Is there a better way to copy multiple links? Topic is solved

[Binky]

I'm using Pale Moon 29.1.1 in Linux MInt 20 XFCE. Occasionally I find a web page where I want to select and copy multiple links simultaneously instead of stepping through each link one at a time.

I tried the extension Multi LInks Plus 3.9.3, but that caused problems - when I tried to drag a selection around part of the page content it disappeared from view so I couldn't see what I was selecting.

I've got a working solution but it's clunky:

• install 'Open With' 6.8.6 extension for Firefox

• install lynx text-mode browser

• create a 'Lynx links' menu item for 'Open With' using the command 'xfce4-terminal --title="Lynx links" --hide-menubar --hide-toolbar --hold --execute /usr/bin/lynx -listonly -dump -nonumbers'

• select the required links from the list in the xfce4-terminal window and copy them

I'm wondering if there's a better way that works with the latest Pale Moon browser.

[micwoj92]

I'm wondering if there's a better way that works with the latest Pale Moon browser.

This doesn't really work with Pale Moon, but with your XFCE Desktop https://docs.xfce.org/panel-plugins/xfc ... ugin/start

Package name on Mint should be " xfce4-clipman-plugin"

[Binky]

@ micwoj92

Thanks for the response. I already have the Clipman plugin installed. That does not help with copying multiple links, it merely keeps a list of previously copied items.

[opus_27]

This would probably be done best by an extension, but to see the possibilities, you can put the following code in a bookmarklet. Then on a page containing some links, select a few and click the bookmarklet. It should pop up an alert containing the links, which you can copy-paste into a text file, changing the extension to .htm or .html. Then open the file in your browser.

An extension could put the results directly on the clipboard or save them to a file. The alert technique would become too cumbersome if the number of links grew much.

Code: Select all

javascript:{
  let linkHarvester = {
    serializer: new XMLSerializer(),
    handleEvent: function(event){
      var oSel = window.getSelection(), hldr = document.createElement('div'), hrvst = hldr.cloneNode(false),
      styl = hrvst.appendChild(document.createElement('style')); styl.setAttribute('scoped', 'scoped'); styl.appendChild(document.createTextNode('a[href]{display:block;}'));
      for(let i = 0, k = oSel.rangeCount; i < k; i++){hldr.appendChild(this.extendRange(this.extendRange(oSel.getRangeAt(i), true)).cloneContents())};
      var lnks=hldr.querySelectorAll('a[href]');
      for(let i=0, k=lnks.length;i<k;i++){hrvst.appendChild(lnks[i].cloneNode(true))};
      alert(this.serializer.serializeToString(hrvst));
    },
    extendRange: function(rng,bBackward){
      var rc=rng[bBackward? 'startContainer' : 'endContainer']; if(rc.nodeType !=1){rc = rc.parentNode};
      var x=this.seekLink(rc);
      if(x && (x !== rc)){rng[bBackward? 'setStartBefore' : 'setEndAfter'](x)};
      return rng;
    },
    seekLink:function(nd){
      do{
        if(nd.matches('a[href]')){return nd};
        if(nd.matches('a')){return null};
      }while((nd = nd.parentNode) && (nd.nodeType == 1));
    }
  };
  linkHarvester.handleEvent(null);
}

[opus_27]

I just noticed that my code, as given, leaves relative links as they are—probably not terribly useful. Sorry I missed this, but the revision below fixes it, I think.

So far, the code makes no effort to remove images or special text effects, or to handle cases where the link contains no text. Depending on your use case, any or all could be fixed.

Code: Select all

javascript:{
  let linkHarvester = {
    serializer: new XMLSerializer(),
    handleEvent: function(event){
      var oSel = window.getSelection(), hldr = document.createElement('div'), hrvst = hldr.cloneNode(false),
      styl = hrvst.appendChild(document.createElement('style')); styl.setAttribute('scoped', 'scoped');
      styl.appendChild(document.createTextNode('a[href]{display:list-item; list-style-type:decimal-leading-zero;}'));
      for(let i = 0, k = oSel.rangeCount; i < k; i++){hldr.appendChild(this.extendRange(this.extendRange(oSel.getRangeAt(i), true)).cloneContents())};
      var lnks=hldr.querySelectorAll('a[href]');
      for(let i = 0, k = lnks.length; i<k ; i++){let a = hrvst.appendChild(lnks[i].cloneNode(true)); a.setAttribute('href',a.href)};
      alert(this.serializer.serializeToString(hrvst));
    },
    extendRange: function(rng,bBackward){
      var rc=rng[bBackward? 'startContainer' : 'endContainer']; if(rc.nodeType !=1){rc = rc.parentNode};
      var x=this.seekLink(rc);
      if(x && (x !== rc)){rng[bBackward? 'setStartBefore' : 'setEndAfter'](x)};
      return rng;
    },
    seekLink:function(nd){
      do{
        if(nd.matches('a[href]')){return nd};
        if(nd.matches('a')){return null};
      }while((nd = nd.parentNode) && (nd.nodeType == 1));
    }
  };
  linkHarvester.handleEvent(null);
}

[opus_27]

Another glitch eliminated.

Code: Select all

javascript:{
  let linkHarvester = {
    serializer: new XMLSerializer(),
    handleEvent: function(event){
      var oSel = window.getSelection(), hldr = document.createElement('div'), hrvst = hldr.cloneNode(false),
      styl = hrvst.appendChild(document.createElement('style')); styl.setAttribute('scoped', 'scoped');
      styl.appendChild(document.createTextNode('a[href]{display:list-item; list-style-type:decimal-leading-zero;}'));
      for(let i = 0, k = oSel.rangeCount; i < k; i++){hldr.appendChild(this.extendRange(this.extendRange(oSel.getRangeAt(i), true)).cloneContents())};
      var lnks=hldr.querySelectorAll('a[href]');
      for(let i = 0, k = lnks.length; i<k ; i++){let a = hrvst.appendChild(lnks[i].cloneNode(true)); a.setAttribute('href',a.href)};
      alert(this.serializer.serializeToString(hrvst));
    },
    extendRange: function(rng,bBackward){
      var rc=rng[bBackward? 'startContainer' : 'endContainer']; if(rc.nodeType != 1){rc = rc.parentNode};
      var x=this.seekLink(rc);
      rng[bBackward? 'setStartBefore' : 'setEndAfter'](x);
      return rng;
    },
    seekLink:function(nd){
      do{
        if(nd.matches('a[href]')){return nd};
        if(nd.matches('a')){return null};
      }while((nd = nd.parentNode) && (nd.nodeType == 1));
    }
  };
  linkHarvester.handleEvent(null);
}

[Binky]

@ opus_27
Thanks for your persistent effort.

The problem I face is that I had no idea what a bookmarklet is or how to use it. I did a search that gave me some background info but no practical example of how to run it in Pale Moon on a particular web page.

[opus_27]

Try this:

1. For convenience, make sure your Bookmarks Toolbar is visible.
2. Copy the contents of the CODE box below by clicking SELECT ALL just to the right of the word CODE, then press Ctrl-C or right click and select Copy.
3. You might find it advisable to paste the code in a text file to avoid having to interrupt the bookmark creation process and start it over.
4. Create a bookmark by right clicking on the Bookmarks Toolbar and clicking New Bookmark.
5. In the Name box, type a name of your own choosing, preferably short to save space.
6. In the Location Box, paste the code you copied in steps 2-3.
7. Then click the Add (or Save) button

Code: Select all

javascript:{
  let linkHarvester = {
    serializer: new XMLSerializer(),
    handleEvent: function(event){
      var oSel = window.getSelection(), hldr = document.createElement('div'), hrvst = hldr.cloneNode(false),
      styl = hrvst.appendChild(document.createElement('style')); styl.setAttribute('scoped', 'scoped');
      styl.appendChild(document.createTextNode('a[href]{display:list-item; list-style-type:decimal-leading-zero;}'));
      for(let i = 0, k = oSel.rangeCount; i < k; i++){hldr.appendChild(this.extendRange(this.extendRange(oSel.getRangeAt(i).cloneRange(), true)).cloneContents())};
      var lnks=hldr.querySelectorAll('a[href]');
      for(let i = 0, k = lnks.length; i<k ; i++){let a = hrvst.appendChild(lnks[i].cloneNode(true)); a.setAttribute('href',a.href)};
      alert(this.serializer.serializeToString(hrvst));
    },
    extendRange: function(rng,bBackward){
      var rc=rng[bBackward? 'startContainer' : 'endContainer']; if(rc.nodeType != 1){rc = rc.parentNode};
      var x=this.seekLink(rc);
      rng[bBackward? 'setStartBefore' : 'setEndAfter'](x);
      return rng;
    },
    seekLink:function(nd){
      do{
        if(nd.matches('a[href]')){return nd};
        if(nd.matches('a')){return null};
      }while((nd = nd.parentNode) && (nd.nodeType == 1));
    }
  };
  linkHarvester.handleEvent(null);
}

[vannilla]

I also created an extension using opus_27's bookmarklet code.
It's called "Link Harvester" and I'm uploading it to various places as I'm writing this message.
Give it some time for it to be reviewed and approved and you can use it in alternative to or even side by side with the bookmarklet.

By the way:
@opus_27
I added you as a contributor to the extension. If you want to add or change or remove any info about yourself (e.g. I used the "opus_27" username as your name), just tell me.

Post-submission edit:
Since I've been programming it non-stop during the night I completely forgot to add basic informations to the XPI like a description and the likes.
I apologize to the addons team. I should probably not do an all-nighter like this.

[opus_27]

The code needed yet another correction. I've fixed the version in my message of 2021-04-12, 18:29, and replicate the latest version here for convenience:

Code: Select all

{
  let linkHarvester = {
    serializer: new XMLSerializer(),
    handleEvent: function(event){
      var oSel = window.getSelection(), hldr = document.createElement('div'), hrvst = hldr.cloneNode(false),
      styl = hrvst.appendChild(document.createElement('style')); styl.setAttribute('scoped', 'scoped');
      styl.appendChild(document.createTextNode('a[href]{display:list-item; list-style-type:decimal-leading-zero;}'));
      for(let i = 0, k = oSel.rangeCount; i < k; i++){hldr.appendChild(this.extendRange(this.extendRange(oSel.getRangeAt(i).cloneRange(), true)).cloneContents())};
      var lnks=hldr.querySelectorAll('a[href]');
      for(let i = 0, k = lnks.length; i<k ; i++){let a = hrvst.appendChild(lnks[i].cloneNode(true)); a.setAttribute('href',a.href)};
      alert(this.serializer.serializeToString(hrvst));
    },
    extendRange: function(rng,bBackward){
      var rc=rng[bBackward? 'startContainer' : 'endContainer']; if(rc.nodeType != 1){rc = rc.parentNode};
      var x=this.seekLink(rc);
      rng[bBackward? 'setStartBefore' : 'setEndAfter'](x);
      return rng;
    },
    seekLink:function(nd){
      do{
        if(nd.matches('a[href]')){return nd};
        if(nd.matches('a')){return null};
      }while((nd = nd.parentNode) && (nd.nodeType == 1));
    }
  };
  linkHarvester.handleEvent(null);
}

[Lootyhoof]

Post-submission edit:
Since I've been programming it non-stop during the night I completely forgot to add basic informations to the XPI like a description and the likes.
I apologize to the addons team. I should probably not do an all-nighter like this.

Thanks I think, but please submit with a valid description and such before we can approve. The site doesn't like it when there isn't a description there as it requires one.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Well we can delete add-ons now (though not specific versions) so inital corrections can be handled that way now.

Like everything else it is the NEED to do a thing that makes it exist plus the WILL to do it

Also, I suppose the validator will need updated to check for more than existance?

[vannilla]

Yeah, if you can delete the unapproved submission please do so.
I'll add the required informations tomorrow first thing first I have some free time.

[opus_27]

Please note my message of 2021-04-12, 19:05, vanilla. That .cloneRange() addition in line 8 is important.

Also, links with no useful text content (empty string or all whitespace) aren't yet taken care of. This should be a relatively easy fix. I'll try to post it in the next 24 hours, maybe sooner.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Yeah, if you can delete the unapproved submission please do so.

Code: Select all

2021-04-13 @ 00:43:31 	mattatobin 	x.x.x.x 	[ADMIN] SUCCESS - Deleted Add-on: linkharvester

[vannilla]

Thank you Tobin.

I re-submitted the extension, this time hopefully without anything important missing.

Please note my message of 2021-04-12, 19:05, vanilla. That .cloneRange() addition in line 8 is important.

Actually due to differences between a bookmarklet and an extension, and between copying to clipboard and showing an alert, half of the code was changed so it probably does not apply.
Once the add-on is made available feel free to check it out and report any issue, if you want to.

[opus_27]

@vanilla, please remove any reference to me from the extension.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

@vanilla, please remove any reference to me from the extension.

Why? Don't you want to be credited for your contribution?

[opus_27]

@vanilla, please remove any reference to me from the extension.

Why? Don't you want to be credited for your contribution?

@New Tobin Paradigm: No, but thanks for your inquiry. Your interest matters to me as I've come to respect you a lot in my relatively short time here.

"No" is a bit of an oversimplification, as you may have guessed, but it's all I'm prepared to say in a public forum.

[vannilla]

Since the addon has been approved, today I'll release 1.0.2 to comply with opus_27's request.