Opera Link explained
By Tommy A. Olsen. Friday, 7. September 2007, 09:59:08
Now that we've released the first build of Opera "kestrel" 9.5, I thought I'd explain the feature which Adam, Karianne, Petter, Anton, Kay, Esteban and I have been working the most on - Opera Link.
What it is?
Opera Link is a feature of Kestrel which is designed to let you keep the same bookmarks and speed dials on different computers with Opera installed.
It is designed to be as simple to use as possible, causing minimal disruption in your workflow. Therefore, you will not find a lot of bells and whistles in this feature. A status indicator is all you'll see after having logged in from the "Synchronize Opera..." menu item in the File menu.
What does it synchronize? Bookmarks, Speed dial entries, Personal bar items, web panels, search engines, and notes, with more to come. You can pick which to sync in the login dialog, and the checkbox for Personal bar also controls whether web panels are synced.
Once logged in, Opera will remember the username and password, and log you in automatically the next time you start. If you don't want to be remembered, you must log out from the File menu before you quit Opera. (Who quits Opera anyway?)
How does it really work?
The idea of synchronization is old, and many applications and electrical appliances have implemented ways to synchronize e-mail addresses, phone numbers or street addresses. Sometimes all, sometimes just a few of these. E-mail clients can synchronize mail and contacts against your phone, and some web browsers with the help of extensions can synchronize against online bookmark services such as del.icio.us.
Opera Link relies on this community site, My Opera, to work. In our server rooms here in Oslo, there are a few database, application and authentication servers that receive data from Opera, process it, store it, and send it off to any other Opera installation that comes by with your username on it.
For Opera to send your stuff to the server, it goes through all your bookmarks and speed dials, puts them in a custom XML format, and sends it through a secure (TLS) connection to the server. The server will then store the items in its database. When another Opera with your login name comes by, Opera does the same as before, but the server will also look through what it already has to see whether something is different between the database and the new data. If there is something on the server which was not in the data Opera sent, it will return these items to Opera. Opera will then merge this with its own bookmarks.
When you add, modify, or delete a bookmark, Opera will store this status. Every so often Opera will connect to the server and repeat the synchronization process, this time sending only the changes to the server. Again, if the server has something new for Opera, Opera will get this back.
Opera identifies bookmarks by a Universally Unique Identifiers (UUID), not names or addresses. A UUID is a long number which is designed to be genuinely unique, thereby "Universally". Because of this, there is no way for two Operas to generate the same ID even if the address of the bookmark is the same. Although we hope to add detection of identical bookmarks in the future, it can currently happen that you get duplicate bookmarks if you have the same bookmarks at work and home before you synchronize with My Opera. To resolve this, you can simply delete the ones you don't need, and this will spread to the other Operas you have.
Edit 27.11.08
We have added the possibility to remove duplicate bookmarks from your Opera Link account. Simply use the "Duplicate removal" menu entry in the Opera Link menu after logging in to my.opera.com
What it is?
Opera Link is a feature of Kestrel which is designed to let you keep the same bookmarks and speed dials on different computers with Opera installed.
It is designed to be as simple to use as possible, causing minimal disruption in your workflow. Therefore, you will not find a lot of bells and whistles in this feature. A status indicator is all you'll see after having logged in from the "Synchronize Opera..." menu item in the File menu.
What does it synchronize? Bookmarks, Speed dial entries, Personal bar items, web panels, search engines, and notes, with more to come. You can pick which to sync in the login dialog, and the checkbox for Personal bar also controls whether web panels are synced.
Once logged in, Opera will remember the username and password, and log you in automatically the next time you start. If you don't want to be remembered, you must log out from the File menu before you quit Opera. (Who quits Opera anyway?)How does it really work?
The idea of synchronization is old, and many applications and electrical appliances have implemented ways to synchronize e-mail addresses, phone numbers or street addresses. Sometimes all, sometimes just a few of these. E-mail clients can synchronize mail and contacts against your phone, and some web browsers with the help of extensions can synchronize against online bookmark services such as del.icio.us.
Opera Link relies on this community site, My Opera, to work. In our server rooms here in Oslo, there are a few database, application and authentication servers that receive data from Opera, process it, store it, and send it off to any other Opera installation that comes by with your username on it.
For Opera to send your stuff to the server, it goes through all your bookmarks and speed dials, puts them in a custom XML format, and sends it through a secure (TLS) connection to the server. The server will then store the items in its database. When another Opera with your login name comes by, Opera does the same as before, but the server will also look through what it already has to see whether something is different between the database and the new data. If there is something on the server which was not in the data Opera sent, it will return these items to Opera. Opera will then merge this with its own bookmarks.When you add, modify, or delete a bookmark, Opera will store this status. Every so often Opera will connect to the server and repeat the synchronization process, this time sending only the changes to the server. Again, if the server has something new for Opera, Opera will get this back.
Opera identifies bookmarks by a Universally Unique Identifiers (UUID), not names or addresses. A UUID is a long number which is designed to be genuinely unique, thereby "Universally". Because of this, there is no way for two Operas to generate the same ID even if the address of the bookmark is the same. Although we hope to add detection of identical bookmarks in the future, it can currently happen that you get duplicate bookmarks if you have the same bookmarks at work and home before you synchronize with My Opera. To resolve this, you can simply delete the ones you don't need, and this will spread to the other Operas you have.
Edit 27.11.08
We have added the possibility to remove duplicate bookmarks from your Opera Link account. Simply use the "Duplicate removal" menu entry in the Opera Link menu after logging in to my.opera.com




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Tamil # 7. September 2007, 10:12
Yogurth # 7. September 2007, 10:13
Galileo # 7. September 2007, 10:20
strat89 # 7. September 2007, 10:24
Good work so far guys .
eblade # 7. September 2007, 10:29
tdzark # 7. September 2007, 10:30
An essential part of my Opera setup though, is search customisation. Internet is mainly a huge information database for me, and through the multiple searches I've defined in Opera, I find the information I want. That's why it was hard for me to fill up my speed dial - almost everything I do start with a keyword search from the address bar.
Thus, I _really_ *really* hope that also my searches will be synchronized in future versions. Really!
Thx
FrakkiaLP # 7. September 2007, 10:32
perchr # 7. September 2007, 10:33
Something that would be *even* better, would be Opera synchronizing some more stuff, like custom searches, and maybe Wand-passwords. And if possible, an option to generate a HTML-version of the bookmarks. Would be nice if I'm stuck on a machine without Opera (God forbid)
SpyMan # 7. September 2007, 10:35
It's possible: File > Import/Export > Export Bookmarks as HTML.
[]s
d4n3 # 7. September 2007, 10:43
- the status field is kind of redundant and distracting. I don't want't to constantly be notified that synchronization was successful. Because the field constantly changes status from "logged in as xxxx" and "synchronization successful" this makes me divert atention from what i am doing, which is annoying. I think there should be a more minimal indicator (let's say an icon) which should only notify you if there is an error.
- it would be great if we could synchronize other stuff, like notes, contacts, etc.
- there should be a setting to exclude folders and/or bookmarks from synchonization. A checkbox in the properties of a folder would do, and this attribute would probably have to be inherited in nested folders.
Rijk # 7. September 2007, 10:44
Maleficus # 7. September 2007, 10:49
BlackDex # 7. September 2007, 10:52
It would be nice if we can edit these settings on our profile page or something
Also mabye nice to have a kind of category for the sync.
So i can have diff bookmarks/speedlinks at work and at home, without having to get 2 different opera accounts.
RyomaNagare # 7. September 2007, 10:57
It could be completely optional much like the premium support has been since 8.5...
just letting you guys know... :-P
henriq68 # 7. September 2007, 10:58
Poromenos # 7. September 2007, 11:07
freekey # 7. September 2007, 11:10
SlavaU # 7. September 2007, 11:10
toman # 7. September 2007, 11:14
drlaunch # 7. September 2007, 11:14
mrd # 7. September 2007, 11:15
Well... I was speaking to a guy at the time - another dev - and we just were talking about Opera and he was saying he's actually using 9.5a1 as his MAIN browser now instead of FF2 and I thought that was something.
He helped me find links for things I needed and I went to open an email message to paste the URLs into it to pick up at home.
Then looked at him. "Uh, duh, why don't I just bookmark them?"
He looked a bit blank and then realised and we started cackling like a pair of old witches.
Very strange realisation of where I got instant *real* benefit out of the syncing.
(And yeah, I checked when I got home and there they appeared)
SlavaU # 7. September 2007, 11:25
>> it can take a while to synchronize
Well, I waited for about 15 minutes - still nothing.
I tried another way - I deleted all my bookmarks, connected to My Opera (OK), then I imported bookmarks back, but in that case Opera hangs on exit.
Rijk # 7. September 2007, 11:29
@all: we are aware lots of things could be synchronized, apart from bookmarks. For feeds, the list of feeds can already be exported and imported, Opera will remove duplicated items then. Full feed synchronization is *quite* some work, I wouldn't hold your breath for that. As for other things, great to hear all the ideas and that you like it and trust us (our servers) with your data. For now, we are concentrating on making synching of bookmarks and speed dial rock solid. Let's see how popular this servive gets, and how the servers will hold on!
DoubleT # 7. September 2007, 11:31
Originally posted by d4n3:
+1 Support
Yes, there should be a way to seperate bookmarks/folders for synchronizing. I have a lot bookmarks pointing to intranet/localhost and also private links, which are not useful to share.
Oh, and what happens with the favicon? How i understand the feature, they are not synchronized. Is there a simple way to update them all?
SlavaU # 7. September 2007, 11:32
Well, and it uses 95-98% CPU - for me it hangs
marsu # 7. September 2007, 11:33
barnesdmd # 7. September 2007, 11:34
But all the same Kestral is looking fantastic for such an early release, its just a shame that Google have messed up Google reader for Opera users while implementing search.
alvarezp # 7. September 2007, 11:52
grafio # 7. September 2007, 11:59
AdrianTM # 7. September 2007, 12:21
M-Z # 7. September 2007, 12:22
f1avalanche # 7. September 2007, 12:31
alecmg # 7. September 2007, 12:32
+1
Whole configuration not sure.. Adblock, wand, search engines, contacts maybe
Altho even if I like syncro I wouldn't put wand there... Bookmarks and panels are relatively not that private data, I can see why Devs decided to include only those first.
lazy_bum # 7. September 2007, 12:48
What about options like import/export? I synced my windows Opera (it has few stupid bookmarks and speed dials) to check what this is, then I connected in my other box, with Linux Opera, and my bookmarks multiplied by 3 and speed dial was brutally beaten by "windows" dials.
Ok, I understand that this is Alpha release, but I want some _control_! I want to import or export stuff by hand (it could be option).
And keep up the good work, Kestrel is FAST, I love it!
mrjigs # 7. September 2007, 12:54
There is a-lot more to a browser than speed. Keep up the good work
ferrisnox # 7. September 2007, 12:59
Thanks and keep up the great work.
On an unrelated note, I have noticed 9.5 works better with Coldfusion Flash forms, however it has some problems incorrectly caching form fields that you may want to look into.
Thanks again.
mgillespie # 7. September 2007, 13:02
Plus Opera Mobile and Wii browser (and everywhere else that is Powered by Opera) to be able to use this same data.
GarrettWu # 7. September 2007, 13:35
Jeldert # 7. September 2007, 13:38
Also the constant changing text is too distracting.
PS, could someone explain all options in opera:config under "Opera Sync"?
Orff # 7. September 2007, 13:43
I have to say, why syncronize? I find it suspicious, sounds like a potential back door like bit torrent and skype.
stoffix # 7. September 2007, 13:47
When I think about it, every configuration listed in [opera:config]
should be possible to sync
which reminds me, is it possible to have Opera start up in fullscreen mode?
Rijk # 7. September 2007, 13:59
Originally posted by alvarezp:
Just delete the entries in your bookmarks, and they will be gone everywhere. As said, we only offer simple synchonization now. If you don't want things on the server, that means don't synchronize.
elitegeek # 7. September 2007, 14:08
operic # 7. September 2007, 14:24
I second this!
Do you guys use this sync tool at all?
If you have Opera at home and at work (with different bookmarks), when you sync them, some bookmarks will be deleted, some will be added, and some will be multiplied. There is no control!
I would like to choose if I want to upload or download bookmarks, and also to choose which of them i want to up/dl.
milos.lazic # 7. September 2007, 14:26
Now, i just have one question... Id I'm logged into MYOpera for sinc., why couldn't I be automatically logged-in for access to MyOpera page?
Thanks for eveything. Hope you're reading bug reports.
abid78 # 7. September 2007, 14:37
alexzN2 # 7. September 2007, 14:52
illiad # 7. September 2007, 14:57
desperado666 # 7. September 2007, 15:41
SqueakeyCat # 7. September 2007, 16:02
TYVM