mistressEVIL

Shorten URL with a button

Friday, January 15, 2010 5:49:41 PM

BAMAToNE wrote this great blog on How to shorten URLs from the Opera address bar, but despite the fact that that method works in any browser that allow creating custom search, I personally don't find it that simple.
Not everyone uses address bar, URL can get deleted while you're trying to add a keyword,...
I think creating a button instead is much easier.

is.gd

Some more popular pages that will shorten your URL:

bit.ly
tiny.url
u.nu
l4u.in

(more to follow, if requested)

Once you click on button link, Opera will ask if you want to proceed adding button, click OK. Opera Appearance window will open from where you can drag the button to desired toolbar.

The only down side of creating a custom buttons is that it won't sync with Opera.Link unlike custom search.

Edit notes:
- added is.gd, u.nu
- Does not work in Opera 10.50. Up to developers to fix %u to fetch URL.
- added l4u.in

Music of 2009TARDIS! Take me back in time!

Comments

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CharlieBAMAToNE # Friday, January 22, 2010 4:05:07 PM

Well done! I have never been much for custom buttons, but I know a lot of other users are. Great customization!

PeterGiraffePC # Sunday, January 24, 2010 9:38:18 AM

Thank you for this - much better than having the link on the Personal Bar.

I've just tried editing the button in Toolbar.ini so that it uses is.gd (advantage: Ctrl-C is all that's needed as the URL is already 'highlit', but also failed. It said something about trying to access the script directly and had a box into which to paste a URL - bit slow, that!

I have created the custom search and that is OK, but a button would be easier

mistressEVILmissevilat # Sunday, January 24, 2010 9:59:18 AM

I just checked is.gd API Documentation and found solution:
Go to page,"http://is.gd/api.php?longurl=%u",,"is.gd"

Will add it to blog post.

Saurabh Kumarsaurabhloyolean # Sunday, January 24, 2010 2:10:05 PM

I use u.nu. And goo.gl. Try and add.

mistressEVILmissevilat # Sunday, January 24, 2010 6:00:20 PM

Originally posted by saurabhloyolean:

I use u.nu. And goo.gl. Try and add.

u.nu added.
goo.gl:

Google URL Shortener is currently available for Google products and not for broader consumer use.

Rudradeep Biswasbkprud # Monday, January 25, 2010 2:16:32 AM

awesome !! ..thanx a lot !

Saurabh Kumarsaurabhloyolean # Tuesday, January 26, 2010 8:39:13 AM

Thanks. I used to use goo.gl via this bookmarklet. http://www.marklets.com/bookmarklets/goo.gl%20bookmarklet.aspx . Can icons be added?

Jirka Škodazippich # Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:04:27 PM

Well, the bit.ly doesn't work for me, it is trying to shorten some cache link

http://bit.ly/?s=&keyword=&url=C:%5CUsers%5CJi%F8%ED%20%8Akoda%5CAppData%5CLocal%5COpera%5COpera%5Ccache%5Copr0BWM2

mistressEVILmissevilat # Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:43:33 PM

Thanx!
bit.ly should work now. I hope ;p

Jirka Škodazippich # Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:45:14 AM

It's working now! Thx again ;-)

Charles SchlossChas4 # Thursday, January 28, 2010 3:55:38 PM

I have a tinyurl custom search (the button will make another nice option)

Linhbrokenheartvn # Monday, February 1, 2010 2:52:05 PM

useful for me, thanks a lot!

Illuminato Butindarodiscepolo # Monday, February 1, 2010 3:20:30 PM

it works fine, thank you very much.

Anonymous # Monday, February 1, 2010 3:28:07 PM

Anonymous writes: Fantastic .

thangamgold2cool # Monday, February 1, 2010 4:53:54 PM

Fantastic for uploading files

Manojmanojks # Monday, February 1, 2010 5:11:21 PM

Great!

Rick StonekingRickStoneking # Monday, February 1, 2010 9:08:38 PM

I am trying Opera for the very first time. This was a good way to discover some aggravating things about Opera that will render it just one of my other browsers and I will continue with Chrome.

I set the tiny URL thing up but to do so, I had to copy paste the instructions in Notepad since you can't open two Opera browsers at one time. You also cannot bring one tab into the background and copy from another in the foreground. You have to close one then open another.

These are seriously aggravating things to me because I do a lot of copy/pasting from one browser window to another.

The other issue is that there isn't a custom option like Tiny URL has. That alone makes it worth using Tiny URL and it isn't like it is a hard thing to do. I have it bookmarked in my bookmark bar so it is never more than a click away.

Matt AKA Ironicsupermathew # Wednesday, February 3, 2010 12:58:45 AM

Very good idea! i have tons of ideas on how to make my opera better and simpler

Anonymous # Wednesday, February 3, 2010 4:06:47 AM

Sеnеro writes: Отлично!

Anonymous # Wednesday, February 3, 2010 4:32:26 AM

Аноним writes:

Anonymous # Wednesday, February 3, 2010 10:39:28 AM

Anonymous writes: hi

mozila # Thursday, February 4, 2010 2:10:46 AM

That's cool,thanks.

Anonymous # Thursday, February 4, 2010 9:38:38 AM

Anonymous writes: Doesn't work on 10.50 :(

Saurabh Kumarsaurabhloyolean # Thursday, February 4, 2010 5:54:08 PM

%u doesn't seem to work in the current build of 10.50 (3218)

Anonymous # Friday, February 5, 2010 8:22:20 AM

ирочка writes: ну ни че ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Anonymous # Friday, February 5, 2010 1:01:29 PM

harold writes: i would like to make more friends on this site

Робертsuperstim # Friday, February 5, 2010 4:03:33 PM

it works!!! Thank you very much

Anonymous # Friday, February 5, 2010 7:51:55 PM

Mauangel writes: It is great ad good hu.i wnt frnds

Anonymous # Saturday, February 6, 2010 9:42:09 AM

Faruk writes: I like opera,bcos is easy 2 use.

Abdul-Rahaman Mohdaya19 # Saturday, February 6, 2010 12:30:59 PM

Hi, i just started using opera. I love it, i know i need to learn more. I will.

Taufiq Ahmedtareqf1 # Monday, February 8, 2010 11:04:48 AM

thank you very much. have been looking for this.
Opera will be much more famous if more customization appears like this.
waiting for the 10.5 version.

Tony BoldTonyBold # Tuesday, February 9, 2010 12:22:08 AM

Thank you!!!

Anonymous # Tuesday, February 9, 2010 3:17:09 PM

Boitumelo writes: Thanx I need to learn more and have a lots of friend

Anonymous # Tuesday, February 9, 2010 8:13:25 PM

Prince nwabuisi writes: I tried to join opera family and it keeps on Telling me To inscribe my password. I don't understand. Highligt me the more

Anonymous # Wednesday, February 10, 2010 4:23:59 PM

Anonymous writes: opera is very important for me!!

kombizz # Thursday, February 11, 2010 7:05:43 PM

nice one

Ryan AlfinomyJambi # Friday, February 12, 2010 3:46:32 AM

vortigern # Friday, February 12, 2010 3:56:19 PM

I use ua.am ('cos I wrote it!)

Just enter ua.am/~ in front to get the url or like

http://ua.am/http://my.opera.com/missevilat/blog/2010/01/15/shorten-url-with-a-button

to get a framey thing which you can expand to see links for stuff.

Almost as easy as having a button!

Bhikkhu PesalaPesala # Saturday, February 13, 2010 7:10:33 AM

Originally posted by "mistressEVIL":

The only down side of creating a custom buttons is that it won't sync with Opera.Link

Drag the custom button link to your bookmarks first, then drag it to a toolbar. When you update Opera, you can recreate the custom button by dragging the bookmark to a toolbar.

Anonymous # Wednesday, February 17, 2010 6:48:48 PM

Buh Phom writes: If possible, please add support for http://l4u.in/ which offers very good click tracking, even time based URLs, password protected URLs

mistressEVILmissevilat # Wednesday, February 17, 2010 7:08:14 PM

Originally posted by anonymous:

If possible, please add support for http://l4u.in/

Added.

Anonymous # Tuesday, March 2, 2010 4:48:28 PM

Muad'Dib writes: um, what about 10.5 version? i think it's out of alpha now... (please!!!:D )

mistressEVILmissevilat # Tuesday, March 2, 2010 6:07:05 PM

Originally posted by anonymous:

um, what about 10.5 version?

Sadly, Opera 10.5 currently doesn't support "%u" to fetch url. In other words, it's broken and can't do anything about it but to poke developers hard to fix it.
meh. ;(

Rudradeep Biswasbkprud # Sunday, March 7, 2010 5:25:22 AM

oops ! i thought there is a problem on opera 10.50 installation ! waiting for the buttion to work.

temao # Friday, March 19, 2010 1:43:13 PM

Is there a way to copy the shortened urls in the clipboard?

Anonymous # Monday, March 22, 2010 3:22:39 PM

Stanley Krute writes: Hmmm. I'm running Opera 10.51 build 3315 and the buttons seem to work. At least, they take me to the URL shortener site and create the shortened URL. I do have to select and copy. Also: I'd love a variant for Puny URLs. Their URL is http://puny.sapo.pt

temao # Tuesday, March 23, 2010 7:07:22 PM

It would be awesome if you just have to click the button and the shortened link would be copied automatical to the clipboard without leaving the current page but I think that isn't possible yet.

cunningstock # Tuesday, April 6, 2010 2:52:25 PM

How do you change the name of the button? "is.gd" appearing as the button's name in it's popop dialog tip (& Opera's status field) is a bit esoteric & less self explanatory than say "Instant TinyURL Button" or something to that effect.

Anyway thanks for the button, it's great.

mistressEVILmissevilat # Tuesday, April 6, 2010 3:19:07 PM

Originally posted by cunningstock:

How do you change the name of the button?

Take code for the button (right click - Copy link address) and change the bit marked red:
opera:/button/Go%20to%20page,%22http://is.gd/api.php?longurl=%25u%22,,%22is.gd%22
That's the name of the button.
Then take new code and hyperlink it again and launch it.