Keyword Bookmarks:
Keywords bookmarks are just like regular bookmarks, but have a short identifying word associated with them. Instead of hunting through your bookmark list, you can just type the word into the Firefox URL field at the top of your window.
Here's a regular bookmark to the module index of the standard library:
If I add "modules" to the keywords field, like this:
then when I type "
modules" into the URL field, Firefox takes me to http://docs.python.org/lib/modindex.html. No more hunting around in my bookmarks!Smart Keyword:
Adding the keyword is only the first step. It's also easy to set up a smart keyword (a keyword bookmark that takes an argument) and then provide that argument when you use the keyword. It's almost like having a command line for the web right in your browser. Here's how you do it:
1. Bookmark a sample page, such as http://docs.python.org/lib/module-compiler.html.
2. Edit the properties for the bookmark.
3. Add a keyword, such as "
pydoc".4. Replace "compiler" with "%s":
5. Save the changes.
Now when you type something like "
pydoc compiler" in the URL bar, the browser will go directly to the doc page for that module.Quicksilver:
If you are on a Mac, Firefox keyword bookmarks also work with Quicksilver.
Regular keyword bookmarks show up in Quicksilver searches, so you can type Cmd-Space, "
modules", Return and Firefox opens the module index. If you use the "pydoc" keyword, Quicksilver will prompt you for the argument before launching the browser. So using the bookmark we created above, a documentation lookup is:Cmd-Space, "
pydoc"
Return, "
compiler", 
Return, and wait for the new browser window to show the documentation.
10 comments:
I prefer to use a local reference using the "smart keywords". This works even when I am not connected to Internet.
For example, when I enter "py" in the url bar, it automatically gets redirected to this:
file:///Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.5/Resources/English.lproj/Documentation/index.html
Hey, that's even better! I didn't realize the documentation was included in the framework. Thanks for the tip!
This is where the CHM format really shines as one of the few things Microsoft got right during their golden age. I usually just type in the index-related search box and pronto, here's the result. Even under linux, I use a CHM viewer (KCHM) all the time to browse the python docs, because it's so much faster than regular unindexed html. The only problem is getting the CHM version of the docs, which only comes with the binaries for Windows.
ditto what giacomol said. I can't understand why someone hasn't come up with a good open source compiled html implementation.
Thanks, Doug, that's fantastic!
I've been almost OCD about organizing my firefox bookmarks into folders and subfolders, but I've strived to escape having to do this.
This looks like I could.
However, if from now on, when I create bookmarks with the keywords, if I just create them in the default Bookmarks, how long can this folder get, do you think?
I'm wondering if there's a limit (after which ff loses them or something) and if I won't have to start creating folders, A, B, etc.. under the main.
Doug, do you still add bookmarks within subfolders?
Thanks for the keyword tip.
@GiacomoL - The HTML generated by sphinx supports search through a JavaScript-based index. You don't need a special viewer, just a browser with relatively modern JS support.
@Steve - I use Firefox for "active" bookmarks - things I access a lot. I use folders to organize them, but I don't have very many links of that sort. For everything else, I use delicious and tags.
I have almost the same setup, except that my pydoc keyword uses google search - i.e. "http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=python-search&q=%s&q=site%3Adocs.python.org". This allows me to search for text within the python docs, not just for module names.
I also have a pypi keyword set up to search the python package index.
I use Launchy on Windows and Linux to get the same functionality as Quicksilver.
@steve - the keyword bookmarks can be in any folder, so you can still arrange them how you want.
@dave - I like the search bookmark idea. I have a pypi keyword bookmark, too, but usually just use easy_install so it doesn't see much use.
You know about yubnub, right? Like smart bookmarks, but shared, so you don't have to create everything for yourself. e.g. your python module example, I bung into the address bar:
y py compiler
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