Automatic Save Folder - Firefox Add-on

Cyan · May 20, 2009

Hello everyone, this is my first entry in the GBAtemp blogging service.

For this first (and long) message, I would like to present you a Firefox extension I'm currently developing.

Feel free to comment and ask for help on how to use it.

<img src="http://pix.gbatemp.net/746/asf-icon.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /> Automatic Save folder
It's a download helper and a folder manager.

Current version <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/4781" target="_blank">0.9.3</a>,
Compatible Windows, Linux and Mac.

<a name="presentation"></a>

<img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/firefox_icon.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /> Review Contents & Index:<ul><li><a href="#presentation">What it does ?</a></li><li><a href="#history">Personal history</a></li><li><a href="#installation">Download & installation</a></li><li><a href="#configuration">configuration</a></li><li><a href="#filters">Filters creation</a></li><li><a href="#todo">Todo List</a></li><li><a href="#help">Help needed</a></li><li><a href="#next">Conclusion, and next move</a></li></ul><div align="center">________________________________________________________________________________</div>

• Presentation - What it does ?

Automatic Save Folder (or ASF) is a Firefox extension to automatically select the folder in which you want to save your file to.
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon13.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />Attention : It does not automatically save your file. It's a download helper, not a manager.

<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon12.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />I think it's particularly useful for our community members.

For example, imagine you have a lot of folders like this :
One for the files related to gbatemp, console hacking, homebrew etc..
One for your USB Loader release build
A folder for your common softwares for your computer
Many folders for your favorite TVshow, each one in which the subtitles need to be downloaded to
One for common nzb files
etc.
And imagine all of them being on separate partitions
Up until now, when you download a file and choose to save it to your hard drive :
- If firefox option is set to always download in the same directory, you have to look for your file in hundreds of files you donwloaded <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :wacko:

" border="0" alt="wacko.gif" />
- If firefox option is set to always open the File Explorer, it opens on the path of the previously saved file, and then you have to manually look for the right folder you want to save your new file.
Each time you will have to spend 2 minutes looking for the right folder <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :wacko:

" border="0" alt="wacko.gif" />
On both cases it's quite time spending, isn't it ?
<a name="presentation"></a>
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon11.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />Automatic Save Folder let you manage, using preset filters, the folder you want to save your files to, and that path will be opened automatically in the file explorer. You don't need to look for it manually anymore <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Here are 2 pictures of the add-on :
<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_filters.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_filters_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_addedit.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_addedit_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
-------------- Main window ------------------- Filter edition------------
(The add-on is in English, French and Italian (by Scognito))

• Personal history

Tired of changing my saving path manually back and forth 50 times a day, I started my research on mozilla addons to use automatic filters on downloads.
But nothing there corresponded to my need. There were DownloadSort but it worked only with right click and path choosing through menu, no automatic file downloading (for example on sourceforge) or left click on a link.
So I got the Idea : If it doesn't exist, I will create it myself !
I started reading and learning how to make add-ons, and step by step I finally succeeded.

I started the development in 2007, and at that time it was only for my own usage only, so I programmed it very quickly and it was a dirty code. But it worked, and I was very happy with it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smileipb2.png" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smileipb2.png" />
Little by little, I added new features and options as I saw fit.
<a name="installation"></a>
Then I thought: If I find it useful maybe other people could use it and be happy too, and I decided to submit it on my website and then on Mozilla add-on website. There I found people really enjoying it, some were having bugs I never expected, and some others just asked me for new features.

It's still in the experimental (sandbox) zone on Mozilla. I tried to submit it to the public area, but Mozilla staff asked me to change my way of coding, which I had difficult to do, but I finally succeeded (I hope) in the actual work in progress version. It's not yet submitted to Mozilla, I need to finish the translation to Italian first (*wave to Scognito <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />*)

• Download and Installation

Yeah, the personal history was boring, right ?
Now is the best part : Download and test it by yourself !

<img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_icon.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /> To get it, go to <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/fr/firefox/addon/4781" target="_blank">Automatic Save Folder</a> page on mozilla add-on website, and select "let me install" and "add to Firefox".
Restart your browser, you can now access it from the menu "tools/automatic save folder....".
There, you will see the main window with your filters.

<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon13.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />Important :
Automatic Save Folders (ASF) works only if firefox shows the "what firefox need to do with this file ?" dialog, when you download a file, because it rely on the informations written on it (filename and domain name).
This window :
<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/screen_save_fr.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/screen_save_fr_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

Firefox has a menu to manage file extension (tools/options/application tab).
Make sure the file you are downloading is set to "always ask", or else the saving window will not show and ASF will not work.
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/screen_apps_fr.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
(Sorry, my Firefox is in French)

<a name="configuration"></a>

• Configuration

Automatic Save Folder works under both Firefox download options :
Firefox menu is here : tools/options.../Main tab
<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/firefox_option_fr.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/firefox_option_fr_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
(still in french, anybody willing to make me some english screenshots ?)
Mode 1 : Firefox will not show you the file explorer. The saving path will be selected by ASF, and the file automaticaly save to it.
Mode 2 : Firefox will show you the file explorer, which will opened at the right path selected by ASF's filters.
You can still save it to another folder, if you do ASF will remember your folder and use it if the next file is from the same hosted domain. (see option 3 on next picture)

Here is the main preferences window.
The first step: You will have to select the default download folder. This will be used if no filter matches the file you are downloading.
<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_filters02.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_filters02_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
(The filters tab)
Select 1 if you want to use the last folder used if no filter matches, or select 2 and specify a default download directory.
The option 3 is meant to work with option 2: If you are downloading a file not triggered by any filter and the last file you downloaded were from the same website, it will open the file explorer on the previous folder instead of the default one.

The next step: Create your filters (see the next chapter for more details on filters creation)
Zone 4 allows you to add, delete or move by one step the filters.
When you download a file, the filters are verified from top to bottom, so the filters order is very important.
5 is the filters listing. 6 is a new popup window from right click (it will be available starting from version 0.9.3)
7 is the tab list, to switch from the filters or the options, and finally 8 is a menu to get help & tutorial on how to create filters. it will be moved as a tab in next release.

<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_options02.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preferences_options02_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
(The options tab)
Option 1 allow you to show the path on the saving window where the file will be downloaded (see the saving window screenshot below)
Option 2 let you use dynamic variables to create folders and subfolders named after the date or the file name/extension, etc. (Dynamic variables will be available starting from version 0.9.3)
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon13.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />Attention : Option 2 may cause ASF to stop working worrectly or not working at all if the resulted path it not a valid path for your operating system (including forbidden characters).

<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preference_edit_us02.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_preference_edit_us02_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
Here is the add & edit filters window.
The 1 allow you to define your filters. "All" will match all domain, or all filename. You can use wildcards (the * or ?) if you want, or use regular expressions for better filtering.
Note : The wildcard is not needed at the beginning and the end (*gbatemp* is the same as gbatemp).
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon13.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" /> Attention : The domain is the file's hosted domain, not the website where the link is written. (Will work with website URL starting from 0.9.3, if the hosted domain does not match)
Into 2select the folder you want the file to be saved to. (you can use dynamic variables here too)
<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon13.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" /> Attention : Malformed dynamic path may cause ASF to not work anymore if the resulted path it not a valid path for your operating system. (don't use :?/|>< etc.)

<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_screen_save_fr.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_screen_save_fr_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
If the option "show ASF option when downloading" is checked, the bottom box helper will be shown here. Here you can see the path selected by the filters (so you can see if a filter worked or not before opening the file explorer), and you can see the last 2 saved paths to choose from quickly (<img src="http://gbatemp.net/style_images/2/folder_post_icons/icon12.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />You will see, it's very useful !).
Clicking on the "+ add or edit", you can open the ASF main window to add or modify a filter, and when you accept the changes, the path on the save window will change accordingly to the new filter's change.
<a name="filters"></a>
This box is optional, not showing this option will not affect the fonctionnality of the add-on.
It's only for information purpose and easier control over the destination path.

• Filters creation

The filtering works on the file hosted domain, and the filename.

For the first example, let's create a filter to download the cheats files for your NDS card.
Go to <a href="http://cheat.gbatemp.net" target="_blank">http://cheat.gbatemp.net</a> and download a file. You will see the download window, and here is the useful informations :

<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_tuto_gbatemp01.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_tuto_gbatemp01_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
1 - The domain name
2 - The filename

Then go to ASF option (In Firefox: Tools/Automatic Save Folder...), or just clic the "+ Add or edit a filter" on the bottom of the download screen.
NOTE : If you go to ASF preferences from the saving window link, the domain and filename will be pre-filled when you add a filter.

Filled the domain name in the first field. You can use http:// if you want but it's not needed.
Set the filename to "ALL" so all files from this subdomain will work with this filter.
Then choose a destination folder.

Here is what is might looks like :
<a href="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_tuto_gbatemp02.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/pix/746/asf_tuto_gbatemp02_mini.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

Be sure to but the filter before any "gbatemp" filter, or else "gbatemp" will be triggered before "cheats.gbatemp" and ASF will not open the folder you want.

Now you should understand how the filters are working, so let's try new one !

• All files from Wiibrew :
Domain : wiibrew.org
Filename : All
Local : x:/console/nintendo/homebrew/

• All .dol or .elf files to go to a nintendo homebrew folder :
Domain : All
Filename : .*\.(elf|dol)$
Local : x:/console/nintendo/homebrew/
And check the regular expression checkbox for the filename.

It will trigger this filter on any files finishing with .elf or .dol

• All files from your favorite TVshow (Reapper will do the example here) :
Domain : All
Filename : .*reaper.*(srt|nzb|torrent|zip)$
Local : x:/video/reaper/
And check the regular expression checkbox for the filename.

It will trigger any files containing "reaper" and finishing with either srt, nzb, torrent or zip.

Note for the filters:
- The filters are case insensitives. gbatemp or GBAtemp is the same.
- You can use wildcards to replace set of characters : * for many, ? for one.
- You don't need the wildcards at the start and the end if you don't use regular expression. gbatemp and *.gbatemp.net is the same too.
- The filters are checked from top to bottom, put them in he right order.
- The filters on the domain is checked with the file hosted domain and not the link's website you are browsing (it will work on 0.9.3 though).
- You can use regular expression, don't forger to check the checkbox.
- You can use dynamic variables in the local saving path (from 0.9.3), check that option in the option tab.

Dynamic tags are listed bellow :

Date tags use the same format as PHP date().
%Y% : Year (2009)
%y% : Year (09)
%m% : Month (06)
%n% : Month (6)
%d% : Day (01)
%j% : Day (1)

Special tags :
%asf_D% : Domain name. (Without http://)
%asf_F% : File name with the extension.
%asf_Fx% : File name without the extension.
%asf_d% : "Domain" field from the filter used. (Forbidden characters will be deleted. If no filter is found, the current domain is used)
%asf_f% : "File name" field from the filter used. (Forbidden characters will be deleted. If no filter is found, the current file name is used)
%asf_x% : File extension. (Without the dot)

There are 2 more special tags to enable regular expression capture on filename and domain name.
%asf_rf% and %asf_rd% (for file and domain capture)
Thoses are a little difficult.

• Matches all Reaper TVshow files, but sort them to separate subfolders :
Domain : All
Filename : .*reaper.*(srt|nzb|torrent|zip)$
Local : D:/video/reaper/%asf_rf%(zip|torrent|nzb)$%asf_rf%
And check the regular expression checkbox for the filename.

This will capture "zip", "torrent" and "nzb" from the filename. If he finds it, it will be used as a dynamic variable to create the path name.

Results :
Reaper.s02e01.hdtv.xvid-notv.666-DTC.VF.NoTAG.srt
will go to D:/video/reaper, because there is no "srt" capturing.

Reaper.s02e01.hdtv.xvid-notv.nzb
Will go to D:/video/reaper/nzb, because nzb was found in the filename and used as a returned result.

<a name="todo"></a>
• Todo and wish List

- Add the ability to use ASF with "save as..." and "save image as..." from a right click context menu on a webpage link.
(Actually it works only if the save window appears, the data are read here. I don't know who to read the filename and domain name on a right clicked link)

- Add more localizations.

- Maybe ?? combine ASF with the firefox Application tab, in the firefox options. (it's just an hypothetical idea, maybe it will never happen)

<a name="help"></a>
• Help needed

1 - I need your help if you can point me in the right direction to add the "save as..." to ASF, I will be very grateful <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
I think I need a way to capture the filename and the domain name from the target link.

2 - If you want to localize it to your language, let me know. Be aware that the more languages there are, and the more works it need to update newer versions (I will have to contact each translator before release).

<a name="next"></a>
• Conclusion and next move

I hope you will find it as useful as me.
If you have any requests or comments, feel free to leave it below, I will see what can be done <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

I'm always trying to content people requests, but I see now it may be hard to continue the development alone (especially for the locale files, I have only 3, and it's already hard to manage, I need to modify each file manually and send them to translators before releasing, then if I update it send it again :/).
So I thought I may create a SVN on google code to post my source code, it will be easier for translators to work on new and updated localization.

Thank you for reading.
Cyan

Cyan · Jul 5, 2009

New release version available :

Automatic Save Folder V0.9.3

This version mainly introduce :
• Dynamic Variables for creating saving path according to the filter's parts or the downloaded file name. (asked by users. If you need more variables, make suggestions)
• Filter's path listing on the saving window for quick access if no filters or the wrong one is triggered for a particular file.
• Context menu in the filter's list to move and duplicate a filter.

The other changes are bug fix and visual changes.

Change log :

Code:

+ Firefox 3.5 compatible
+ Added the version number in the main config window title.
+ Add option to double click a Path field to open the explorer window.
+ New tabs to separate filters, options, help and versions history.
+ New dynamic variable to create folders. (Thanks to Ted for the group capture with $1)
+ Option to activate or deactivate the dynamic variables (Advanced mode).
+ New context menu on the filter list to duplicate a filter, or move to top/bottom in one click.
+ [Experimental] For ease to use when the hosted domain is random (ex. to donwload firefox on mozilla.org):
ÂÂCheck the filter with the current URI if the hosted domain file doesn't match.
ÂÂAttention to the filtering order : First the file hosted domain is checked, then the current website address.
ÂÂThe data used to mark a domain as "previous" is still the one from the file hosted domain.
+ Limit the saving window width to the user main screen size. (Thanks to Julien)
+ Add an option to show a menu list on the saving window to select the saving folder from the filter's list.
* Correction for unicode path (filters using unicode character in version 0.9.2 might be deleted, please rewrite them manually).
* Correction of the editable parameter of new created filters.
* Changed the way the links in the "about..." window works. Now it will open in a new tab.
* Bigger menu and window for better visibility.
* Code simplification for moving filters up/down.
* Code simplification for the loading and auto-filling data in the "add" window.
* Better visibility : All the windows are nowÂÂre-sizable with the content fitting accordingly.
* Bug correction preventing the loading and reading of undefined or non existing preferences in about:config. (Thanks to Martin)
* Complete script recoding to wrapped variables and functions in a single javascript object (asked by Mozilla.com to submit the extension in public area)
* Cleaner code and comments.

Nobody commented it yet, maybe nobody is using it.
Blogging service is maybe not the best place choice for it, I may have posted it in computer area

Please let me what you think about it, if it's useful or if it's not working so I can improve it.
Thank you,
Cyan

kobykaan · Jul 5, 2009

edit comment removed It was not meant to sound like a putdown just an observation that tools already existed!

What would be really useful (I still have yet to find one) would be one that can automatically put downloaded files into a dedicated download and a sub folder with that days date it was downloaded on if that makes any sense!?

eg be able to download blahblah.rar file and save it to a folder with today's date in the main folder

Download a second file yadayada.zip and save it to that same folder with today's date

Then tomorrow if I download something it gets save to a folder dated with tomorrows date etc etc

example would be

Applications/5 July 2009/blahblah.rar
Applications/5 July 2009/yadayada.zip
Applications/5 July 2009/desktop.jpg
Applications/5 July 2009/music.mp3

then tomorrow would be ...

Applications/6 July 2009/album.rar
Applications/6 July 2009/photo.bmp
Applications/5 July 2009/accounts.xls

etc etc For me it would save a lot of work just to have everything from that day in a folder with the same date as the day it was downloaded on

this maby useful to some others may not!?

anyhow keep up the good work It's nice to actually here from addon developers personally most of the time when you comment or email for features etc you get ignored

Cyan · Jul 5, 2009

Edit: removed the angry comments.
I leave this so other may understand the differences with my addon :

Save file and Download Sort, works only with the "save as..." and path listing. because it didn't work with normal download, had to make my own.

If you want all the files to go to your date-subfolders, regardless the domain or the filename, do as follow :

create a date folder per day for every files said:
• On option tab :
Check the advanced mode

• On filters tab :
Set option "if no filter match" to "save to this folder", select the main folder, and add %d% %m% %Y% to the path.
ex. d:\main folder\%d% %m% %Y%

That's all.
try downloading a file with a left click or an automated website, not a right click.

I know there's no "jan" "feb" etc. right now, if it's needed and asked by users, I will add it too. It can be easily done and I may add it in the next release anyway.

Personally I prefer using the form "YYYY MM DD" as it sort it in ascending order automaticaly and it's easier to find than "5 jan 2009" along another "5 sep 2007", to find all the January files would be a pain like that.
%Y% %m% %d% = 2009 07 05

kobykaan · Jul 5, 2009

Ok ....will trial this and see how I get on .... although may not need half of the features just the automatic folder creation with the date and automatic save to that folder when I choose to download something

my comments above about other similar programs has been removed they came across as a putdown of your work ... that was not my intention

Cyan · Jul 5, 2009

Ok, appologies accepted

I remove mine too.

Tell me if it's working as you expected.
Some users can't get the filters to work, but if you use only the default folder, it will be enough.

if you want all the files except some from a site, for example all the in a folder but gbatemp related in another, just create a gbatemp filter.
domain: gbatemp
file: all
folder: specific folder for gbatemp stuff

as of 0.9.3 I added referrer checking, so it might work even for direct linking files to another websites.

Edit :
I made a google code source page :
http://code.google.com/p/automatic-save-folder/

I had a little difficulty to understand how to use google code, and how tortoise works to submit, but now it's seems alright.

I added an issue report by users on mozilla so I added it on google page
and I already updated the source to add months names and abreviated months names (January, or Jan etc.)

I would like help with language files. If people want to help to translate the addon, it will be easier now with this svn website.
just contact me and leave your google mail/account name.
Thank you

Automatic Save Folder - Firefox Add-on

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