Netscape Communicator User Profiles
Question:
What are Communicator user profiles?
How do they help configure Communicator to support multiple users?
Answer:
In order to provide for multiple
accounts and users, Communicator supports the creation of separate user
profiles. Each profile maintains its own files and settings.
When Communicator is
launched (opened), it will check to see if there are multiple existing
profiles. If there is only one (there must be at least one), Communicator
will automatically use the settings in the profile for that session of
Communicator. If there is more than one existing profile, a Select Profile
window (in Communicator 4.0x) or a Profile Manager window (in Communicator
4.5 or above) will appear, allowing you to choose which profile is to be used for
that session of Communicator.
Only one profile may be active
during a session of Communicator. In order to use another profile, one
must close Communicator completely and then open Communicator again so
another profile can be chosen. The following page explains how to create
a shortcut which will automatically launch Communicator with a specific
profile:
Launching
Communicator with specific profile
Each user profile includes
the following items:
-
Bookmarks (bookmark.htm)
-
Address Book(s) (".nab" and
".na2" files)
-
Preferences (prefs.js)
-
Cookie data (cookie.txt)
-
Global history (netscape.hst)
-
Mail folders and messages (Mail
folder and files it contains)
-
News server and news group information
(News folder and the files it contains)
-
Cache (Cache folder and the
files it contains)
-
Certificates ("cert*.*" and
"key*.*" files)
-
Custom Spellcheck Dictionary
(custom.dic)
Question:
How do I create or delete
user profiles in Communicator?
Answer:
In order to create a new
user profile:
-
Close Communicator.
-
Open User Profile Manager.
-
Windows 95 or above
Click the Windows Start button and click Programs, Communicator, Utilities,
and User Profile Manager.
-
Windows 3.1x, NT 3.51:
Open the Communicator program group in Program Manager. Double-click the
User Profile Manager icon.
-
Macintosh: Open the hard
drive. Open the Communicator folder. Double-click User Profile Manager.
-
In User Profile Manager, click
New. On the next page, read the information about profiles and then click
Next to continue. Proceed to input the requested information (Name, email
address, etc.). This information is normally provided by your Internet
service provider when you sign up for their services.
-
Make sure to name the new profile
something different from the original. Also make sure that the profile
folder is unique so that it doesn't overwrite your old profile. If you
wish to create more than one profile, repeat the above steps.
In order to delete an existing
user profile:
-
Close Netscape Communicator.
-
Windows 95 or above
Click the Windows Start button and click Programs, Communicator, Utilities,
and User Profile Manager.
-
Windows 3.1x, NT 3.51:
Open the Communicator program group in Program Manager and double-click
the User Profile Manager icon.
-
Macintosh: Open the hard
drive. Open the Communicator folder. Double-click User Profile Manager.
-
Select the profile you wish
to remove by clicking it.
-
Click the Delete button.
-
NOTE for Communicator 4.5 users:
When you click Delete, a window comes up. You will be presented with three
options: Delete Files, Don't delete files, and Cancel. Read the information
provided above the three buttons.
-
If you wish to only delete the
user profile from the User Profile list, click the "Don't Delete Files"
button. This will leave your user profile files on disk.
-
If you wish to delete the profile
from the User Profile list and delete the files for that profile, click
the "Delete Files" button.
Click the "Cancel" button
to cancel without deleting anything.
Some of the
following articles might provide additional assistance:
Resolving
problems with Profiles in Communicator
How
can I keep other people from using my profile?