After the latest update for Ubuntu, it seems that the forms

[Roger Davis]

After the latest update for Ubuntu today, (7/5/18) it seems that the forms feature doesn't work.

How can I reset / fix this ?

[therube]

Is this an Ubuntu OS update or a FF update that Ubuntu provides?

What is this forms feature that is not working?

[Grumpus]

@Roger Davis - Open about:config, I'm guessing you're referring to the auto fill form items, see what the settings are after searching for "formauto."
It could be something isn't set. Possibly a boolean setting (true false).

[Roger Davis]

It was an update that arrived as part of the automatic Ubuntu "software updater".

I mean the feature that automatically fills in on-line forms with info like name, address, email, etc..., sometimes described as "Autocomplete"

The only one under "formauto" not set to "Default" is : extensions.formautofill.firstTimeUse;false - marked as "modified"

Would this one cause the problem ?

Might some of the other default settings need to be modified?

[Grumpus]

Warning: make sure you keep paper notes for any changes.
The following item in abaout:config relate to formautofill; for the most part they are simple true or false, marked as boolean and the strings are for the most part number values 1-3, etc.
If your auto fill process isn't working you could try and toggle by right clicking on an item and see if after a restart of Firefox the auto fill process resets.
Some of these could be considered privacy or security issues so choice is on the user with the exception of what Ubuntu installers provided.
Any of the string items can be reset by a right click on an items and clicking on reset.
dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill;
extensions.formautofill.addresses.enabled
extensions.formautofill.available
extensions.formautofill.creditCards.available;false
extensions.formautofill.creditCards.enabled;false
extensions.formautofill.creditCards.used
extensions.formautofill.firstTimeUse
extensions.formautofill.heuristics.enabled
extensions.formautofill.loglevel
extensions.formautofill.section.enabled
extensions.formautofill.supportRTL
extensions.formautofill.supportedCountries

[Roger Davis]

Perhaps I found the problem. on "dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill" I found it set to "false". I set it to "true" I restarted. I tried a form, didn't work. I checked "dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill", it was reset to "false", I set it to "true" I restarted. I tried a form, didn't work. I checked "dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill", it was reset to "false", I set it to "true" I restarted. I tried a form, didn't work. I checked "dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill", it was reset to "false", ...

So it's resetting itself to "false" on every restart.

It doesn't reset if I don't restart, but it doesn't work then either...

BTW, I have two very similar machines, and the problem started on both at the same time, after the same update.

[Grumpus]

Have you tried modifying or toggling any of the other items in the list along with this one item.
Examples: Pretty near any or all of the other ones which may be marked as false in conjunction with just the one?
Frankly for security I'd never enable the ones for credit cards, this seems somewhat moronic to have been added.

[Roger Davis]

I've tried modifying several. NONE fix the problem, and NONE retain changed settings after restarting Firefox.

What can be locking these settings?!?

[Grumpus]

This link from Mozilla Firefox doesn't save web form entries? might help.
Make sure things are returned to what they were before in about:config.

[Roger Davis]

FORM AUTOFILL
Make sure that Firefox is set to remember form entries and that saved form entries are not being automatically cleared:

Click the menu button Fx57Menu and choose Preferences. OK
Select the Privacy & Security panel and go to the History section. OK
In the drop-down menu next to Firefox will choose Use custom settings for history. OK
Make sure that Remember search and form history is selected. OK
Enabling form autocomplete also makes Firefox store search history for the Search bar. CAN'T FIND THIS AT ALL !!!
Find Clear history when Firefox closes. If it is selected: NOT SELECTED, BUT DID THE FOLLOWING ANYWAY
Click on the Settings... button.
Make sure that Form & Search History is not selected. WAS, NOW DESELECTED, AND DESELECTED CLEAR HISTORY WHEN CLOSE
Click OK.
Close the about:preferences page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.

If either of those options were not set properly, setting them as above should enable form autocomplete.

I have to find some forms and try a few, will report back later - but as I mentioned, can't find "Enabling form autocomplete also makes Firefox store search history for the Search bar. CAN'T FIND THIS AT ALL !!!"

EDIT - Nope, doesn't seem to be working...


ABOUT:CONFIG
Two of the three changes were saved this time, so this needs to be checked further by me...

[Grumpus]

If you type "about:support" in the nav text entry does the formautofull extension show up under the Firefox Features heading?

[Roger Davis]

formautofull doesn't appear, and I presume this is a typo.

formatautofill does : Form Autofill 1.0 formautofill@mozilla.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just in case it's useful:
Adblock Plus 3.1 true {d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d}
F.B Purity - Cleans up Facebook (WX) 24.5.2.0 true fbpElectroWebExt@fbpurity.com
Firefox Pioneer 1.0 true pioneer-opt-in@mozilla.org
Honey 10.7.5 true jid1-93CWPmRbVPjRQA@jetpack
Test Pilot 3.0.4vc776550 true @testpilot-addon
Clipple 0.1.3 false clipple@mooz.github.com
RightToClick 2.9.6 false {cd617375-6743-4ee8-bac4-fbf10f35729e}
Saved Password Editor 2.10.4 false savedpasswordeditor@daniel.dawson

Name Firefox
Version 61.0.1
Build ID 20180704194937
Update History
User Agent Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:61.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/61.0
OS Linux 4.15.0-24-generic

Asynchronous Pan/Zoom wheel input enabled; scrollbar drag enabled; keyboard enabled; autoscroll enabled

Device ID AMD CAPE VERDE (DRM 2.50.0 / 4.15.0-24-generic, LLVM 6.0.0)

HW_COMPOSITING
blocked by default: Acceleration blocked by platform
OPENGL_COMPOSITING
unavailable by default: Hardware compositing is disabled
WEBRENDER
opt-in by default: WebRender is an opt-in feature
unavailable by runtime: Build doesn't include WebRender
OMTP
disabled by default: Disabled by default

accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar 0
browser.cache.disk.capacity 358400
browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported 1
browser.cache.disk.hashstats_reported 1
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run false
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max false
browser.cache.frecency_experiment 4
browser.fixup.domainwhitelist.politico true
browser.link.open_newwindow 2
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion 8
browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID 20180703192103
browser.startup.homepage https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite
browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID 20180704194937
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone 61.0.1
browser.tabs.loadInBackground false
browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2 true
browser.urlbar.daysBeforeHidingSuggestionsPrompt 0
browser.urlbar.lastSuggestionsPromptDate 20170816
browser.urlbar.maxRichResults 12
browser.urlbar.placeholderName Google
browser.urlbar.timesBeforeHidingSuggestionsHint 0
dom.apps.lastUpdate.buildID 20161025170400
dom.apps.lastUpdate.mstone 49.0.2
dom.apps.reset-permissions true
dom.ipc.processCount.web 4
dom.mozApps.used true
dom.push.userAgentID f26dff06c9274a6fb3d2c688e18137c3
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places.database.lastMaintenance 1531006965
places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages 130374
plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types application/pdf
plugin.importedState true
plugins.ctprollout.cohort user-changed-from-test
plugins.ctprollout.cohortSample 0.475171
print.print_bgcolor false
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privacy.clearOnShutdown.formdata false
privacy.clearOnShutdown.passwords false
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privacy.history.custom true
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services.sync.lastSync Fri Jul 13 2018 00:32:31 GMT-0700 (PDT)
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-----------------------------------------------------------------

- Is there a place to go to for formautofill testing, instead of randomly having to look for a form somewhere to test it ?

- might the formautofill database be screwed up, or the link to it not working?

[Grumpus]

Was a typo on the formfill.
I do not know if the Mozilla extensions will work in safe mode but it may be worth a try?
You could restart Firefox in safe mode and type about:support in the nav text block and see if it shows.
Also you have a password editor which could be interfering, the reason for safe mode suggestion.

[Roger Davis]

In safe mode I see "Form Autofill 1.0 formautofill@mozilla.org", just as I did without safe mode.

Sure would help to know where I can test autoformfill in a controlled manner...

[Roger Davis]

I found a test page at - http://autofillforms.mozdev.org/test.html

Its's not working for the form. I can click in one box and get data for that box ONLY, but NOT the full form, no improvement with Safe Mode