Who am I, anyhow? (username autocomplete)

January 8, 2006 1:59 PM

How do I autocomplete usernames (which have saved passwords) in Firefox 1.5?

I recently switched the browser on my (Debian Linux) system from Mozilla (non-Firefox) to Firefox 1.5. Unfortunately, I'm missing a feature I really liked:

My wife and I both use this computer, and there are several sites we both use (gmail, bank, library, etc.) In Mozilla (the old version), it would autocomplete usernames for which there were stored passwords and allow us to select which account to use with a dialog box. Our passwords transferred over, but only if we type in the username.

For things like our library accounts, (which are just long numbers), it's a hassle to have to type them. I'm wondering if there's some way to get our autocomplete/menu back. I recognize there's a small security issue in being able to choose the username from a menu, but I'd think it's small.

I googled and looked for a Mozilla extension/Greasemonkey script, but I had no luck. Anyone have any (relatively simple) ideas? Thanks in advance.

posted by JMOZ to Computers & Internet (21 answers total)

I use the Always Remember Password extension, which also remembers usernames as well. It works for me, including my library accounts.
posted by apple scruff at 2:19 PM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: hmm, I tried the extension apple scruff recommended, but it didn't fill in the username. Perhaps I'm missing a setting. Any other suggestions?
posted by JMOZ at 3:30 PM on January 8, 2006

Look under: Tools / Options / Cookies / Exceptions, and look for a blocked cookie.
Or clear them all and try again.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:06 PM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: Hmm, I checked, and that's not it, either....

Just to be clear, if I enter my username, the password pops up just fine. I just don't want to have to type in the 14 digit library username every time I want to renew a book.
posted by JMOZ at 4:13 PM on January 8, 2006

Under Tools / Options / Passwords / View Saved Passwords, does it show the correct username?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:24 PM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: Yes, both are there. Because there are 2 usernames and passwords, it can't autofill.

I'm looking for the menu-with-all-the-choices functionality that the older version of Mozilla had.

Thank you for your help so far.... It seems like this should be an easy thing, but strangely enough, I've not found anything so far....
posted by JMOZ at 4:40 PM on January 8, 2006

For me (1.0.7 on Ubuntu) it works by typing the first letter of the desired account name, and a drop-down of account names with saved passwords starting with that letter is shown. Then choose your account from the drop-down and the password is automatically filled in.
posted by jjray at 7:10 PM on January 8, 2006

To turn on autofill in Firefox:

1. Type about:config into the address (url) bar. The list will appear.
2. Right click on the list anywhere and choose New/Boolean.
3. Type in browser.urlbar.autoFill and click OK.
4. Choose true and click OK.
posted by IndigoRain at 7:12 PM on January 8, 2006

That turns it on in the URL bar, hence the name browser.urlbar.autoFill.

jjray's got it -- that's how it works for me. Start typing your account name and Firefox will let you pick the one you want, at which point it fills in the name and password for you.
posted by kindall at 9:03 PM on January 8, 2006

Whenever I have multiple usernames saved for a specific site, all I do is left-click on the username text box and a drop-down appears with the saved usernames. When I click the one I want, the password is filled in.
posted by AstroGuy at 9:22 PM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: What jjray said would be great, but it's not working for me in Firefox 1.5.

I also tried IndigoRain's suggestion despite it seemingly being URL bar specific, and it didn't work.

Any other ideas? Is there another boolean option that would work?
posted by JMOZ at 9:25 PM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: Left-clicking (and right-clicking and center-clicking, for that matter) in the username text box doesn't work, either.

There must be a setting somewhere that's disabled....
posted by JMOZ at 9:30 PM on January 8, 2006

Well, I don't know then, it works for me and I don't ever have to type in a username... it's always already there. And I have Google Toolbar's autofill thing shut off. I don't have any extensions installed that should be doing it for me either. Have you asked at the Mozillazine Firefox support forums? They allow guest posting so you don't have to register. Top forum on the list.
posted by IndigoRain at 9:55 PM on January 8, 2006

Yeah, firefox gives me a list to choose from two if I type in the first letter. (I just tried the left clicking on username box thing that astroguy mentioned and that doesn't come up for me though.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 1:51 AM on January 9, 2006

too, damnit
posted by CunningLinguist at 1:52 AM on January 9, 2006

Just pressing the down-arrow should get you ALL possible fill-ins for a box, you don't need to know the first letter/number. That said, the list can be loooong.
posted by phearlez at 12:08 PM on January 9, 2006

Make sure this preference is enabled: "Privacy: Saved forms: Save the information I enter..." (browser.formfill.enable).
posted by mbrubeck at 5:08 PM on January 9, 2006

Response by poster: Nothing anyone's suggested is working.... Well, I haven't tried the Mozillazine Firefox support forums yet, but I've tried everything else that's been recommended so far.

Anyone else? Anyone? Bueler?
posted by JMOZ at 6:38 PM on January 9, 2006

Go back to: Tools / Options / Cookies / Exceptions, and clear those sites, or all sites, if it's easier. When you next go to these sites and they want to set a login cookie, check Allow, rather than Allow for Session. You don't need to accept all their cookies, just the login ones, but you must accept them permanently, rather than temporarily, for the automatic login to work. There should be a popup or check box asking you if you want your computer to remember the login info.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:20 AM on January 10, 2006

I'm baffled. This has always worked for me, and I have used Firefox 1.0 and 1.5 on many different Linux, Mac, and Windows systems. You might want to try creating and using a clean profile. (Run "firefox -ProfileManager" in a terminal.)
posted by mbrubeck at 9:31 AM on January 10, 2006

Some web sites (mostly banks) use the non-standard autocomplete="off" attribute to prevent browsers from completing account numbers and passwords. Is it possible that this is the problem? (View the source of the page containing the login form, and search for "autocomplete".)
posted by mbrubeck at 9:34 AM on January 10, 2006