Instantly Build a Useful Macro Library for Firefox
by Sam Dean - May. 28, 2008Comments (2)- Related Blog Posts
- Over 50 Free, Must-Have Open Source Resources
- 6 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotspot Sessions
- Has Microsoft Suddenly Awakened to Open Source?
- Firefox's Birthday, and Mozilla's Opportunity
- 8 Resources for Expanding Your Open Source Skillset
If you're regularly saddled with repetitive computing tasks and you use the Firefox browser, one of the most useful of all Firefox extensions you can add to your arsenal is IMacros from iOpus. The download is free, and it shows up as a button on your Firefox toolbar for easy availability. This extension allows you to automate numerous tasks in Firefox, from mundane ones like visiting the same sites every day, filling out forms, and remembering passwords, to automation of complex web development tasks. Here's how it works.
You can check out a set of good screenshots of iMacros online. The application lets you record, edit, name and organize macros for every kind of repetitive browser-based task you do. Recording macros with iMacros consists of simply turning a record function on and performing your tasks. There is no coding on your part, so if you, like many people, think of macros as tools for programmers and eggheads, definitely think again.
Let’s assume that you want to build a macro designed to visit a certain web page. First, you select a Record tab at the left of the iMacros application, and when you hit Record, a red status line will alert you that your actions are being recorded. After you follow the steps for loading the web page that you want the macro to bring up, you hit Stop to stop recording. It's about as difficult as operating an iPod.
Your next step is to name your macro, and if you’re like me, you’ll end up creating a lot of them, so keep the names unique. To play the macro at any time you just hit a Play button in the iMacros application. All of your macros are listed in a tree-like directory that resembles Internet Explorer if you choose to have that pane open, or you can hide it. Here's a shot of how the tree-like directory sits right next to your web pages (see the directory on the left):
While one of the nicest parts about iMacros is that you can you can create macros without working with code, you have the option to edit any macro’s code whenever you want. Just select the Edit Macro button to do so, and you’ll see the steps that the macro follows in a pop-up text editor.
One problem that occasionally arises when using other tools to record macros for web tasks is that Java, Active X, and other controls on the web can throw the recorders off. However, iMacros is tuned to work well with them.
Of course, creating a macro that visits a web page isn’t the most advanced job. As you get into the iMacros application, you’ll find that it’s great for tasks you often repeat that happen to have a lot of steps to them. For example, I regularly update a few web sites each week, and the initial processes are always the same: placing frames in the same places, putting in code for a table at the top of an HTML page, extracting old links that I’m going to replace with new ones, etc. This is where iMacros can really start to save substantial time for any web developer, blogger, or site manager.
For more useful Firefox extensions and tips, see our extension grab bag with nearly 25 good nominations from readers in the comments, and our collection of 40 ways to get more out of Firefox.
