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Firevine 0.3.1 - A Newsvine Toolbar for Firefox (Beta w/fixes)

News Type: Other — Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:05 PM EDT
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This version of Firevine is currently obsolete. Please navigate here to access the most current version.

Firevine is a toolbar to help improve the user experience at newsvine.com. Multiple site functions have been included in this toolbar, including a quick link to both your column and the frontpage as well as a site search, automatically updating watchlist and seed status checker.

Install at your own risk. However, there really isn't that much of a risk. If for whatever reason it does crash your browser, just start it up in safe mode and uninstall the extension. No real permanent damage will be done.

Click to Install

The installation will probably be blocked by firefox. In the message bar that appears at the top of your browser, click "Edit Options..." In the window that appears, click "Allow" and then close. Click to Install again.

Change Log

Fixed 3 bugs

  • The "Seed Newsvine" button that pop-ups a window that allows you to enter in all the relevant information will now close and redirect the parent window properly. In other words, it will function just like the normal "Seed Newsvine" button.
  • Better mouse control. Clicking on buttons within the toolbar with either the right mouse button or the scroll wheel will open the resulting page in a new tab. Clicking on the buttons with the left mouse button will open the resulting page within the current tab.
  • When a page is opened in a new tab, the settings for opening the tab in the background or stealing focus is now taken from the browser settings rather than an extension setting.

The old (0.3) version was accepted by Mozilla as a public Firefox Add-on. I just submitted the new version as well. However, the review process is lengthy and it the last version about a month to be accepted.

This means that Firevine should update automatically to the new version after it is accepted by Mozilla. However, that update will be a few weeks after I actually release a new version here. Therefor if you want the latest version the moment I release it, then watchlist the "firevine" tag. If not, then your browser should eventually be updated with a somewhat recent version eventually.

The Future

I'm still waiting for a kick-ass newsvine API that will allow me to create some kick-ass features. In the meantime I'll be getting rid of the toolbar in firevine and directly integrated the extension into Firefox. This will allow you more options as to what features you want to utilize as well as take up far less of your browser real estate. I'll also add in some quick links to common newsvine tasks and reference pages.

Enjoy!!!

  • 33 Votes
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9.4
3.1
{"commentId":582514,"authorDomain":"smaran"}
Smaran

Adam, Adam, Adam... Firefox crashed right after I installed it. Then, I relaunched it and it seems to be woorking fine. What I find useful is the right-click "Seed this page" option. The bar itself takes up too much screen real estate. Have you thought of modelling it after the del.icio.us extension that just adds two buttons to the navigation bar? I would love to have a "seed this" and "home" button up there.

{"commentId":582514,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"smaran"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:11 AM EDT
{"commentId":582515,"authorDomain":"smaran"}
Smaran

*working fine.

Could you please edit my comment and delete this one? Sorry.

{"commentId":582515,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"smaran"}
    #1.1 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:12 AM EDT
    {"commentId":583205,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Adam Hobson

    The bar itself takes up too much screen real estate. Have you thought of modelling it after the del.icio.us extension that just adds two buttons to the navigation bar? I would love to have a "seed this" and "home" button up there.

    Dude, that is my exact same thoughts. Already working on it.

    {"commentId":583205,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    • 3 votes
    #1.2 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:35 PM EDT
    {"commentId":583307,"authorDomain":"smaran"}
    Smaran

    Dude, that is my exact same thoughts. Already working on it.

    Ha, that's awesome! Can't wait.

    {"commentId":583307,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"smaran"}
    • 1 vote
    #1.3 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:24 PM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":582870,"authorDomain":"CaptCommy"}
    CaptCommy

    I just installed this myself, quite painlessly, and I'm happy to say it works great. It's actually cleared up some room on my toolbar, now that all of my Newsvine bookmarks are gone. I recommend everyone at least try it, and hey, if you don't like it, it takes less than a minute to get rid of.

    {"commentId":582870,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"CaptCommy"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#2 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:01 AM EDT
    {"commentId":583212,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Adam Hobson

    Okay, so new really annoying error that I've discovered: Now using the seed newsvine button results in firefox blocking the damn pop-up!

    This button is causing me more grief!

    {"commentId":583212,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#3 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:36 PM EDT
    {"commentId":583314,"authorDomain":"smaran"}
    Smaran

    Try analysing the code of the del.icio.us extension, maybe it will help shed some light on how to allow the seed pop-up.

    {"commentId":583314,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"smaran"}
    • 1 vote
    #3.1 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:25 PM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":583768,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    Andy Min

    I haven't installed it yet, but it looks great! Love the three bug fixes. I don't get why more extensions don't utilize the tabs that Firefox has. Thanks for adding that functionality!

    {"commentId":583768,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    • 2 votes
    Reply#4 - Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:04 PM EDT
    {"commentId":584399,"authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
    Paradox460

    Might i mention that the handy extension, hyperwords, can seed newsvine, as well as countless other sites.

    {"commentId":584399,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#5 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:11 AM EDT
    {"commentId":585587,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
    Brian White

    Alert: Please update the options with your newsvine domain. How do you enter your account info Adam?

    {"commentId":585587,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#6 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:56 PM EDT
    {"commentId":585684,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Adam Hobson

    In your Firefox menu go to Tools > Add-ons, select Firevine and an Options button should appear. Don't blame me for this horrible user experience blame Firefox :-)

    At one point (0.2) I actually had option accessible from the toolbar itself, but apparently that screwed things up for Macs. So I guess you could blame Macs as well.

    {"commentId":585684,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    • 1 vote
    #6.1 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:46 PM EDT
    {"commentId":585688,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Adam Hobson

    Oh and one other thing. If you want to access your watchlist then you must make it public in your newsvine account options.

    I really should have linked back to the full instructions from version 0.3. I'll know better next time.

    {"commentId":585688,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    • 1 vote
    #6.2 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:47 PM EDT
    {"commentId":586953,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
    Brian White

    Thanks Adam.

    {"commentId":586953,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
    • 1 vote
    #6.3 - Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:35 AM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":585740,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    Andy Min

    I installed, it and it works great. One bug: when you right click the buttons, it opens the Toolbar menu that Firefox has everytime you right-click a toolbar. It still opens the tab. Just in case you didn't know...

    {"commentId":585740,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#7 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:25 PM EDT
    {"commentId":585911,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    Adam Hobson

    Yeah, I don't know how to disable that.

    {"commentId":585911,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
    • 1 vote
    #7.1 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:49 PM EDT
    {"commentId":586208,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    Andy Min

    I think the Platypus toolbar disables it, may want to look at the source.

    {"commentId":586208,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    • 1 vote
    #7.2 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:34 PM EDT
    {"commentId":704845,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    Andy Min

    Hey, I did find that middle-clicking will open it in a new tab as well.

    {"commentId":704845,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
    • 1 vote
    #7.3 - Sun May 13, 2007 5:48 PM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":585904,"authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}
    lauhal

    Cool. Installed and it works!

    {"commentId":585904,"threadId":"84260","contentId":"611169","authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}
    • 2 votes
    Reply#8 - Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:45 PM EDT
    {"canLink":false,"threadId":"84260","isPrivate":false}
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