Project Description
This project originally started out as a backup and restore utility. Some may ask why is something like this needed when there are already some that exists out there.
I have tried using the following extensions:
- FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension)
- Xmarks Sync (formerly FoxMarks – also, just recently shut down)
- Firefox Sync finally, a native bookmark syncing feature
But all of these didn’t solve a few problems I was having.
Issue #1: sync
On my day to day operations, I work on a lot of different computers.
A few at the office, a few at my home, portables, etc.
Every now and then, my bookmarks on one computer doesn’t match those on my
other ones. And it gets to be a real pain in the @$$ to try and re-sync
them. (Firefox sync and sync tabs has come a long way providing this
exact feature – and I really like it. But… see issue #2.)
The bookmarks, either in the HTML format or the JSON file (that’s smashed in to one line), contains extra data that I don’t really need. And, these make the diff proggy fill up the screen with a pile of cruft.
- ADD_DATE=”…”
- LAST_MODIFIED=”…”
- ICON_URI=”…”
- ICON=”…”
However, there is something I do need that’s inlined with the bookmark entry in addition to the description data that’s kept on a separate line:
- SHORTCUTURL=”…”
Diff with false postive changes (in red) with interested valid ones (in blue).
Issue #2: scrub
Storing the bookmarks online sounded fun, but I wanted to do it with one caveat. Xmarks has private features as well as hosting bookmarks on your own servers (this goes the same for Firefox Sync). But, there are entries that I do not want published anywhere.
Say I would like to use the social features available for these online bookmark features. But… I work with a lot of clients and accumulate a lot of internal links that shouldn’t be seen by outsiders. Private features or not, a shared remote hosting site is still a non-trusted location. Intranet links describes network architectures that are very useful for hackers or others with nefarious purposes.
Therefore, I needed a way to scrub my bookmarks. One way is to allow bookmark item be tagged within the Bookmark Organizer and a public-friendly version can be exported. Some items I filter out includes:
- internal corporate/contracting networks
- intranet at home
- banking/investing accounts
- bill pay accounts
- health insurance
- benefits info
- stuff I keep track for my folks (you know you’re the IT person for them…)
- etc.
Bookmarks with personal folders that I do not wish to be made public.
In a nutt shell
The ability to sync bookmark data a little less painful meant sticking with a human readable JSON data format. This still allows for rapid backup and restoration. And, this allows me to use basic revision control systems to track which bookmarks were deleted, moved or edited.
Diff of human readable streamlined JSON dataset.
A project using the Bookmark Scrubber
An example of using the generated bookmark scrubber output would be MY BOOKMARKS available online.
Thanks for visiting!