Monthly update: January 2023

Happy New Year! With 2022 now history, it's time to look ahead to my goals for 2023. Here's what I have in mind:

1. Experiment with Manifest Version 3 (MV3) extensions for Firefox. The knowledge gained from this research will inform the strategy for porting the AE Creations extensions to MV3.
2. Panic Button will be the first candidate for porting to MV3. Clippings will follow, though I expect that will be a larger effort, given the complexity of that Firefox extension.
3. Further enhancements to Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox. I also have ideas for making it more than just a simple reading list, though I'm still contemplating whether that should be an enhancement to Read Next, or if it should be spun off as its own browser extension.
   

Meanwhile, I've completed the switchover of the AE Creations website from SourceForge; the old SourceForge URLs are now being redirected to the new website. Updates to Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird are in the works and will be released shortly, along with an update for Read Next which fixes a minor bug with reconnecting to Dropbox; look for those updates in the coming weeks.

Read Next: The reading list that syncs to the cloud

Read Next is the new Firefox extension from AE Creations that adds a reading list sidebar to your browser window. It's similar to the reading list found in other browsers such as Safari and Google Chrome, but with some unique features:

• Add new links for reading later with just one click of the address bar button.
• Reading list sidebar where you can browse or search for saved links to the web pages you want to resume reading. You can choose to filter out links that you've already visited, showing only unread links.
  
• Keep your reading list lean and organized with options such as automatically deleting saved links once you've clicked on them, and highlighting unread links in bold text.
• Synchronize your reading list to the cloud with Dropbox to make your reading list available on your other devices with Firefox and Read Next installed.

 

The Read Next reading list sidebar.

Version 1.0 Now Available!

Read Next 1.0 is now available for download and installation from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Read Next requires Firefox 91 or newer.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the testers that participated in the beta testing phase! Your bug reports, enhancement suggestions and feedback have helped shape this new Firefox extension, and will inform plans for the future.

Panic Button 4.4.3 released!

An update to Panic Button 4.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website.

If you already have an older version of Panic Button installed, it will be updated for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (Tools → Add-ons), click on the entry for Panic Button in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

• Bug fix: Panic Button is unresponsive after changing the "Run in Private Windows" setting (issue #79)
  

Things You Should Know About

• The Hide and Replace action won't work if Firefox is set to "Never remember history" in Privacy & Security settings.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Panic Button should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Read Next 1.0 release candidate 2 released!

This is the second release candidate of Read Next 1.0, the new reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations. This fixes a recurring cosmetic bug in the reading list sidebar on macOS. Unless there are any more last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official version 1.0 release.

How to Get It

Head over to the Read Next 1.0 release candidate 2 page on GitHub. Look for the link to readnext-1.0rc2.xpi, and then click on it to install. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

This release candidate build is not available from Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Read Next 1.0 release candidate 1 released!

A release candidate build of Read Next 1.0 is now available to testers and early adopters eager to try out what will likely become the first official public release of Read Next! If there are no last-minute showstopper bugs discovered, this may become the official version 1.0 release.

Learn more about Read Next and how to get this release candidate!

Introducing Read Next

Read Next is the new Firefox extension from AE Creations that adds a reading list sidebar to your browser window. It's similar to the reading list found in other browsers such as Safari and Google Chrome, but with some unique features:

• Add new links for reading later with just one click of the address bar button.
• Reading list sidebar where you can browse or search for saved links to the web pages you want to resume reading. You can choose to filter out links that you've already visited, showing only unread links.
  
• Keep your reading list lean and organized with options such as automatically deleting saved links once you've clicked on them, and highlighting unread links in bold text.
• Synchronize your reading list to the cloud with Dropbox to make your reading list available on your other devices with Firefox and Read Next installed.

Read Next is compatible with Firefox 91 and newer.

How to Get It

Head over to the Read Next 1.0 release candidate page on GitHub. Look for the link to readnext-1.0rc1.xpi, and then click on it to install. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

This release candidate build is not available from Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Monthly update: December 2022

I recently returned from Tokyo, which was a much-needed break and my first real vacation in over two years. After about a week of settling back home and recovering from jet lag, I'm getting back to work on my projects!

Version 1.0 of Read Next is coming soon -- a release candidate build is on its way. This is the last chance to shake out those final bugs before the official release.

A user of Panic Button found a bug where the Panic Button toolbar button is unresponsive. The user reported the issue by leaving a one-star review on the Mozilla Add-ons page and not providing any details. I believe I found the cause of this issue, and a fix for it is in the works -- but this is a reminder that bug reports and support requests for AE Creations add-ons should be posted to the GitHub project page for the add-on or the Google Groups forums. Leaving a negative review is not only unfairly punitive, it also makes it difficult for me to seek more details on the alleged bug so that I can confirm if it is so, and resolve it.

I'll also be spending some time working on the AE Creations website to prepare for decommissioning the old SourceForge site, as mentioned in my last update.

Now that the holiday season and the season of giving is here, consider showing your generosity and support for the extensions from AE Creations by making a donation! I'm working on these projects on my spare time, and your contributions is a great way to show appreciation for the work that I do and motivate me to keep on creating cool, useful Firefox add-ons. Donate today through Liberapay or PayPal -- and if you already have done so recently, thank you!

Happy holidays, and all the best in the New Year!

Clippings 6.4.3.1 and Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.3.1 released!

A minor revision to the recently-released versions of Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird has been released to address an issue with the German localization of the Sync Clippings help dialog. You'll be automatically updated if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Add-ons Manager.

What's New:

• Fixed an issue with the German localization of the Sync Clippings help dialog (issue #134 and issue #410)

Things You Should Know About

• Firefox users: Some features may not be available when Firefox is in Private Browsing mode, or if the browser privacy settings are too restrictive.
• If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Read Next 0.9.3 released!

Another beta release of Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, is now available! This release puts it closer to the eventual release of version 1.0, and is the most stable beta release to date.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• The context menu in the reading list sidebar can be opened using the keyboard shortcut SHIFT+F10
• It's now possible to try reconnecting to Dropbox again if there is a network error during reading list sync (issue #60)
• Bug fix: Address bar and context menu status aren't updated for the displayed web page after reading list sync (issue #57)

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this extension from either Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website. Read Next requires Firefox 91 or newer.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Spread the Word!

More testers are needed to try out Read Next and find any lingering bugs. Help spread the word by telling your friends, posting online and sharing your thoughts on this Firefox extension! And if you're enjoying Read Next, don't forget to leave a review on the Mozilla Add-ons page.

Are you fluent in English and another world language, and want to help translate Read Next?  Translations are managed in Crowdin.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.3 released!

Another minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 has been released, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 requires Thunderbird versions 91 or 102.

If you already have an older version of Clippings for Thunderbird installed, it will be upgraded for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (from the Thunderbird menu, click Add-ons), click on the entry for Clippings for Thunderbird in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

• Bug fix: Restoring from backup file fails with invalid import file (issue #133)
  
• Minor fixes and improvements
  

Things You Should Know About

• If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Monthly update: November 2022

Work continues on Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox, as it gets closer to the release of version 1.0. There is one more beta release coming soon, with version 1.0 planned for release in December. Testers are still needed to help find those elusive lingering bugs, so spread the word! And if you're enjoying Read Next, don't forget to leave a review on the Mozilla Add-ons page.

An update to Clippings was released earlier this week, and an update for Clippings for Thunderbird is expected to be available once it passes review by the Thunderbird add-ons reviewers.

The next priority is making additional improvements to the new AE Creations website to prepare for decommissioning the old website that is hosted on SourceForge. This change-over is planned for January 2023.

Other than that, I'll be slowing down a bit due to the upcoming holiday season, but I'm planning on doing some research into migrating the extensions for Firefox to Manifest v3 (MV3). I'm thinking of migrating Panic Button first, as it's an extension with a fairly small code base, and is due for an update; this project is planned for kick-off in the new year.

Clippings 6.4.3 released!

Another minor update to Clippings 6.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.4 requires Firefox 91 or newer.

If you already have Clippings installed, it will be upgraded for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (Tools → Add-ons), click on the entry for Clippings in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

• Bug fix: Restoring from backup file fails with invalid import file (issue #409)
• Minor fixes and improvements

Things You Should Know About

• Thunderbird Users: This version of Clippings is designed for Firefox and is not compatible with Thunderbird. Get Clippings for Thunderbird, now compatible with Thunderbird versions 91 and 102.
• Some features may not be available when Firefox is in Private Browsing mode, or if the browser privacy settings are too restrictive.
• If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor scribger for updating the German localization of Clippings!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Read Next 0.9.2 released!

Another beta release of Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, is now available! This release contains more bug fixes and improvements, and is the most stable beta release to date.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• Bug fix: Blurry reading list favicons on high-resolution displays (issue #24)
• Bug fix: On macOS, unwanted wrapping of sidebar toolbar when sidebar at default width (issue #50)
• Improved handling of network connection errors in the reading list sidebar and extension preferences page (issue #59)
• Other fixes and improvements
  

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this extension from either Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website. Read Next requires Firefox 91 or newer.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Spread the Word!

More testers are needed to try out Read Next and find any lingering bugs. Help spread the word by telling your friends, posting online and sharing your thoughts on this Firefox extension!

Are you fluent in English and another world language, and want to help translate Read Next?  Translations are managed in Crowdin.

Read Next 0.9.1 released!

Another beta release of Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, is now available! This follow-up to version 0.9 contains some bug fixes and improvements and is the most stable beta release to date -- but as always, bug reports and feedback is strongly encouraged!

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• Read Next now prevents saving the Dropbox authorization page to the reading list (issue #48)
• Bug fix: Garbled display of sidebar toolbar on macOS (issue #50)
• Other fixes and improvements

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this extension from either Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website. Read Next requires Firefox 91 or newer.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Monthly update: October 2022

Here's a brief update on what's happening this month!

Read Next 0.9 was just released. This is the first version to be released on the Firefox Add-ons site, making it available to a larger audience. It's marked as an "experimental" extension due to it still in beta testing status. This is the most stable beta release yet, but more testers are always welcome to try it out!

With the features that are planned for version 1.0 largely complete, Read Next is also now ready for localization. I've created a new project on Crowdin for those who want to help out by translating the UI text into various world languages.

There are a few minor bugs in Read Next that is targeted for fixing in an upcoming minor release, so watch for that in the next few weeks. A minor release of Clippings is also planned for November to resolve a few trivial bugs and keep it in good shape.

Read Next 0.9 released!

A new beta release of Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, is now available!

Read Next 0.9 is a significant milestone with many improvements and bug fixes, and is the first version to be made available on the Firefox Add-ons store. As Read Next is currently in the beta testing stage, it is targeted towards testers, early adopters and enthusiasts who are craving the latest and greatest! While this is the most stable beta release so far, users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• The Read Next context menu actions are now available from the tab context menu
• Support for Dark Mode system themes on macOS and Windows
• Keyboard navigation in the reading list sidebar
• Redesigned extension preferences page. Some preferences have moved to the sidebar customization dialog, which can be opened by right-clicking in the Read Next sidebar and then selecting Customize from the context menu
• Bug fix: Garbled display of sidebar toolbar on standard-resolution displays on Windows (issue #49)
• Other fixes and improvements
  

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this extension from either Firefox Add-ons or the AE Creations website. Read Next requires Firefox 91 or newer.

Report a Bug

An up-to-date list of known issues can be found in the Read Next project on GitHub.

If you find a bug or have an idea for an enhancement, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.2 released!

Another minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 has been released, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 requires Thunderbird versions 91 or 102.

If you already have an older version of Clippings for Thunderbird installed, it will be upgraded for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (from the Thunderbird menu, click Add-ons), click on the entry for Clippings for Thunderbird in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

•  Minor fixes and improvements
  

Things You Should Know About

• If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, hosted on Google Groups.