URL Monit@r

[tactictoe]

[Moderator note: this is the primary URL Monit@r program thread. View database entry]

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Here is one of my latest software. Born for a personal need, now proposed to the whole community for free.

URL Monitor V1.0.1.0.

OS requirement: Win Vista to 10. All edition (32bits, 64bits, home, Pro, etc.)
Other requirement: an internet connection for capture and validation of URL.

What does it do?

Have you ever wanted to be able to keep URL found on the net or a document out of your bookmark/favourite folder? You could use a notepad, and paste URL gathered all around. Then later on the track, open this note and copy and paste backward to your browser with the risk the link is broken. Have you ever wanted to verify a huge list of URL but opening them on all tab of your browser or one by one is a long process.
Don't know where to put this URL you want to check later but no bookmark?
This is where URL Monitor come to the rescue. It is a software monitoring the clipboard for URL. Each time it detects a URL, it is paste automatically inside a URL list. This list can via options be reloaded at next startup of the software.
More, URL Monitor permits you to:

* Verify URL from the URL list in bulk or just one or selected, so if a URL link is broken you could easily remove it from the list with the validation tool provided inside URL Monitor.
* Manage the list from inside the software, launch a URL with the default browser...
* Export the URL list to HTML, List (default format of URL Monitor), text file or any particular type of file desired. HTML export is useful for Mozilla Firefox for example; to import all this list in the bookmark folder.
* Import List, HTML and HTM file (no parsing), Text file or any file that is a list of URL. And this can be achieved via the OPEN button or drag and drop of file into the URL list. For control purpose of the link for example.
* And more...
Indeed URL Monitor is a bookmark manager OUTSIDE any browser. That what is making this application useful. It is Icon/button driven but a hint panel is there to assist you all the way.

Main screen of the software - URL List tab

Main Screen of the software - Options tab

Validation of URL screen



Home page of the software: http://www.geocities.ws/tactictoe/URL_Monitor.html

32 bits download link here: http://www.geocities.ws/tactictoe/Delph ... 32bits.zip

64 bits download link here: http://www.geocities.ws/tactictoe/Delph ... 64bits.zip

and finally TPFC Entry for voting: http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=2769

Enjoy.

Edited: Posted the wrong version, so now it's all correct. I might invent a 'donate for a new coffee machine' button somewhere.

[tactictoe]

No comment at all? Weird...
73 views and nothing... nada chipolata. Is that bad?
Sometime it's to wonder if patience is a virtue or a lure to loneliness.
Oh well, c'est la vie et la vie continue pour le meilleur ou pour le pire.
Qu'importe. Mieux vaut en sourire qu'un long soupir.
Tranquille comme la rivière,
Ainsi va la vie tout le long de ma prière.

[I am Baas]

No comment at all? Weird...

Comment

[tactictoe]

More weird than a cynical and childish comment is the effort put in for the community. So many hours put in for this?
That's it.

edited: it is a worry when some feel safe to be that cynical with works of the others, acting with no reason whatsoever like a loose canon. Especially when this work is done for the benefit of the whole community. In this case more than 300hours and counting. It is really to be considered as an act of sabotage, and as such I will do act accordingly. Watch me. This total lack of respect attitude is unfortunate and completely unnecessary. They are NO excuse for such behaviour. And NO it is not even humour. But knowing where it is coming from (second cynical comment on my post), and after observation of other comments made by the same author it was to be expected I guess. Am I pissed off, pushed button or the like? I won't tell neither and give the pleasure to the offender.

[joby_toss]

This one is portable, so I voted for it.

Wishlist:
- icons info displayed also as tooltip, not only as bottom bar text (optional)
- ability to select the browser used (with relative paths support, for better portability)

[Ennovy]

Voted and thanks for sharing

[Midas]

Haven't had the leisure to test yet, but I did intend to...

[webfork]

I definitely have a use for this tool. Thanks for posting.

Also, I cut down dramatically on the entry description to help it fit in the PFW format. For reference, here's the original:

Have you ever wanted to be able to keep URL found on the net or a document out of your bookmark/favourite folder? You could use a notepad, and paste URL gathered all around. Then later on the track, open this note and copy and paste backward to your browser with the risk the link is broken. Have you ever wanted to verify a huge list of URL but opening them on all tab of your browser or one by one is a long process.

This is where URL Monitor come to the rescue. It is a software monitoring the clipboard for URL. Each time it detects a URL, it is paste automatically inside a URL list. This list can via options be reloaded at next startup of the software.More, URL Monitor permits you to:

Verify URL from the URL list in bulk or just one or selected, so if a URL link is broken you could easily remove it from the list with the validation tool provided inside URL Monitor.
Manage the list from inside the software, launch a URL with the default browser...
Export the URL list to HTML, List (default format of URL Monitor), text file or any particular type of file desired. HTML export is useful for Mozilla Firefox for example; to import all this list in the bookmark folder.
Import List, HTML and HTM file (no parsing), Text file or anyfile that is a list of URL. And this can be achieved via the OPEN button or drag and drop of file into the URL list. For control purpose of the link for example.
And more...

Indeed URL Monitor is a bookmark manager OUTSIDE any browser. That what is making this application useful. It is Icon/button driven but a hint panel is there to assist you all the way.

[smaragdus]

@tactictoe
I think I found a bug- Save options on exiting the software doesn't work when checked. Even when the user saves the settings manually using Save options to application folder button doesn't work right- the options are saved in an INI file (URLMonitor.ini) but on program restart it seems they are not loaded, I changed the skin but when I restarted URL Monitor the default skin (Antarctica) was loaded again.

I would also like to suggest a simple but (in my opinion) useful enhancement- an option to minimize/close URL Monitor to system tray- that way it will run minimized without residing in task-bar.

[tactictoe]

@smaragdus

I think I found a bug- Save options on exiting the software doesn't work when checked. Even when the user saves the settings manually using Save options to application folder button doesn't work right- the options are saved in an INI file (URLMonitor.ini) but on program restart it seems they are not loaded, I changed the skin but when I restarted URL Monitor the default skin (Antarctica) was loaded again.

V1.0.2.1 is up

Release note - Release date: 27/02/2016 15:38:01 AWST - UTC +08:00

Startup: URL List if loaded at startup was validated. The loading process was dramatically increased; especially with long list. FIXED
Options: Save on exit did not work properly or not at all in some circumstance. FIXED

I would also like to suggest a simple but (in my opinion) useful enhancement- an option to minimize/close URL Monitor to system tray- that way it will run minimized without residing in task-bar.

Can do, but windows10 has changed something into the notification area... creating some weird and unexpected error with TrayIcon component. I searched all around the net to check if it was reported or observed. No match to any search, neither on any Microsoft SDK documentation. All I know is that it does not work properly when the icon is minimised twice to the notification area; its icon reappears into the task bar and stuck there till closing the software. My code has been verified by other expert and it is clean and correct. As for the moment I have not even a single clue why it does that with embarcadero product I have to pass on that one for the moment. At least till I have an answer from Embarcadero itself or I found why via windows SDK documentation or after I debug of the component provided by Embarcadero. I do not have this bug with MS Visual C++.

@joby_toss

Wishlist:
- icons info displayed also as tooltip, not only as bottom bar text (optional)
- ability to select the browser used (with relative paths support, for better portability)

Icon: will implant balloon and regular long hint next version.
ability to select the browser used: ?????

@webfork

Also, I cut down dramatically on the entry description to help it fit in the PFW format. For reference, here's the original:

Thanks you for the edition.

[I am Baas]

ghacks review at http://www.ghacks.net/2016/02/27/url-mo ... addresses/

[joby_toss]

@tactictoe: I'd like to be able to select my Firefox Portable browser to launch selected urls.

[tactictoe]

@tactictoe: I'd like to be able to select my Firefox Portable browser to launch selected urls.

Now I understand. The software launch the default web browser of the OS for now. What you ask is to create a new path for launching URL instead of the designated one.
Something like this:
An edit box to retrieve the name of the new designated browser.
A button to browse for file, in your case Firefox portable
and the possibility to save this option.

As easy as it seems, it is NOT easy. Parameter passed from browser to another are different and have to handle eventual mismatch.
I will not do this for all existing browser, I will have to make a choice and left some browser behind this option.
So, if I stated this option,I will probably include IE, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome. Why? Because they are documented for this kind of purpose, others are not.
I am not saying no to this wish, but I have to study some implication inside the software to realise this wish.
I had in mind for the future of this software to include a web browser with various signature (Chrome, IE, Firefox, Opera...).
Anyway both can be done but once again I will have to know all the implications on the software.

Have a nice day.

[tactictoe]

@joby_toss

Sounds like your wish is close to be included. I created a prototype adapting itself to various parameters of ANY browser (borderline hacking my own system, ), also able to modify them on the fly. All with relative path. Plus other stuff I discovered in the log of the proto but that is not the purpose of this topic. I did not know it will be that easy and all launched without a single ShellExecute or Winexec and the like: NO WINDOWS API AT ALL. Pure ASM code. BTW 60% of URL Monitor is written in ASM inside Delphi.

The proto in action and preference for portable path of browser will be similar... better look, less button

So this wish turn into material of research for me and very interesting one, and you to be happy.
I will implant very very soon, just a few more test of stability, check for memory leak and it will be good to go.

Have a nice day

[tactictoe]

From prototype to final... Here is the implementation of joby_toss request inside URL Monitor.

@tactictoe: I'd like to be able to select my Firefox Portable browser to launch selected urls.

The window might change slightly in term of look to accommodate easy access to the function of this window and readability.
Access to this window (Soon a dialog window) via the options. Same button as Set browser but the caption end with 3 dots to indicate a dialog.
In this preview 'Remember browser's choice is ticked'; as the user as not Set the browser it stills to it's previous value which is here the System default browser; whatever it is for you. A test is possible, just to check if you have selected the correct executable.

Saving the preferences will read the Remember browser's choice. If untick, it is the default browser in use, otherwise the one of you choice next time the software start.
That's it.

This update will appear in the next version of URL Monitor.

Have all a nice day, or good night if living downunder like me.

P.S: if you have any suggestion before 'too late mate', please do it via this forum or email me via the about box of the software.
I also seriously consider to adapt the interface of 'Search and delete' to looks like the one of URL Monitor. But for later as Search and delete is very soon more rich of mutli file search in multi target's folder. Movie Info search is also evolving due to lots of email request but none from this forum which is fair enough.