3
I'm doing a lot of development with the Facebook API and it would be useful if I could be logged-in to the site with two separate accounts at the same time. Currently I use two browsers to do this, but it is something of a pain in the posterior.
I was wondering if there are any tricks I could use to do this instead, in a single browser?
5arx
Posted 2011-10-31T11:37:07.103
Reputation: 1 438
6
It totally depends upon the browser you are using.
- Copy the current chrome.exe's target by going to Chrome's Properties.
- Make a new shortcut and paste that copied target, make sure it is in double quotes, at last of target add --chrome-data-dir=C:\Chrome2 press next and name that shortcut e.g. Another Chrome.
- There will be a folder named Chrome2 created in C: partition holding your another profile :)
- In Firefox its pretty easy to do. Right Click on Firefox's icon and go to properties.
- At last of the target add -P Firefox --no-remote and apply the settings.
- Each time you start Firefox (by clicking the shortcut you modified) you will be prompt for using profile.
I have screencasted a video on this topic, see it on YouTube
Alternatively, if you are using browser other than mentioned above you can use Private browsing (also known as InPrivate Browsing in IE and Incognito Window in Google Chrome) which are quite popular on mainstream browsers, but it is recommended to specify a dedicated directory so that you don't lose your data after you quit the browser (when using private mode you lose your data when you quit the session)
Santosh Kumar
Posted 2011-10-31T11:37:07.103
Reputation: 762
4
Newer versions of almost all popular browsers allow you to open sites in private/incognito mode. Using this feature, you can start separate sessions in the regular & private modes.
It is called Private Browsing in Firefox (Ctrl+Shift+P) & Safari, InPrivate Browsing (Ctrl+Shift+P) in IE9+, Incognito window in Chrome (Ctrl+Shift+N).
IE8+ has an option called New Session under the File menu that you can use to handle two different sessions of the same site
mvark
Posted 2011-10-31T11:37:07.103
Reputation: 2 260
Many thanks for the info. Works really well and is going to save me much hair-tearing. I'm accepting @Santosh's because of his additional tips. – 5arx – 2011-11-01T09:18:01.490
one con I find in this method is: when you quit the browser, you will lose all your browsing data (including cookies, cache etc.). Specifying a dedicated directory for holding the profile gives you freedom from sessions. You can continue even after shutting down. – Santosh Kumar – 2012-03-28T06:24:58.060
1
I'll add instructions for Opera:
opera -pd ~/.opera2
will start an independent session with session directory ~/.opera2.
Opera, as do Chrome, also supports incognito mode by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N, but this will come with the drawback that one cannot reopen closed tabs.
Daniel Andersson
Posted 2011-10-31T11:37:07.103
Reputation: 20 465
Many thanks for the detailed instructions. Works very nicely indeed. – 5arx – 2011-11-01T09:16:26.810