Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Alternative http logins from firefox?

Open source works on the "scratch-an-itch" principle, and so there should be solutions for the itches that developers have. So I must be using the wrong keywords as I just cannot track down the firefox plugin I need.

When I build a web site I need to login as different users. E.g. a normal permissions users, and an admin-level user. I've input both in, firefox is storing both of them, but it only ever offers me one. Ironically way back when Firefox was called the Mozilla Application Suite it did have this - when two or more usernames had been saved it would pop-up a dialog letting you choose. Firefox 1.5 was a two steps forward, one step back kind of release in that respect. (Of course Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 were both "0.6 steps forward, 0.55 step backward" releases, with the kicker that you need to waste time finding replacement plugins, but that is a rant for another time.)

Help! Please? There must be some firefox plugins that does this simple task.

P.S. I'm also keen to have some function that will allow me to selectively remove certain http authentications, but not the blanket "Miscellaneous|Clear Private Data|HTTP Authentication" option of the Web Developer plugin.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

This one is the closest I've seen:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4949

I've not tried it, but in the comments here people seem to be requesting the same feature I need:
http://www.chrisfinke.com/addons/autoauth/

Unknown said...

There have been several warnings on the web about Firefox's ability to store passwords, e.g: Lifehacker, another

Unknown said...

Hi Keith. All those articles say is: "set the firefox master password". Yes. And if you do that then firefox is storing your passwords securely.

(The 2nd link also says IE stores your passwords in the registry, but doesn't seem to offer a way to secure them??)

Unknown said...

You said you're "keen to have some function that will allow me to selectively remove certain http authentications", and the LifeHacker article tells how to view (and, I presume, also selectively delete?) saved passwords.

Unknown said...

I guess I wasn't clear enough.

Firefox stores the username/password. It prompts and then sends it to the web site, and then for that browser session it keeps sending it to the web site.

Closing and restarting the browser clears all these http authentications out (but username/passwords are still stored).

The Web Developer plugin can clear all authentications, which is equivalent to closing and restarting the browser.

It would be nice to be able to clear just one http authentication. Then when I visit that site again it will prompt and I can choose to login as a different user. Currently I have to restart the browser to achieve this, which is often inconvenient.

Unknown said...

Not sure if User Agent Switcher does what you want. But you might post a query in the forums.