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jeff k · Sep 10, 2009, 07:30 PM

Every year I wonder, did Firefox ever install an organic auto-fill ala Safari.
This is the main feature that keeps me using Safari, thanks.

mduell · Sep 11, 2009, 06:59 PM

Yea, about 4 years ago.

turtle777 · Sep 11, 2009, 08:02 PM

Auto-fill for passwords ?

1Password, FTW.

Everything else is crap.

-t

jeff k · Sep 12, 2009, 12:53 AM

Auto fill for name, address, email etc. for forms.

ok mduell, just looked can't find it. where is it "hidden"

also where is customize toolbar hidden. thanks guys!

ghporter · Sep 12, 2009, 08:17 AM

Firefox should automatically fill in text boxes for you. With version 3.5.3 I can't find the controls that allow you to to turn this on or off. To customize the toolbar, just right click (or CMD-click) between existing buttons and you'll get the customization option in the context menu.

jeff k · Sep 12, 2009, 03:05 PM

thanks GH,
notice there is no autofill in the toolbar options. What nice with Safari is that it has autofill tool that will populate 6 fileds instantly. that's nice no?
Still I would like to test Firefox. Where is Firefox pulling the info from? I'm not even sure I have my info entered, wherever that is.
Also you know a good website form to test this with?

ghporter · Sep 12, 2009, 04:03 PM

In my experience, "auto fill" works in fields with identical names. If you put your email in a field with the name "email," then the next time you highlight a field with that name, Firefox will put in the last thing you entered in an "email" field, or offer a list of what you've put in such fields. That's the functionality I was thinking of. Your last post makes it look like you're looking for something else-something more robust.

Mozilla offers a lot of functionality through plugins. Check out this knowledge base article on auto fill for a recommended form filling plug in.

jeff k · Sep 12, 2009, 08:44 PM

So they still after all these years still don't have autofill? amazing.
I'll try the plug in...

How do you get it into Firefox? don't see any mention of plug in in menus, though I know that's a big thing with Firefox

turtle777 · Sep 12, 2009, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by jeff k

Auto fill for name, address, email etc. for forms.

Again, 1Password, FTW.

Fills addresses, email, credit card information.

-t

jeff k · Sep 12, 2009, 11:43 PM

Turtle,
that went over head, what mean?

turtle777 · Sep 13, 2009, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by jeff k

Turtle,
that went over head, what mean?

That 1Password is very good at storing different addresses and credit card information, and that it can be easily filled into different forms on different websites.

Check it out: Password Manager + Automatic Form Filler for Mac OS X

-t

ghporter · Sep 13, 2009, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by jeff k

So they still after all these years still don't have autofill? amazing.
I'll try the plug in...

How do you get it into Firefox? don't see any mention of plug in in menus, though I know that's a big thing with Firefox

Why should Mozilla write something that someone else wants to write FOR them? Plug ins are easy-you just search Mozilla's add-ons library to find what you want and then click on the "add to Firefox" button.

For what you're looking for, I'd go with Autofill Forms. Or the app turtle suggests.

jeff k · Sep 13, 2009, 08:23 PM

GH,
thanks I have the auto fill on desktop thanks -- how do I " add" it to Firefox.
The menu offers to "get add ons" but I don't see a module to add ones you found on your own. thanks!

ghporter · Sep 13, 2009, 09:37 PM

On the page I linked to is a BIG GREEN BUTTON that says "add to Firefox". This button will start the installation, with a security warning "install add-ons only from authors you trust."

jeff k · Sep 14, 2009, 07:38 PM

The link just goes to a big green button that says download now. It's on my desktop for three days now.
Don't know what to do from here.
This is why Safari is still my primary browser.

ghporter · Sep 14, 2009, 09:53 PM

For me, clicking the "add to Firefox" button downloads the plug-in, then installs it. You ARE using Firefox to get this, right? And you just clicked, not "right-clicked" the button, right?

IN FIREFOX try this link which should go directly to the "Install only from authors you trust" dialog with the "Install Now" button (which becomes active after about 4 seconds).

jeff k · Sep 14, 2009, 10:37 PM

GH, Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Yes I was in Safari, went to FF, and it's all good now!
What are you using?

BTW if I do swith to FF, what can I use to import the bookmarks from FF to Safari as need be?

EndlessMac · Sep 15, 2009, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by jeff k

BTW if I do swith to FF, what can I use to import the bookmarks from FF to Safari as need be?

You can do it manually by going to organize bookmarks in FF and then find the export html option. Save that file someplace you can find it and then in Safari go to the file menu and then import bookmarks.

ghporter · Sep 15, 2009, 06:54 AM

I have Firefox, Camino and Safari in my dock. I usually use Firefox, but sometimes I use all three at once.

jeff k · Sep 15, 2009, 07:58 PM

GH, why use more than one at once? I use Safari and FF as backkup only if it fails. Why Camino?

jeff k · Sep 15, 2009, 08:01 PM

thanks Endless!

ghporter · Sep 15, 2009, 08:43 PM

I sometimes look at the same page with the three different browsers to see coding differences. For example, the MacNN main page looks right in Firefox, but is goobered in Safari. Sometimes it's helpful to know the kinds of coding biases that are behind a page.

Jasoco · Sep 16, 2009, 04:34 PM

I use Sxipper. It learns and offers choices for each form and learns from your choices.

JKT · Sep 16, 2009, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Why should Mozilla write something that someone else wants to write FOR them? Plug ins are easy-you just search Mozilla's add-ons library to find what you want and then click on the "add to Firefox" button.

For what you're looking for, I'd go with Autofill Forms. Or the app turtle suggests.

So, you are perfectly happy to use a third party supplied form-filling/password manager add-on which could very well be of a potentially unknown and dubious origin? This basic feature should be built into the app, rather than putting end-users at even the slightest risk of identity theft by an unscrupulous developer.

Jasoco · Sep 16, 2009, 05:52 PM

So you'd rather put your trust in Mozilla themselves? Or Apple? Or Microsoft? Get over it. These add-ons are trusted and have been around forever and are highly tested.

I still recommend Sxipper. It's smart. Like a dog. It learns.

ghporter · Sep 17, 2009, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by JKT

So, you are perfectly happy to use a third party supplied form-filling/password manager add-on which could very well be of a potentially unknown and dubious origin? This basic feature should be built into the app, rather than putting end-users at even the slightest risk of identity theft by an unscrupulous developer.

I personally DO NOT use ANY autofill of any kind, especially passwords. I do not trust such apps or plug ins at all. I merely pointed out the model Mozilla has used for this sort of thing. And I do not believe that this sort of functionality should be built into the browser, because of the potential for rather disastrous consequences when (not if) the security of even the best such applications is breached.

jeff k · Sep 17, 2009, 08:38 PM

I use it for basic name address...

JKT · Sep 18, 2009, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Jasoco

These add-ons are trusted and have been around forever and are highly tested.

... and when someone does a search for add-ons for this functionality, they are some how guaranteed NOT to find a newly added one, try it out and ... oops, all their data has just been uploaded to someone's servers?

Not all the add-ons have been around forever and not all of them are highly tested at all. FFS, Firefox even warns you that all third party add-ons COULD BE nefarious when you install them. You have to actively opt-in when installing them, counter to the advice of the app!

It is mind-boggling that Mozilla sees fit to add in higher-level functionality such as session saving yet leave out something that every other browser has included prior to concepts such as "sessions" in browsers were even conceived of. Sorry, there is no excuse for this; it IS basic functionality that should be built-in to the app and it most definitely should not need the user to find some third party supplier for it.

jeff k · Sep 18, 2009, 07:24 PM

I think it should be built in, but someone mentioned here that Firefox want others to do the work.