The Hindu : Bookmarklet repositories

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 01, 2003

Business

Business

Bookmarklet repositories

THIS WEEK NetSpeak takes a look at a simple JavaScript based tool called bookmarklet and a few repositories that host collections of them.

A web browser understands data transfer protocols such as http, ftp, file and the like. It picks up the protocol component from the URL and then takes the next step that depends on the identified protocol. For example, if you enter the URL http://www.hinduonnet.com, the browser identifies the data transfer protocol as `http' and proceeds to contact the web server for collecting the relevant web page. Likewise, when you type the URL file://c: into its address box, the browser displays the local files from the `C' drive.

Along with data transfer protocols, the browser also supports the 'java:' protocol that allows you to execute simple JavaScript commands on a web page.

That is, if you enter a simple JavaScript command, say alert (`NetSpeak') with the `javaScript:' protocol pre-fixed (like: javascript:alert(`NetSpeak')), the browser will display a small window with the text `NetSpeak'.

Here is another example that lets you load multiple sites simultaneously: javascript: open (`http://www. hinduonnet.com/biz'); open (`http:// www.nytimes.com');

Yet another use of the JavaScript URL of this type is that it can alter various features of a current web page. For example, if you are on a web page whose background colour does not suit your eyes, type the following javascript URL to change it to white: javascript:void (document. bgColor=`white').

Thus skilful use of the JavaScript code can enhance the browser's capabilities and enrich your web navigation experience. This ability of a browser to accept URLs that can execute JavaScripts leads to the concept of bookmarklets.

Bookmarklet

During your web journey, if you come across an interesting site, you keep it in the bookmark or favourite section so that it can be accessed at any time. Generally, a bookmark contains a link to a web site URL. Now, instead of a web site's URL, if you store a `javascript:' URL link in the bookmark section, you get a bookmarklet.

A bookmarklet is a bookmark that contains executable javascript code. And, if you find a bookmarklet link on a web page, you can drag it on to your browser's tool bar and store its icon on it. This will enable you to execute the bookmarklet at any time by just clicking on this icon. To know more about bookmarklets, run through the tutorial available here: http://www.webreference.com/js/tools /bookmarklets/

Locating bookmarklets

While with some javascript knowledge you can create a bookmarklet, you can find several sites on the Net that host bookmarklets to do a variety of things. In this regard, you may look at the site Bookmarklets (http://www.bookmarklets.com/), which hosts powerful, free bookmarklets. Here, the bookmarklets are organised under various categories such as `Page Look' (contains many bookmarklets for changing the look of a page), Windowing (this section contains several tools that can change Window's parameters such as its size and location), Calculate/Convert (a category with many bookmarklets for computing mathematical expressions) and Search tools (a section with many bookmarklets that can be used to search the web more efficiently).

Another bookmarklet repository worth visiting is the Jesse's Bookmarklets Site (http://www.squarefree.com/bookmarklets/), which also hosts innumerable free bookmarklets.

The site features versatile bookmarklets which deal with a range of subjects that include `Link Bookmarklets' (tools for manipulating the URLs on the current web page), `Text and Data Bookmarklets' (bookmarklets that allow you to view the text of a web page in different ways) and `Web Development Bookmarklets' (that lets you debug a web page). Another site worth visiting for bookmarklets is Favelets (http://tantek.com/favelets/).

Apart from the repositories mentioned above, bookmarklets created by specific services are also in place. For example, many of you may be users of the popular web-based newsaggregator service Bloglines (http://www.bloglines.com) that can be used to read several newsfeeds from various sites on a single web page. To subscribe to an RSS feed with this service, normally you need to go through such steps as invoking the browser, accessing the `Bloglines' site and moving on to the subscription page. But, if you use the subscription bookmarklet, `Subscribe with Bloglines' provided by the service (http://www.bloglines.com/help/easysub), you can directly subscribe from any site with a single mouse click, while on your favourite news site, just click on the 'Subscribe' bookmarklet.

Crimson text editor

Anyone who has ever attempted to use the Windows editor, Notepad, to create such specialised text files as HTML, Java and PERL would know the limitations of this program. For an alternative text editor, have a look at the free, feature-packed text editor, Crimson.

This tool has features such as the facility to edit multiple files, spell checker, tool to record key strokes that can be played back using the `Replay Macro' button and so on. Another highlight of this editor is the built in calculator that can evaluate simple mathematical expressions. For more details: http://www. crimsoneditor.com/

Bloogz: A blog search engine

For many netizens, blogs have become one of the major on-line sources for keeping up-to-date with the latest information on any subject. But, as tens of hundreds of blogs are available on the Net, locating the ones that are relevant to an information seeker becomes a little difficult task.

One solution to get around this blog overload is to use a search service that tracks blogs. Bloogz (http://www.bloogz.com/) is one such search service for locating appropriate weblogs.

J. Murali

Email the author at:
murali27@satyam.net.in

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