“Old-timer” Bookmarklet Information, and Suggestions “You Might Risk!”

      Remember that I am merely an old man obsessed using bookmarklets who, for whatever reasons, Still Enjoys Mischief, lacking technical education and experience, essential in virtually everything appearing on this blog.

     As indicated at AN INTRODUCTION to 300+ Bookmarklets (150+ Nontechnical), when the JavaScript is displayed here, you can try copying it directly on the screen exactly as it appears, although this is increasingly not working. You should usually use a reliable source provided and there is no less than one for each bookmarklet. They are:

1. My Copy of Code.

2. My Site Copy of Source Code JavaScript (select “Raw” and copy the page).

3. The source code site.

       1 and 2, when provided, will often be the most convenient, especially for many with mobile devices. Contrary to 1 and 2, for 3, the source code site, often you are presented with a bookmarklet in the form of a link to a JavaScript URL to drag and drop (or right-click). I do not feel comfortable blindly doing that, rather than seeing the underlying JavaScript first using the Links as URLs bookmarklet to do so (incidentally, it is the first gem of my career in “mischief”), then copying it. In fact, for many mobile browsers, in making a bookmark of the JavaScript, needing to first see it and then copy it, using the bookmarklet is often required. See its description with some rationale for at least taking a quick look at the JavaScript first (or about using the bookmarklet to do so), e.g., its mere length, ETC. It is the first bookmarklet in the second category. When needed, you can also use any of the first three bookmarklets immediately below the Links as URLs bookmarklet.

      When having problems, as an old-timer far from an expert, you might risk these suggestions:

(1) Alternate running from a JavaScript bookmark, to direct entry of the JavaScript in the browser's URL/address field, or vice versa.

(2) Obtaining a fresh source code copy (or where provided, a “My Copy of Code” or “My Site Copy of Source Code JavaScript”).

(3) Test it in an alternate browser/operating system/device. For the Windows operating system, see a) Subsimple Bookmarklets, b) Bookmarklets for Internet Explorer by Jesse/SquareFree and c) WorldTimZone on the list of websites with bookmarklets, the 14th category near the bottom of the bookmarklets page. There is even some possibility of finding multiple JavaScript for various individual browsers using Windows. Also, for Windows and other operating systems, others on the bookmarklet list, category 14, often provide some compatibility information. Further, hopefully, some information may be obtained at the source code site that is provided for each bookmarklet. I encourage proper requests for it when necessary and willing, importantly, at least helping others.

And/or

(4) Converting the source code. One resource is Bookmarkleter by Chris Zarate with GitHub (possibly including HTML URL encoding too). You can also try PasteTool, Bookmarklet Generator from Javascript source codes — PasteTool, Bookmarklet Creator with Script Includer — Peter Coles, Bookmarklet Creator with Script Includer — Peter Coles, etc.

     If the JavaScript works fine, only on limited occasions should you consider (4) above (to make it bookmark-able with Bookmarkleter adding HTML URL encoding only using the first option of two automatically prechecked of five options). I would limit it to those substantially enhancing use/value, but being on guard for strange bookmarklet actions. Although bookmarking a JavaScript URL is an original purpose of JavaScript (Bookmarklet — Wikipedia, history section quotation and note 4, Brendan Eich to Simon Willison), if your browser will not save JavaScript URLs like standard URLs, save them in the bookmark titles. You can later copy/paste them in the browser's URL/address field. If needed, edit them before running, even in the URL/address field exactly as copied as it appeared at the reliable source provided (or displayed here).