My Opera Notebook

A. Getting Started
1. Basic info you should know about:
http://operawiki.info/AdvancedToolbarINIGuide
http://operawiki.info/AllActions
http://operawiki.info/AllActionsList
http://operawiki.info/AllActionsListPlus
http://www.aimwell.org/Help/Buttons/buttons.html
http://my.opera.com/tomu/blog/ttt

2. More syntax related info:
About file variables
About toolbars
About menu
About image/icon
About JavaScript
Syntax & icons forum


B. Button Creation Tools:
Most popular tools
Widget for button creation


C. Collections of Custom Button I Found:
http://people.opera.com/rijk/opera/dndbuttons.html
http://operawiki.info/PowerButtons
http://operawiki.info/CustomButtons
http://homepage.hispeed.ch/ttt-o/ (Over 2400 buttons collection)
http://my.opera.com/community/forums/group.dml?id=2379348 (Opera Custom Buttons forum)
http://my.opera.com/community/forums/topic.dml?id=145608 (Old Opera Buttons thread)


D. Things I Learned:
1. Hyperlink Buttons
If you want to share or show off your buttons to the world, then you should learn how to create Hyperlink buttons! Then, everyone can install your buttons with just a single-click or drag 'em into the toolbar. Other than what is told from here, you can also use Opera's forum's Insert hyperlink function to create hyperlink button quickly! Go HERE for the details.

2. How to insert > into a Hyperlink button
Once you converted the > into a hyperlink button, it will disappear... So, how do you create a hyperlink button without losing the > syntax? Simple, just replace all > with %3E. That's right, Opera will recognized %3E as > from any hyperlink button.

3. Show popup menu, "-"
Show popup menu, "menu name" will display specific menu from the menu.ini document, but there is another reason to use this syntax - it add an arrow beside button, & modified the activation behavior of 2nd function! Here is a demonstration:

Button A: Reload+
Syntax: opera:/button/Stop | Reload + Reload all pages
(Required to press & hold on the button to activate Reload all pages)

Button B: Reload+
Syntax: opera:/button/Stop | Reload + Reload all pages & Show popup menu, "-"
(No need to hold, simply click the arrow to activate Reload all pages)

4. Show hidden popup menu, "menu name"
Don't be confused this syntax with the previous one, they are not the same! Show hidden popup menu, "menu name" will allow button to show a popup menu, without display the arrow. Now, here is another usage for this syntax - it improve the availability of 2nd function. What's so important about "availability"? Well, let's take a look...

The trashcan on the top-right corner of your screen allow you to retrieve closed pages. If you restart Opera (or emptied trash), it will be grayed out, & not available... Thus, if you add a 2nd function to that button, you can't access the 2nd if the primary function of that button is inaccessible! So, how to fix this problem? Simple, just replaced Show popup menu for the primary function with Show popup hidden menu. Example:

Default + 2nd function (Hide Opera): Closed
Syntax: opera:/button/Show popup menu, "Closed Pages Menu",,,"Trash" + Hide Opera
(Can't hide Opera with this button if trashcan is empty)

Modified + 2nd function (Hide Opera): Closed
Syntax: opera:/button/Show hidden popup menu, "Closed Pages Menu",,,"Trash" + Hide Opera
(When primary function is inaccessible, hide Opera function is still accessible)

5. Use Keyboard setup to create syntax
You don't have to memorized every single action/syntax in order to create buttons. There is a library within the Opera browser to help you find & create 'em! Simply go to Preferences (Ctrl+F12) > Advanced > Shortcuts > Keyboard/Mouse setup, & start creating all kind of crazy combo actions! However, it didn't included every syntax available, thus you will still need to refer to the Action list from section A for guidance...

Well, that's all I can remember...
Oh, remember to share your buttons in the Custom Buttons forum!!!