Running isolated Internet Explorer instances side by side? (separate cookie sets)

I'm using PAMIE (http://pamie.sourceforge.net/) to automate some testing routines on a client's web site via IE8, and would like to be able to run multiple tests under different user credentials.

The site which I'm testing is using cookies to remember the user (without a "remember me" option I can deselect). Therefore, when I run a second instance of IE8 the cookies get shared and I can't log in as a different user.

Is there any way to get IE8 to use isolated sets of cookies in each window?

GJ.

Posted 2010-06-09T03:41:31.643

Reputation: 8 151

Answers

yes, by starting internet explorer with -nomerge argument.

iexplore.exe -nomerge

this will start a new instance of Internet Explorer on a new session.

user8228

Posted 2010-06-09T03:41:31.643

Reputation:

this does not work, from a bit of googling it seems that it used to work in older (IE6-ish?) versions – GJ. – 2010-06-09T04:19:10.680

also, PAMIE launches the browser itself in order to control it, which means I can't pass such an argument in the command line... – GJ. – 2010-06-09T04:20:05.747

1it works under IE8. it's all what i can confirm. – None – 2010-06-09T04:33:51.033

You're right, Revolter - it absolutely works. I had to do obnoxious amounts of testing around it when we upgraded everyone in my office to insure no cross-sessions would occur (and they haven't).

GJ - does using File -> New Session for a new window not work? – Jessie – 2010-06-09T15:04:07.273

sandBoxie might be able to do what you are looking to do. I don't have the full version so I can't run multiple sandboxes to test it out myself.

James T

Posted 2010-06-09T03:41:31.643

Reputation: 8 515

Actually no, you beat me. :) – Sasha Chedygov – 2010-06-09T03:57:55.690