[Ext] Firefox Showcase 0.9.1 : 1-16-2007

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MrMystery
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Joined: July 29th, 2006, 1:05 am

Post by MrMystery »

Thanks! :)
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

The current Showcase version (0.7.0) is not compatible with Firefox 2 beta 2, even forcing compatibility with Nightly Tester Tools.

The new version (0.8.0) is fully compatible, but I'm still waiting for some localizations. Hopefully it will be released in a week or two!
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Re: [Ext] Firefox Showcase 0.8.0 : 9-8-2006

Post by Old joseprio »

joseprio wrote:Showcase provides a new way to manage your Firefox tabs and windows by showing them as thumbnails in a single window, tab or sidebar. Includes a find bar that will filter the thumbnails, and the capability to select the thumbnails in the same way you would select files in your system.
Description - Screenshots - Download

Changelog for this version:
- Support for Firefox 2 beta 2.
- "Only current tabs" mode: toggle with CTRL+U. Will show only the current tab of each window. Can be enabled by default.
- Added selection area, making it easier to select thumbnails with the mouse. Works exactly as any file manager.
- Thumbnail caching. If enabled, a small capture of the different tabs will be cached, and used by Showcase when invoked. Disabled by default, can be enabled in the "Advanced" settings tab.
- Full screen plugins are now detected, and will show an icon instead of trying to render the thumbnail. Specific icons have been added for PDF, Quicktime and Flash. Other plugins show a generic plugin icon.
- Showcase can now be invoked using Firefox command line ("firefox -showcase"). This is useful when used together with an automation tool like AutoHotKey (http://www.autohotkey.com).
- Added option to hide the tab bar while using Showcase sidebar.
- Find bar state is now synchronized in Showcase tab, so it's not possible to have 2 find bars at the same time. Can be disabled if necessary.
- Added new contextual menu actions: Showcase This Window, Duplicate Tab In New Window, Move Tab To New Window and Page Info.
- Added message when no thumbnails are being shown.
- All Showcase instances are updated when configuration is changed.
- Better support for custom themes. Also, looks better in Flock.
- Fixed IE Tab detection (was not working in 0.7.0).
- Improved close tab code. Focus in Showcase window will be retained when closing thumbnails.
- Focus is retained when Showcase creates a new window (for duplicating or merging tabs).
- Added new option: "Set thumbnail as the current tab when mouse cursor is over it". If activated, and in sidebar mode, a thumbnail will be selected just hovering your mouse cursor in it's thumbnail. Consider deactivating the "Close Showcase sidebar if a thumbnail is opened" option if used.
- Added an independent version of Showcase for SeaMonkey ("SeaMonkey Showcase"). Also, solved the configuration panel problem, and the contextual menu actions that were not working.
- Solved Showcase sidebar title cosmetic bug when statistics where activated.
- Fixed key shortcuts with modifiers bug.
- Change Showcase sub-menu position in the "View" menu. Now it's located under the "Sidebar" sub-menu.
- Added id attribute to menu items.
- If a thumbnail is focused, scroll will adjust automatically to show that thumbnail completely.
- In find bar, cursor and page keys can be used to scroll the thumbnail area.
- Added locales for Dutch (nl-NL, by Mark Heijl)and Hungarian (hu-HU, by Bernát Péter).
Full Changelog


Just released a new version...

Note that this version will NOT work in SeaMonkey. For that, I released a separate version ("SeaMonkey Showcase") that is feature complete when compared to the regular one. Download it at Showcase downloads page.

Also, I released another version (Portable Firefox Showcase) that removes some features in order to reduce the extension size as much as possible. This version should work better in Portable Firefox.
MrMystery
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Joined: July 29th, 2006, 1:05 am

Post by MrMystery »

joseprio wrote:
MrMystery wrote:1. Change menu entry capitalisation to "Showcase This Window", "Showcase Tab", "Showcase Tab for This Window", etc. This would bring the extension into line with the structure of the default Firefox menus.

Absolutely. Didn't notice... unfortunately, this change will have to wait for the next version (0.8.0 should be released quite soon!).


In addition to these changes, I've altered invert.tooltip to "Show none-matching thumbnails". I'd be happy to send you my updated en-US locale if it would save you some time in updating everything... :)

MrMystery wrote:3. Move the Showcase submenu to between "Status Bar" and "Sidebar" (making it similar to IE7's QuickTabs).


A very minor point, but I still think the Showcase menu should be above the Sidebar menu rather than below it. This is where IE7 places it.

Once again, thank you for the new version and apologies for my pedanticism. Showcase is working superbly as ever.
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

MrMystery wrote:In addition to these changes, I've altered invert.tooltip to "Show none-matching thumbnails". I'd be happy to send you my updated en-US locale if it would save you some time in updating everything... :)

Oh, it takes no time at all (it's a lot easier to make changes in the development environment than in the released XPI file), and is already updated in the current code. The reason why I didn't wanted to change it right away is because the string for the label was the same as for the tooltip. In my development version, I've added new strings for the tooltips, so I could capitalize the button/menu entry.

MrMystery wrote:A very minor point, but I still think the Showcase menu should be above the Sidebar menu rather than below it. This is where IE7 places it.

I think that group of menu items (toolbars, status, sidebar) is where the "Showcase" menu belongs... as for the position, I think that people is really used at having Sidebar menu at the third position (me included) and, being Showcase an extension, it makes sense that is placed after the "native" elements...

Of course, people can always install an extension such as Menu Editor to modify the menu order. Indeed, if anyone wants to "clone" the Quick Tabs functionality, they should place the "Showcase This window" (or Showcase Tab For This Window") menu option instead of the Showcase menu.

MrMystery wrote:Once again, thank you for the new version and apologies for my pedanticism. Showcase is working superbly as ever.

No pedanticism at all! Users feedback and comments are always appreciated ;)
MrMystery
Posts: 73
Joined: July 29th, 2006, 1:05 am

Post by MrMystery »

joseprio wrote:I think that group of menu items (toolbars, status, sidebar) is where the "Showcase" menu belongs... as for the position, I think that people is really used at having Sidebar menu at the third position (me included) and, being Showcase an extension, it makes sense that is placed after the "native" elements...


I see your point. On reflection you're probably right in attempting to leave the native options as intact as possible. Who needs to copy IE anyway... ;)
mrpierrec
Posts: 1
Joined: September 19th, 2006, 2:48 am

Firefox Showcase 0.8.2 amd IE tab

Post by mrpierrec »

Hello,

showcase is definitly a great extension that should be part of Firefox.
I have one question regarding Showcase 0.8.2 and IE tab 1.1.06.: when I open a site using the IE Tab extension, the corresponding thumbnail in Showcase is blank (no "picture" of the opened URL).
I that a normal behavior of Showcase or are there some paramters of showcase/IE tab to change to avoid this.
Thanks for your reply.
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Re: Firefox Showcase 0.8.2 amd IE tab

Post by Old joseprio »

mrpierrec wrote:Hello,
I have one question regarding Showcase 0.8.2 and IE tab 1.1.06.: when I open a site using the IE Tab extension, the corresponding thumbnail in Showcase is blank (no "picture" of the opened URL).
I that a normal behavior of Showcase or are there some paramters of showcase/IE tab to change to avoid this.


Theorically, it should show a blank thumbnail with an Internet Explorer icon. Right now, the thumbnailing capability of Firefox doesn't allow to take thumbnails of some plugins, like PDF pages, most Flash movies, Quicktime... Unfortunately, that includes the "Internet Explorer plugin" that IE Tab is using.

Hopefully, this will be solved in future Firefox releases, but there's little I can do from the "extension side".
josl99
Posts: 39
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 2:00 am

Post by josl99 »

I asked the following question in the Firefox Support Forum and was referred here: Can anyone help. I have had Firefox Showcase but uninstalled it because it had been my most recent extension when I noticed the following: Basically is everything as it should be and can I re-install Showcase - or do I need to do soemthing in registry first. If it is Showcase - why did the uninstall not remove the Registry / Startup records?

FFTI.exe has suddenly appeared in my start-up programs as a HKCU - Run Once. It lives in my Mozilla Profiles extensions but I dont know which one it relates to. I am just intrigued maybe a bit worried because I dont understand the meaning in the HKCU registry ? entry - it goes on to say ffti.exe/VERYSILENT/SUPPRESSMSGBOXES/NORESTART then the Dest Path. I really dont understand what this registry jargon means - should I be concerned or not be bothered. I realise I can disable extensions one by one - restart and check start up programs - but dont want to go through that rigmarole when it is not necessary.
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

josl99 wrote:I asked the following question in the Firefox Support Forum and was referred here: Can anyone help. I have had Firefox Showcase but uninstalled it because it had been my most recent extension when I noticed the following: Basically is everything as it should be and can I re-install Showcase - or do I need to do soemthing in registry first. If it is Showcase - why did the uninstall not remove the Registry / Startup records?

FFTI.exe has suddenly appeared in my start-up programs as a HKCU - Run Once. It lives in my Mozilla Profiles extensions but I dont know which one it relates to. I am just intrigued maybe a bit worried because I dont understand the meaning in the HKCU registry ? entry - it goes on to say ffti.exe/VERYSILENT/SUPPRESSMSGBOXES/NORESTART then the Dest Path. I really dont understand what this registry jargon means - should I be concerned or not be bothered. I realise I can disable extensions one by one - restart and check start up programs - but dont want to go through that rigmarole when it is not necessary.


My extension won't add or modify any registry setting... all it does is within the Firefox extension framework. The only trace it might leave once uninstalled are some configuration options (visible and removeable from about:config) that are placed in your profile folder, but that's all. There's no way that program that is placed in the registry is related to my extension.

I assume you downloaded it from a trusted website (like addons.mozilla.org or the official website, showcase.uworks.net). If you downloaded it from any other place, could you please send me the reference so I can check it?

I know that an executable called "FFTI.exe" sounds related to FireFox, but I think it's more like a "joke", since FFTI stands for "Feel Free To Ignore". The fact that is placed in the RunOnce registry may mean that it's some kind of virus, although a fast search on Google didn't return any reference to it. If I were you, the first action would be to locate that executable, open it's properties (right click on it, then "Properties") and go to the "Summary" tab. There you might have some information, like the company that made that executable.

You may also want to run some antivirus tool (there are some free ones that work well, like AVG) or some malicious software removal tool, like Microsoft's one, or from any other company.

Good luck!
josl99
Posts: 39
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 2:00 am

Post by josl99 »

thanks for such speed! I have checked further and looked at properties it appears to be Skype ToolBar for Firefox created by www.innosetup.com - from their website a toolbar manufacturer!? AS far as I remember this is not something I downloaded. So I have sent a "question" to Skype. May not get me any where.

Do you think I can delete the entry in my extensions folder and in the start up menu? and rely on Ccleaner to sort out my registry ??

I know this nothing to do with showcase and can take this q elsewhere in the forums but if you know??

Cheers
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

josl99 wrote:thanks for such speed! I have checked further and looked at properties it appears to be Skype ToolBar for Firefox created by www.innosetup.com - from their website a toolbar manufacturer!? AS far as I remember this is not something I downloaded. So I have sent a "question" to Skype. May not get me any where.

Sometimes, some "toolbars" and stuff are bundled in other free software, and it's difficult to know which one... If you want to know, checke the last installed programs :)

josl99 wrote:Do you think I can delete the entry in my extensions folder and in the start up menu? and rely on Ccleaner to sort out my registry ??

If it's on the firefox extensions list, maybe you can try to uninstall it? Otherwise, I would check the "Add/Remove Programs" in the Control Panel, maybe you can find something there.

I don't think there would be any problem to delete that registry entry you wrote before, so if you cannont uninstall it, you can just disable it. Make sure that before deleting this entry, that process is not in memory, since it may re-allocate itself in the registry...

josl99 wrote:I know this nothing to do with showcase and can take this q elsewhere in the forums but if you know??

No problem at all ;)
josl99
Posts: 39
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 2:00 am

Post by josl99 »

just to let you know as I dont like loose ends -

FFTI.exe was produced by the Skype 2.6 Beta, and creates a button on ones browser

quote from Skype Product Manager -
"The beta includes a small extension to your default browser (in your case FireFox) which allows you to call all phone numbers found on web pages very easily. The installer for that is the FFTI.exe you discovered."

It wasnt publicised and it wasnt working - it now is
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

Firefox Showcase 0.8.0.3 is now available. The only change is that it will install on Firefox 2.0 . I've been testing it for days in the Firefox 2.0rc1, and I don't think there'll be any problem.

New features will be arriving in the 0.9 version, which I'm currently working on ;)
Old joseprio
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by Old joseprio »

Well, as I said in my last post, I'm working on the new Showcase 0.9 features...

I'm considering making "Showcase This Window" the default mode (so the Showcase instance would show only thumbnails of the same window), which would be renamed to "Showcase" and invoked with F12, and renaming "Showcase" to "Showcase All Windows", and would be invoked with Shift+F12.

Probably, the most "obvious" use of Showcase is to see the tabs of the current window, but, of course, I would like to hear the opinion of the users!
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