Saturday, June 03, 2006

Firefox Commenting Extensions

Here is a list of some more Firefox extensions I've recently adopted. Many may be useful for power blog commenting:

CoLT (copy link text) - This extension allows you to right-click a link and copy both the link-text (visible) as well as the HTML code (non-visible) then paste it where you want (like say a comment). There are some more options as well with it. So now you don't have to remember that HTML code to type in link references! Cool.

Copy URL+ - This is a deceptively simple copy extension. At it's most basic, it allows you to capture the web page address you are on to the clipboard. Then you can paste it: in a comment, in an Email, etc. At it's most powerful, it allows you to add and customize the format options for your selections with a little user.js file editing. The developer has a very good list of these alternative codes you can use at the bottom of that link's page. Just copy, paste and tweak the numbering. Nice.

Copy Plain Text 0.3.2 - Another handy copy tool. This one allows you to select a block of text on a web-page, then copy just the text-only--stripping out the HTML coding and formatting.
Just paste the plain-old text. Really handy for commenting as well.

coComment - This free comment tracking service offers a Firefox extension. You must register first. Once you have registered and installed the extension, the next time you leave a comment on a supported blog you have a little box that displays around the Post Comment button. You can enter a tag if you want. When you post your comment it records the posting information and then monitors it for you. The notification icon is kept out of the way down in the bottom status bar of the browser. Kinda nice. I've just came across this one so I haven't had opportunity yet to put it through the paces.

FavIcon Picker - This one's been in my pile of extensions for a while. It allows you to customize the bookmark icons in Firefox. However, as Rachel Cunliffe points out, if you want to streamline things in your bookmark toolbar, and your bookmark icons are nice, just edit the properties and remove the name. Just use the icons alone. Sweet. Some users are saying that the posted version doesn't work with 1.5.3+ I haven't had any trouble--but you might need to download the xpi file, and edit the version number. See a previous post about Hacking the Fox. Combine it with the standalone freeware application AM-DeadLink (I LOVE IT!) and it will check your browser's (IE,Firefox, etc.) bookmarks for both dead/expired links as well as snagging any FavIcons.

Sage - I've been using Sage as my RSS reader of choice for over a year now. I had been using the "Scarlet 'n Gray Two Column" style theme, but yesterday switched over to the "Mozilla Two Column" style. I like it much better. Anyway...nice style selections to fit just about any viewing preference.

Spellbound (latest beta development version) - This extension and the dictionary add-in will ensure that you don't make any more spelling errors in your posts, unless you just really want to on purpose. It doesn't require the Performancing blogging extension to work, but that really helps too.

ListZilla - Really handy extension tool from roachfiend. This gem generates a plain text or HTML file that lists all your themes and extensions loaded into Firefox. The HTML code output also cleverly generates a link directly to the source page on the web. Handy if you need to create a list for "emergency installation" purposes. Like I have just done below!

My Currently Enabled Firefox Extensions: (40)

All-In-One Sidebar 0.6.4
BugMeNot 1.3
coComment 0.0.2.0
CoLT 1.3.2
Copy Plain Text 0.3.2
Copy URL + 1.3.2
Download Statusbar 0.9.4
Ez Sidebar 3.1.2006011301
Fasterfox 1.0.3
Favicon Picker 0.3.0
FoxClocks 1.2.77
FoxyTunes 1.2.5
Google Notebook 1.0.0.4
IE Tab 1.0.9
Image Zoom 0.2.5
ListZilla 0.7
LiveLines 0.4.5
MeasureIt 0.3.5
Moji 0.8
Moji-En 0.4
Moji-J_Places 0.4
Moji-JpNam 0.4
Moji-Kanji-En 0.4
New Tab Button on Tab Bar 1.0
Outlook 2003 Blue 1.5.3
Performancing 1.2
Print Preview 0.5.1.3
Reveal 1.0.6
Sage 1.3.6
Save Image in Folder 0.9.1
Sort Extensions and Themes 3.0.3
SpellBound (Development Version) 0.9.8.20060108
SpoofStick 1.06
Tab Clicking Options 0.6.4
Tab X 0.9.2
Tabbrowser Preferences 1.2.8.9
Talkback 1.5.0.4
Translate 0.6.0.8
Viamatic foXpose 0.3
x mod 0.6.5

Whew! See you in the skies!
--Claus

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

--I just noticed. To make changes (custom additions) to the Copy URL+ program in my version of Firefox (1.5.0.4) I had to add the extra lines cited to my Firefox\profiles\(whatever your folder name) prefs.js file instead of the user.js mentioned in the link.

Once I figured this out. the additions worked great. Also:

Don't try to edit the prefs.js file while your Firefox app is open. Open the link with the custom lines in IE or Opera. Ensure Firefox is not running, open the prefs.js file in Notepad (or whatever) and then add the lines in and save the file when you are done.

Now open Firefox and if you pasted them in correctly and numbered them right (like it says!) they should be there in the drop-down list of options for the shell context memu of Firefox!

Easy. I hope that makes sense. Just remember to follow the steps, edit the prefs.js file (make a backup copy just in case before editing) and then save and run Firefox.

Anonymous said...

On coComment, would be great if the plugin didn't break some key javascript on other sites. Maybe this is fixed, but it wasn't a few weeks ago when I tried it out.

TxGoodie said...

Thanks for the list/ideas! I put one up too on my wee one...
http://texasgoodies.blogspot.com/2006/06/my-favorite-firefox-extensions.html#links

It's not as diverse as yours, but it suits me just fine. I'm sure my extension needs aren't in your league either.

It's amazing how much Firefox "stuff" is out there!

Anonymous said...

Marshall--you are absolutely right! I had seen a few posts on that issue, but hadn't run into any problems myself (yet) with it--but users should be aware of this! It also doesn't seem to work with Blogspot blogs yet.

Webapp forms CoComment Firefox Extension: Trying It Out
Webapp forms Firefox Extension Breaks Webapp Forms
Gmail Gmail Breaks coComment's Firefox Extension.

An alternative is the "bookmarklet" tracking method of co.mments. (Thanks to Edie Goodwin for this find from over at Techblog.) It's not an "extension" but may work well enough for some Firefox users.

Thanks for sharing, TxGoodie! The customization of Firefox is one of the things I really like it for!