Opera FAQs, Tips, Tricks & Tweaks

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Posts tagged with "Windows"

Source code of programs created by me for Opera

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Every once in a while I get request for source code of programs created by me using AutoHotkey. So, I'm releasing it and anyone interested can modify to suit their requirement.

Program Source code file Configuration file
Opera Launcher OperaLauncher.ahk OperaLauncher.ini
Opera Shutdown OperaShutdown.ahk OperaShutdown.ini
Opera Bookmarks Description Remover OBDR.ahk  
Opera Profile Creator OperaProfileCreator.ahk  
Portable Opera PortableOpera.ahk PortableOpera.ini
Opera backup list and WinRAR command line shortcut creator OBLWCLSC.ahk OBLWCLSC.ini

Place source code file and configuration file into the same directory.

You can run script file without compiling by creating a shortcut as shown below.

"C:\Program Files\AutoHotkey\AutoHotkey.exe" "C:\Path to source code file.ahk"

Change Caps Lock key to Opera key

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The Caps Lock key is one of the useless key in the keyboard. Opera Launcher will turn it into something useful.

Opera key
Caps Lock key to Opera key

Caps Lock key will

  • create new tab when Opera window in focus.
  • activate Opera window when not in focus.
  • start Opera if there is no Opera window.

Shift+Caps Lock keyboard shortcut will enable or disable Caps Lock.

[Lifehacker]

Recover Opera wand passwords using OperaPassView

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Opera provides you an option of saving the passwords to Password Manager, so that you don’t have to type that again. After some time, you may forget the password. Unfortunately, Opera has no option to show saved passwords.

If Opera Password Manager fills password form field, you can view password using bookmarklet but Password Manager won't fill user name and/or password when

  • URL of login page changes.
  • User name and/or password form field name changes.
In such times you should use third party tool to recover the forgotten passwords.

OperaPassView is a small password recovery tool that decrypts the content of the Opera Web browser password file, wand.dat and displays the list of all Web site passwords stored in this file. You can easily select one or more passwords in the OperaPassView window, and then copy the passwords list to the clipboard or save it into text/html/csv/xml file.

If wand is protected by master password OperaPassView won't show passwords. Disable Tools > Advanced > Security > Use master password to protect saved passwords to view passwords.

OperaPassView
OperaPassView

Change Opera Speed Dial background image automatically

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I have more than 500 beautiful wallpapers yes including lone tree and images in Hindu Gods & Goddesses photo album.

Changing Speed Dial background image is boring after several times and time consuming. So, I have added an option in Opera Launcher to change Speed Dial background image automatically with one of the images from specified directory after specified time interval.

Set time interval to 0 days, to see new Speed Dial background image after every Opera startup.

Hide Opera title bar

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I have added an option to hide title bar in Opera Launcher as several users want it [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

To hide/unhide title bar, use Titlebar button! or create new keyboard shortcut/mouse gesture in application section with the following action.

Execute program, "C:\Program Files\Opera\OperaLauncher.exe", "/h"

! If your path to OperaLauncher.exe is different change it in toolbar configuration file after closing Opera.

If you minimize Opera and then switch to Opera, taskbar will hide.

How to view Indian language Unicode characters properly with Opera in Windows?

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To view Indian language web pages and Opera menus properly, Unicode support has to be enabled in Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems.

In Windows XP, Start > Control Panel > (Date, Time, Language and Regional Options) > Regional and Language Options > Language > [Enable] Install files for complex script and right-to-left-languages (including Thai) > OK

Windows XP Regional and Language Options
Enable 'Install files for complex script and right-to-left languages (including Thai)' in Windows XP

In Windows 2000, Start > Settings > Control Panel > Regional Options > General > Language settings for the system > [Enable] Indic > OK

Restart the system for the new setting to take effect.

Windows installation CD may be required to install Unicode support files.

Incorrect display of Tamil Unicode characters
Incorrect display of Tamil Unicode characters

Correct display of Tamil Unicode characters
Tamil Unicode characters after enabling Unicode support

Opera Bookmarks Description Remover

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Huge bookmarks file will affect the performance of Opera. Opera Bookmarks Description Remover was created using AutoHotkey to reduce bookmarks file size by removing descriptions.

Download (size < 210 KB), unzip and run OBDR.exe.

  • Backup of original bookmarks file will be created inside bookmarks directory with bak extension.
  • Silent mode will remove all bookmarks description without any prompt.

Opera Bookmarks Description Remover
Opera Bookmarks Description Remover

Opera Profile Creator

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You can create another profile manually but it is cumbersome in Windows (In Linux, use command line opera -pd ~/opera-profile-new/ to create new profile). Opera Profile Creator was created using AutoHotkey to make profile creation easier.

You can use another profile to

  • login to another accounts of a site simultaneously.
  • load a site that crashes Opera frequently.
  • play with settings without affecting your existing profile.
  • check whether there is a problem in existing profile.

Download (size: 204 KB), unzip, place OperaProfileCreator.exe anywhere and run it to create new profile. Click the newly created shortcut to start Opera with new clean profile.

Opera Profile Creator
Opera Profile Creator

You can create as many profiles as you want and run them simultaneously with single Opera installation.

  • Path to new profile directory should not have trailing slash (/) when you enter it manually.
  • Path to shortcut should end with .lnk as shown in screenshot.

Opera Launcher

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Opera Launcher was created using AutoHotkey. It can

Download (size < 210 KB), unzip, place OperaLauncher.exe inside Opera installation directory, C:\Program Files\Opera and run it to launch Opera. The following settings dialog will be shown when you run it first time.

Opera Launcher settings dialog
Opera Launcher settings dialog

Keystrokes
Keystrokes can be used to perform an action after starting Opera. ^=Ctrl, !=Alt and +=Shift

Examples:

Action Keyboard Shortcut Keystrokes
Enter fullscreen F11 {F11}
Hide Opera Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H ^!+h
New tab Ctrl+T ^t
Minimize Opera Alt+Space+N !{Space}n

Restart
Use Restart Opera button! or create new keyboard shortcut/mouse gesture in application section with the following action.

Execute program, "C:\Program Files\Opera\OperaLauncher.exe", "/ro"

! If your path to OperaLauncher.exe is different change it in toolbar configuration file after closing Opera.

Restore bookmarks/notes
To restore previous version of bookmarks/notes file, close Opera, move previous version of bookmarks*.adr (opera6*.adr for Opera version below 10)/notes*.adr from profile\backups directory to profile directory and rename it to bookmarks.adr (opera6.adr for Opera version below 10)/notes.adr.

Changelog

Date Changes
Nov 28, 2010 Option to create new tab, focus & start Opera using Caps Lock key.
Oct 5, 2010
  • Updated for Opera 10.6x.
  • /notrayicon command line parameter removed.
Feb 5, 2010
  • Minimize to tray keystroke didn't work with Opera Unite enabled. Fixed by sending keystrokes after 10 seconds delay. Increase Keystrokes Delay Time value in OperaLauncher.ini file if it is not working. Thanks to tomassplatch.
  • Hide Opera title bar didn't work with minimize to tray keystroke. Fixed.
Oct 24, 2009
  • Option to change Speed Dial background image automatically.
  • Added help button.
Jul 23, 2009
  • Option to hide Opera title bar. Thanks to lunigma.
  • Opera restart.
May 11, 2009
  • Updated for Opera 10.00 Alpha Build 1413.
  • Performance improvements.
  • Tray icon balloon error message.
  • Transparent icon.
Feb 23, 2009
  • Option to delete old backup files. To disable, set it to 0.
  • Sessions backup will be created every time Opera starts.
Feb 10, 2009 Empty temporary download directory didn't work in non-English versions of Windows. Fixed.
Feb 8, 2009
  • Command line parameters passed to Opera. Thanks to itcpeter.
  • Updated for Opera 10.00 Alpha Build 1139.
  • Opera Launcher can be placed anywhere, but path to Opera Installation Directory should be added in OperaLauncher.ini file.
Jan 8, 2009 Option to send keystrokes.
Nov 26, 2008 Option to empty temporary download directory.
Nov 23, 2008 Initial release.

Opera install/uninstall problem in Windows?

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Install

If you have problem in installing Opera using MSI installer, use Windows Installer CleanUp Utility & then install using MSI installer or try classic installer (except Windows Vista).

If you get Error 1327. Invaild Drive: error, see this.

If above fails, download PortableOpera, unzip & move all files except the following from PortableOpera directory to Opera installation directory (C:\Program Files\Opera\).

OperaLauncher.exe
PortableOpera.exe
PortableOpera.htm
PortableOpera.ini

Uninstall

If you have problem in uninstalling Opera, use Revo Uninstaller. (Backup entire profile & mail directories before uninstallation).

If you have multiple Opera installed and want to uninstall particular Opera, use MyUninstaller. MyUninstaller can show path to installation folder. If you used classic installer, run Uninst\unwise.exe from Opera installation folder to uninstall that Opera.

Updates:
Jul 2, 2008
Aug 2, 2009