Favorites Manager

  • Thread starter Thread starter PeterH
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PeterH

I have folders set-up under Favotites in IE6 but the list of folders is
longer than the height of the screen.

This is a bit annoying when I have to scroll to find the folder.

Is there software that manages favorites in a more compact way?

PeterH
 
I have folders set-up under Favotites in IE6 but the list of folders is
longer than the height of the screen.

This is a bit annoying when I have to scroll to find the folder.

Is there software that manages favorites in a more compact way?
Click to expand...

There are several good bookmarks managers available, but unless you
organise your bookmarks so that you have fewer top-level folders, you're
still going to have too long a list to be visible on-screen without
scrolling. The most simple solution would be to nest the folders - eg, if
you have a folder called "software" and one called "hardware" and one
called "email access", put all three inside one top-level folder and call
it "computer". Etc. It means a split second longer to access any one URL,
but it will mean you don't need to scroll.

You can do this in IE by clicking on Favorites, then Organise Favorites.

(I also don't like having to scroll when I'm looking for a bookmark, so I
nest my folders. I've over 9000 bookmarks, but only 23 folders listed when
I look at bookmarks in my browser - though I avoid using IE, but the same
applies.)
 
Sounds like the way to go ... thanks


GlintingHedgehog said:
There are several good bookmarks managers available, but unless you
organise your bookmarks so that you have fewer top-level folders, you're
still going to have too long a list to be visible on-screen without
scrolling. The most simple solution would be to nest the folders - eg, if
you have a folder called "software" and one called "hardware" and one
called "email access", put all three inside one top-level folder and call
it "computer". Etc. It means a split second longer to access any one URL,
but it will mean you don't need to scroll.

You can do this in IE by clicking on Favorites, then Organise Favorites.

(I also don't like having to scroll when I'm looking for a bookmark, so I
nest my folders. I've over 9000 bookmarks, but only 23 folders listed when
I look at bookmarks in my browser - though I avoid using IE, but the same
applies.)
Click to expand...
 
PeterH said:
I have folders set-up under Favotites in IE6 but the list of folders
is longer than the height of the screen.

This is a bit annoying when I have to scroll to find the folder.

Is there software that manages favorites in a more compact way?

PeterH
Click to expand...

You could use an IE Shell like Avant Browser, which has Favorites Searching
built in.
http://www.avantbrowser.com/index.html
--
I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says
something about human nature that the only form of life we have created
so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.

Stephen Hawking (1942 - )
 
PeterH said:
Sounds like the way to go ... thanks
Click to expand...

You don't say which OS you are using. Given that unknown ....

Better yet, open Favorites in MS Explorer (or substitute) and build
your folder structure there. Much easier to see what is going on and
to manipulate it.

Other ideas for improving access:

- Generate an HTML page with two columns. Priceless ware lists
Bookmark Wizard for generating an HTML page directly from your
Favorites. I don't use such programs so I don't remember which one
might do just what you want. I know some Fav-to-HTML generators I've
seen support multiple colors, font sizes, indentation, columns, and
even method of expanding folders. I don't remember offhand whether
that was linking to another page, lower on the same page, expanding in
place, or .... If Bookmark Wizard plus your own experience is
insufficient, search ACF (via Google Groups) or visit a large archive
like SnapFiles, NoNags, or Download.com. Some bookmark managers will
also generate HTML pages. Someone in ACF may remember which program
does columns.

www.pricelessware.org/thelist/net.htm
www.PricelesswareHome.org

- Create a permanent search for favorites view. Open MS Explorer with
Search Bar. Set folder to search to Favorites and save it. Put it on
your desktop or drag it to Quick Launch or another Taskbar toolbar.

- As mentioned, FavSearch is a good add-on. I use AlphaCuts and
Digiarch's QuickStart. AlphaCuts incorporates both viewing favorites
by first letter or by search. It is much faster than Explorer but has
to be refreshed periodically. QuickStart supports finding a Favorite
by typing (part of) any word in the name and then picking from a list
if more than one includes that word.. Both programs also do
considerably more.

www.cocoholo.com/alpha.htm
www.digiarch.org/quickstart.html

BillR
 
You don't say which OS you are using. Given that unknown ....

<Snip>
Other ideas for improving access:

- Generate an HTML page with two columns.
Click to expand...

An HTML page has another advantage -- you can add additional notes
such as an extended description.

- Create a permanent search for favorites view.
Click to expand...
- As mentioned, FavSearch is a good add-on. I use AlphaCuts and
Digiarch's QuickStart.
Click to expand...
<Snip>

One other idea which might make one of the above more useful. "The
CustomizeIE utility allows you to easily add, edit and delete
additional toolbar buttons and menu items in Internet Explorer."

For example if you develop a few HTML pages, you could just force them
to sort to the top of favorites by prefixing the favorites (shortcut)
name with a number or plus sign (or rather a folder which contains the
HTML pages assuming you sort Favorites periodically).

CustomizeIE will allow you to directly add the HTML pages to the menus
or toolbars. Or if you have a few favorite bookmarks (or folders),
add them.

BillR
 
Other ideas for improving access:

- Generate an HTML page with two columns. Priceless ware lists
Bookmark Wizard for generating an HTML page directly from your
Favorites. I don't use such programs so I don't remember which one
might do just what you want.
Click to expand...
Someone in ACF may remember which program does columns.
Click to expand...

Me at long last. Try running dirhtml or DIR2HTML on your favorites
folder to create a multicolumn HTML page that you can use instead of
Favorites menu. Take a look at the examples on the following sites.

Many people also create their own home page this way. This has two
advantages. It provides a handy place to put shortcuts to frequently
visited sites or even programs you use primarily when on-line. It
also improves performance when you open a new window that would
otherwise go to an on-line location. Even with broadband I encounter
a delay when opening a new window to my provider's portal even though
I block many of the ads.

Caveat - Favorites is a special folder. Sometimes utilities behave
oddly when processing special folders.

dirhtml v4.59 - A Freeware Index.html Generator

Dirhtml creates index.html files from a directory list using the GUI
or command line, optionally including HTML code of your own design at
any point in the generated file. With dirhtml, your index.html files
can be unique and arbitrarily complex. Dirhtml works under Windows
98/NT/2000/XP.

http://home.pacbell.net/nitzsche/dirhtml.html

DIR2HTML also converts a local directory to an HTML index with
hyperlinks. Also "view screen shot" for a nice two column layout. Be
sure to scroll half way down. The empty left column is one large cell
that is just perfect for shortcuts to tools -- programs, favelets
(bookmarklets), and frequently visited webware you use when on-line.

http://www.pc-tools.net/win32/freeware/dir2html/


Bonus Hints
-----------
1. Sort Favorites - You can sort Favorites via the context menu
(right-click). Your new folders will sort to the top automatically.

2. Selectively reorder Favorites - After the sort you can drag any
folder or favorite on the open menu from its current position to the
top. You will have to repeat this step each time you sort the menu.

3. Force selective reordering - You can force a particular folder to
the top of the sorted menu and a favorite just below the last folder.
Special characters and numerals sort first. If you name a favorite "1
My Fav URL", it will be sorted immediately after the last folder.
This has two advantages, forcing the order and giving you another way
to quickly execute a numbered favorite.

4. Use keyboard command abbreviations - With Explorer open and your
cursor on the page, open Favorites menu from the keyboard:
press Alt --> selects File in menu
press A --> selects Favorites menu
press 1 --> selects "1 My Fav URL"
press Enter --> go to 1 My Fav URL

Note that if you press M instead of 1 that the first "M" in the menu
will be selected. Given your long of favorites, the selected file is
unlikely to be My Fav URL. ("N" and arrowing up would probably be
faster.)


My apologies, GlintingHedgehog, if all of this is far too basic. I
interpreted your original post as most likely having been written by a
neophyte.

BillR
 
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