Firefox URLBar Extension

UrlbarExt is an experimental Firefox add-on that adds a few interesting functions to the Firefox location bar. Experimental meaning that users have to log into an account at the Mozilla website to download and install the add-on. It is usually not an indicator of a “not yet ready” add-on. Users who do not have an account but would like to install the add-on could use one of the available logins from Bugmenot instead.

Back to the Firefox extension. It adds six new icons to the right side of the Firefox location bar which look a lot like the icons that the Tagmarks extension is adding in that place. Users with the Tagmarks extension enabled might run into troubles. This has not been tested and is just an assumption.

The icons provide easy access to the following functions:

• Copy URL
• Create Tiny URL
• Search Site
• Up One Directory Level, Double-click for Root
• Tags
• Anonymous Surfing

Some functions require an explanation while others are pretty obvious. Copy URL copies the url of the current tab to the clipboard. Create Tiny URL will create a tiny url and replace the current url with the Tiny URL which could then be copied with the Copy URL button.

Search Site will simply open a google search in a new tab that uses the site parameter and is waiting for user input. Up one directory level does what it says while a double-click on the item loads the homepage or root address of the site.

Tags shows a few tags that can be used to tag websites while the anonymous surfing icon will reload the current website using an anonymization service.

Several of the functions are configurable by right-clicking them. A right-click on the Search Site icon will open a search form that can be used to search the site directly. The most extensive settings are available for the anonymous surfing function. Users can pick from a few dozen web proxy servers and configure a domain to be always loaded by a proxy.

The URLBar extension for Firefox 3 adds a few interesting features to Firefox that might appeal to more than just a few users. One option that would make sense would be keyboard hotkeys for the functions which would speed up the process. Another viable option could be to automatically use a proxy on a specific tab even if the domain gets changed.