Roboform 8.3.7.7 in Firefox no longer has toolbar
I submitted a ticket to Roboform and got this response....
[quote]In our new version 8.3.7.7 we have switched to new Firefox extension based on WebExtensions API. New Firefox extension is Chrome style, so it does NOT have RF toolbar: https://www.roboform.com/news-windows/quote
My main question is, is this a Firefox problem with moving to WebExtensions API or is it RoboForm not developing a separate toolbar and just going with the Chrome addon.
To either I would say....If I wanted Chrome and its features/worthlessness, I would use Chrome. I use(d) Firefox do the the way I can dock bookmarks on the left to have them open all the time and how the toolbar for RoboForm made everything so simple.
Please let me know whos fault/problem this is so I can either switch browsers or switch password managers (still have close to a year subscription left but this non-toolbar is a deal breaker so I would gladly leave early).
Chosen solution
Obviously it's an extra step to access a drop-down menu than to click a displayed button on a bar. But is the drop-menu less complete than the old horizontal toolbar?
The last regular release of Firefox that will support old-style extensions is Firefox 56, so that doesn't take you very far. The Extended Support Release of Firefox 52 will continue to run old-style extensions and get security updates through next June.
I'm not sure if you can roll back the change from toolbar to button/menu simply by switching to Firefox 52 ESR. Another user rolled back to an unspecified older version and did get the toolbar back, but I don't know which one it was. https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1165132
Read this answer in context 👍 4All Replies (20)
I can't comment specifically about Roboform, haven't used it for many years now. Their scheme with the "lifetime" being for a limited time pissed me off - so I stopped using it.
WebExtensions just aren't as powerful as the traditional Firefox extensions have been. So we will need to get used to Firefox not being as extensible as it has been. IMO, Mozilla is looking for parity with Google Chrome, (no longer a trail browser with Firefox as it once was, now a copy cat or mimic of what more popular have done - meeting the lower standards of what users want or expect) to make it easier for developers to create one extension for most all browsers, with little additional work to adapt it to each specific browser brand
It's possible that the new API's may not be complete yet and more features may be added down the road; and user requests made in the proper place, with the attitude, might restore some what might be lost or add new stuff later on.
Overall, as a 15 year user from the days of Phoenix 0.3, I am not happy with what I see and have been seeing for quite awhile now. So I am still using an old ESR 38 version for my "heavy lifting" from before the "signing" thing started my extensions dropping like flies. I plan on waiting until after Firefox 60 comes out before I waste much time trying to config the "new" Firefox to my liking.
Smacks of the New Coke debacle back in April 1985, which was discontinued in 1992. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke
Chosen Solution
Obviously it's an extra step to access a drop-down menu than to click a displayed button on a bar. But is the drop-menu less complete than the old horizontal toolbar?
The last regular release of Firefox that will support old-style extensions is Firefox 56, so that doesn't take you very far. The Extended Support Release of Firefox 52 will continue to run old-style extensions and get security updates through next June.
I'm not sure if you can roll back the change from toolbar to button/menu simply by switching to Firefox 52 ESR. Another user rolled back to an unspecified older version and did get the toolbar back, but I don't know which one it was. https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1165132
jscher2000 said
Obviously it's an extra step to access a drop-down menu than to click a displayed button on a bar. But is the drop-menu less complete than the old horizontal toolbar? The last regular release of Firefox that will support old-style extensions is Firefox 56, so that doesn't take you very far. The Extended Support Release of Firefox 52 will continue to run old-style extensions and get security updates through next June. I'm not sure if you can roll back the change from toolbar to button/menu simply by switching to Firefox 52 ESR. Another user rolled back to an unspecified older version and did get the toolbar back, but I don't know which one it was. https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1165132
Thanx a rollback did fix it for me but I doubt for long as both will continue to update to this awful new format.
As to your question about the completeness I don't think it is any less complete just a LOT less convenient. Being able to click once for a task rather than click, click, click was a time saver. I know a whole 3 clicks extra but if you do it on 100 websites a day, it tends to add up very fast.
the-edmeister said
WebExtensions just aren't as powerful as the traditional Firefox extensions have been. So we will need to get used to Firefox not being as extensible as it has been. IMO, Mozilla is looking for parity with Google Chrome, (no longer a trail browser with Firefox as it once was, now a copy cat or mimic of what more popular have done - meeting the lower standards of what users want or expect) to make it easier for developers to create one extension for most all browsers, with little additional work to adapt it to each specific browser brand Overall, as a 15 year user from the days of Phoenix 0.3, I am not happy with what I see and have been seeing for quite awhile now. So I am still using an old ESR 38 version for my "heavy lifting" from before the "signing" thing started my extensions dropping like flies. I plan on waiting until after Firefox 60 comes out before I waste much time trying to config the "new" Firefox to my liking. Smacks of the New Coke debacle back in April 1985, which was discontinued in 1992. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke
That should be the first thing all Firefox users see when they start up their browser! I am in total agreement and have been looking for the past year to switch myself. Saddest thing is, Microsoft has a better browser by the day as they keep removing the functionality of Firefox to make it act like the horrific Chrome.
Thank you for the response!
i just downloaded Firefox 53 and when I opened the web page the Roboform tool bar was back at the top of the menu section. the help shows that my version is Firefox 54 but it was 53 I downloaded,
dcmefl said
i just downloaded Firefox 53 and when I opened the web page the Roboform tool bar was back at the top of the menu section. the help shows that my version is Firefox 54 but it was 53 I downloaded,
I went to version 52 and it worked until I restarted so I guess it applied the roboform update at that time so I downgraded roboform itself to 8.3.5.5 and it came back even in the newest Firefox. I don't know how long it will keep working.
IT stop working the next time I signed in to Firefox...... not working
Okay, so I installed RoboForm and went to the Extensions list on the Add-ons page and clicked the More link. There I checked the box for a "lower" toolbar and got what is shown in the screenshot attached to this post.
It seems to hang out below the Firefox window if it's a resizable window, and floats over the bottom of the page on a maximized window. This lower toolbar actually is not a Firefox toolbar, it's generated by the application outside of Firefox. Does it work like the old toolbar?
Am running Firefox 54.0 on two Windows 10 PCs. I just happened to install Roboform 8.3.7 on one first and noticed I could not simply right click in top menu area and select Roboform to display its tool bar. Robo had a video that was partially helpful although the "fix" was shown on older version of Firefox. The fix does display the Roboform bar but only at the bottom of the screen.
Enabling Your RoboForm Toolbar How do I enable the RoboForm Toolbar within Firefox?
You can view a video walkthrough on YouTube or read on.
By 'default, Firefox disables 'RoboForm on install because RoboForm is installed as a third party program, and not by user via XPI from the Firefox add-ons website. You will need to check to verify whether the RoboForm add-on is enabled in add-ons and enable RoboForm, if it has been disabled within Firefox. From the Firefox toolbar select Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions -> RoboForm Toolbar, Enable. Can you put the RF Toolbar at the top in Chrome?
Older versions of Chrome did have the ability to place the RoboForm toolbar at the top of the browser. Chrome has since changed their browser functionality so that this is no longer possible. No one can place an upper toolbar in Chrome, this is why RoboForm has to be placed at the bottom. Feel free to ask Google to allow the upper toolbar, we would like to have an upper toolbar for Chrome as well.
NOTE the ref to Chrome and lower display of toolbar
jscher2000 said
Okay, so I installed RoboForm and went to the Extensions list on the Add-ons page and clicked the More link. There I checked the box for a "lower" toolbar and got what is shown in the screenshot attached to this post. It seems to hang out below the Firefox window if it's a resizable window, and floats over the bottom of the page on a maximized window. This lower toolbar actually is not a Firefox toolbar, it's generated by the application outside of Firefox. Does it work like the old toolbar?
Yes that is pretty much the same thing although it can't be docked at the top like a normal toolbar. I will be using that in the near future as it will be needed it seems (see my main reply below). Roger_Ohio above states that is the only way to show it on Chrome as well so maybe Mozilla is looking to get bought out by Google now.
So I got a response from RoboForm again after the repsonse listed above I sent this...
[blockquote]Thank you but this absolutely SUCKS. It is so inconvenient to click the icon rather than just look up and click the already boldened selection to enter my information. I am in my last year of a 5 year paid subscription so I might have to move on as this is really awful. I will be writing to Mozilla to see if it is their problem and if so, to find out how to get it changed back for usefulness. /blockquote - hopefully that is quoted now.....
Then I posted on here and now I received this from RoboForm...
[blockquote]Michael.
Per Mozilla, Firefox 57 will only support WebExtensions. Starting with version 8.3.7, the RoboForm extension no longer includes a full static toolbar. This is a requirement of Mozilla.
Please read more about it in our Help Center: https://help.roboform.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000413812-Why-did-my-RoboForm-toolbar-disappear-in-Firefox-/blockquote
So they are saying it IS a Mozilla decision to not allow these any more (just like Chrome...awww smooch smooch kiss kiss Google). Only reason I can see to not allow these is because people would just click through items and allow them to install without reading and then would end up with toolbars all over the place that they "didn't install".
I am going to say this is a moot problem as you will have to stay below Firefox version 57 and on Roboform 8.3.5.5 in order to have the toolbar at the top.
If not the only solution is to have it at the bottom of the screen (see jscher2000 post in this thread) which is way less intuitive to get to but does seem to have the fully functionality.
At least Windows 10 I can download classic shell and have a real desktop *sigh* off to really look for a new browser and password manager that will allow me to do what I want it to, not what it deems me able to do (Apple).
Thanks everyone for looking into this. I thought I was losing my mind. I just upgraded to RoboForm 8 "everywhere" and am not having a great time with it. Now that this FireFox issue has come up, it is even worse.
Honestly, I moved to FireFox for 3 reasons: I can't use PayPal multi-order shipping in Chrome, I like saving some, not all, passwords in FireFox because FireFox has them password protected, and probably most important, I had my RoboForm Toolbar which I use a hundred times a day.
So, like above comments above, I'm going to have to think about another browser unless I can get used to this blasted RoboForm Toolbar on the bottom. Who looks at the bottom of the screen for a toolbar...or anything?!
I'm looking forward to hearing how others are coping and if there is a better browser out there.
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One feature available to Firefox WebExtensions is use of the sidebar. While a sidebar uses more space than a toolbar, on a wide display, the space might be available anyway. A WebExtensions could have its toolbar button open the sidebar instead of a drop-menu, or it could add its sidebar to the list on the View menu. On Windows, where the classic menu bar is not displayed by default, you can tap the Alt key or press the F10 function key to show it temporarily. Then:
View > Sidebars > [choose from list]
I don't know whether RoboForm would be interested in adding that feature, but it can't hurt to ask, or suggest to the company how it should be laid out.
This new version of Roboform is not even trying to fill in easy sign ins that it has always filled. Even my websites I design that it should fill in, it just sits there and does nothing. No auto fill in. It definitely needs some work
One important change. There is no longer a "fill login" in the list when you right click. It now uses a "fill Password" that only seems to work part of the time. Most of the time it shows "no suggestions" even on simple logins that always used to work and where I always got logins listed.
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I just wanted to chip in that I have the same issues with Firefox 54.0.1 and Roboform 8.3.7.7.
I also experienced the same unhelpful support from RoboForm.
Its a shame that these "extension" changes have been made. Previously Firefox and Roboform was a good combo for me.
More clicks needed now to do the same thing and the lack of the RHS menu is also disappointing.
The lower Roboform toolbar doesn't get remembered by my version of Firefox - I have to turn it on each time which is not ideal.
On my pc, Internet Explorer 11 seems the only browser (out of Firefox, Chrome and Opera) that still has the top Roboform toolbar and the right click Roboform menu. Do I really have to revert to IE as my primary browser? Gulp.
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Have tried a couple of work arounds but nothing seems to work. Also just ran into another problem that appears related to Firefox 54 and Java. A credit card web site will not let me log in and says that it cannot work with Firefox. Talked with a tech support person but bottom line appears to be Firefox just isn't keeping up. Afraid I will have to switch to Chrome.
Hi Roger_Ohio. Regarding:
Also just ran into another problem that appears related to Firefox 54 and Java.
A credit card web site will not let me log in and says that it cannot work with Firefox.
The website probably uses JavaScript, not an "applet" that requires the Java plugin. Despite the similar names, browsers handle JavaScript internally, not using the Java plugin. Firefox only has one global on/off switch for JavaScript, but there are a number of reasons that a site's scripts might not run or might not run correctly in Firefox, including the built-in Tracking Protection feature in private windows, and various add-ons that filter or modify content in web pages. For more assistance with a site compatibility problem, please start a new question, unless you think it's a symptom of the RoboForm change. (It doesn't really sound like it.)
If a website DOES require the Java plugin, you would need to change from the regular Firefox release to the Extended Support Release (ESR) to run it. See: Why do Java, Silverlight, Adobe Acrobat and other plugins no longer work? Or use Internet Explorer.
Roger_Ohio said
Have tried a couple of work arounds but nothing seems to work. Also just ran into another problem that appears related to Firefox 54 and Java. A credit card web site will not let me log in and says that it cannot work with Firefox. Talked with a tech support person but bottom line appears to be Firefox just isn't keeping up. Afraid I will have to switch to Chrome.
Noticed that Roboform v8.3.7.1 does not autofill the Google Sign In fields. (FF v54.0.1 32bit) Currently there is no good solution for that. A workaround is to disable javascript (About:config, then javascript enabled toggle to False) Google Sign In will show the old Sign In screen and Roboform will fill the fields correctly. However, other stuff may not work anymore, such as upload files buttons on websites.
Also see: Sign in on Chrome different and not working with RoboForm - Remove account from sign-in page
Hi All, I'm so annoyed with the recent changes in the last few updates to Firefox that I just have to vent my frustration. I've been a loyal user of Firefox since I learned of its respect for its users Privacy/Security & made the change from IE about 1 week after starting using my first computer...I was using XP at the time, so you know how long I've been loyal. I was especially pleased that Firefox also allowed as much customization of its browser, so I was led down the proverbial "primrose path" of being able to have extensions, themes & add-ons that I used to make MY Firefox MINE. Sadly, Firefox has chosen to join most of the other tech-related entities, who have decided that using a PC is supposed to be all work & no play, leaving many users, like myself, very unhappy that their once fun-looking browser now looks like a sad, cold, bare-bones collection of 2-toned stick drawings and downright ugly icons. The recent stripping of Toolbars has hit me particularly hard, as I rely heavily on RoboForm for remembering my ever-growing number of Passwords. I've learned that Firefox no longer supports Toolbars, & from the many posts I've read in the last several days, Firefox doesn't care to let the users decide what they want installed on their browser...as usual, we Toolbar-lovers have to give up something we rely on, & by doing so, we lose yet another chunk of our, "freedom to customize". I know this might seem like a petty issue to many, but I'm deeply saddened that I have to give in & give up...yet again...something that I need, just because it doesn't fit into the plan to make using a computer an ugly job. I truly miss those days of Windows 98 & XP when even Microsoft let us customize everything from the fonts & colors used on tabs, to one of dozens of creative & enjoyable sounds for the different tasks done...we even had at least a dozen screensavers to choose from, (all of which were customizable, as well). Look at the puny number of choices we have today! The sounds available are awful, (compare the realistic "Ta Da" of XP to the monotone one of Windows 10!), & now, even our beloved Firefox is stripping down to be as boring, ugly & uncustomizable as everything else. Maybe I'm alone with these opinions, but I truly miss the good old days when using a PC was fun. I apologize if I've offended anyone with my comments, but I really hope that Firefox doesn't take anything else away from me. As far as losing my very-much-needed RoboForm Toolbar, it's very hard for me to take, as I use it constantly throughout the day. How I wish Firefox would remember how it used to brag about how "customizable" it was. Today it's a mere shadow of its former self. RIP customization freedom...you are sorely missed.
I too have been a loyal Firefox user. Just went thru some old screenshots and found the first screenshots of Firefox dated dec.26, 2004. I think it was Firefox v1 something, back then.
Anyway, as for Roboform, maybe I found a workaround, it works for me, but don't know if it works for other users. If it doesn't work, then sorry. But you may give it a try at least.
I am using Firefox v54.0.1 32b on Windows 10 x64 and Roboform Everywhere v8.3.9.5
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Please try the following: Firefox->Options->Privacy
Under Tracking: Tag: Use Tracking Protection in Private Windows (optionally) (I have this item tagged)
Under History: Firefox will: Select: Use custom settings for history Untag: Always use private browsing mode Tag: Remember my browsing and download history (optionally) (I have it tagged) Tag: Remember search and form history Tag: Accept cookies from sites Click on [Exceptions] and Add https://accounts.google.com - select 'Allow' https://www.google.com - select 'Allow' (note: I am not sure whether www.google.com is necessary, I added it to make sure that all google stuff is allowed)
Click on [Save Changes]
Accept third-party cookies -> select: Always Keep until: select: they expire Untag: Clear history when Firefox closes
Under Location Bar When using the location bar, suggest: Tag: History (optionally) Tag: Bookmarks (optionally) Tag: Open tabs (optionally) ( I have all these three items tagged)
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Now, when I click on the [Sign In] on the Google search home page, the 'new' Sign In dialog box will show up. My email address is autofilled ..) which was nót the case before(!) click [Next] and Roboform pops up to fill the password. After fill, click on next and I am signed in.
I don't have the toolbar, for one reason or the other it doesn't stick. All attempts are in vain. It sticks for just one Firefox session, but I need to enable it after relaunching Firefox.
As for logins on other sites: in most cases, no problem, Roboform will autofill the empty login boxes alright.
Firefox vs Chrome: though Chrome is a bit faster than Firefox (well, at least that is -my- impressions) I still prefer Firefox, because some add-ons are either not available for Chrome, or do not work properly. (Think of DownThemAll and youtube video downloaders. AFAIK Chrome prohibits video downloads from youtube)
OTOH: I do use Chrome where Firefox sometimes fails, specifically when website contents is either not displayed, or not displayed properly, buttons or links are not working. Probably this has to do with Javascript or so.
In the past I used to spend (quite some) time on finding workarounds / solutions. However I don't wish to waste time on that anymore... So as a 'workaround' I simply use Chrome then.
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