iMacros for Firefox 6.0.1.0

'iMacros for Firefox' is a Mozilla Firefox extension that can define actions which you do with your browser everyday.

This extension makes your life so much easier. Firefox has built in a password manager, which is helpful in most cases, but this won't spare you from repetitive actions. iMacros for Firefox is the solution.

This extension can remember passwords, fill out Web forms, extract data from a page, and define custom browsing actions. The password manager can store the passwords in a secure way, encrypted with AES 265-bit keys.

The first place I tested this extension was on my blogs. I got sick and tired every time I visit them to go in the administration panel, enter my authentication data, and then move to the main page to do modifications, other than posting a new article. Sometimes it can be pretty boring doing the same thing over and over again. The extension works flawless with every page I have tested.

In order to define a macro you have to use the record functionality. Then all you do is your regular repetitive task, while the extension records every action of yours. At the end of your actions, pressing the 'Stop' button generates the macro. This can be saved as a document, edited, or even uploaded from another machine that you use. This operating mode is very useful, both for portability and for back-up. The extension saves the items somewhere in its predefined folders. You can create your own folders and sort the macros using this functionality.

I wrote a custom and simple PHP script, which has an authentication form in order to take some screenshots that can be posted here. For security reasons I couldn't post here screenshots from all the tests. I wouldn't like to make public my private/sensitive data. The test had just a few steps: filling the authentication form, redirecting me to the authentication side of the script, and a link to Soft32.com. The authentication part of the script hasn't been implemented, it was there just for testing reasons, and it just shows the user and the password that were been posted. The link was placed there to make the macro simulate a click on that hyperlink. The recording went well as you can see in the screenshots. The same thing happened with the playback of the macro. Everything went just fine.

Pluses: it can create macros that would spare you from repetitive actions in your browser, the passwords are stored safely encrypted by high AES 256-bit keys.

Drawbacks / flaws: it can't define macros that are used with non-HTML code such as Flash, Silverlight, Java Applet, because these advanced features are available only for the 'business version' of this extension.

In conclusion: iMacros can save you a lot of work. I find this extension very useful, because it is a real time savior. This kind of functionality is a great improvement for the Firefox browser.

version reviewed: 6.0.0.5