, Discover, etc.) until you get the basics done!

And if there really is a way to import bookmarks, why is there no mention of it in the Help system or on the Opera site???

I have Opera 12.17 installed. Opera has been my standard browser for years.
I also have the new Opera (upgraded today to 25).

I still cannot find a way to import my large list of bookmarks from Opera 12 into Opera 25. I don't want them in Speed Dial, I just want to access them from the folder list--like in any other browser has been able to do for years (but which the new Opera hasn't been able to do since it started).

How do I do this?

Is this really still not available?

Yes. It's in the main menu (from the Opera logo in upper left), Bookmarks> uncheck Show bookmarks bar.