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I used a bookmarklet and nothing happened!
Many bookmarklets simply don't work if the webpage is framed (i.e., divided into separate panels). Notably most of the search bookmarklets don't work on framed webpages. This is because a framed webpage actually consists of several documents, so it may not make sense to treat it as a single document. For example, if you use the "Page Freshness" bookmarklet (which gives the last modified date of the document) then there may not be a single last modified date - the various documents may have been modified at different times.
Fortunately there is an antidote: pull one frame out of the rest of the frames. You can do that and then use the bookmarklet on the single frame. For Netscape, right click and choose "New Window with this Frame". For Explorer on Macintosh, right click and choose "Open Window with this Frame". For Explorer on other platforms, use the Biggest Frame to Top bookmarklet. On Windows, you can add "Open Frame in New Window" to Explorer 5 with Web Accessories.
If you aren't sure whether or not the page is framed (it can be hard to tell sometimes), you can use the "Number of Frames" bookmarklet (under Page Data) and see if the number is bigger than zero.
In some cases there is a frames version of the same bookmarklet. In other cases you will be warned that the page has frames. But most of the time there wasn't enough room to do either of these, so you just have to be aware of the problem.
I got a JavaScript error message!
This really shouldn't happen but there are a few circumstances where it will:
- You put a weird input into a bookmarklet. For example, if you use the "Calculator..." bookmarklet and you put in something unexpected (something which isn't an arithmetic formula, such as a word) then you will trigger an error. Unfortunately there isn't enough room in a bookmarklet to trap errors like this; you will just have to avoid using a bookmarklet for something for which it is not intended.
- You have a bookmarklet for a different platform. You might be trying to use a Netscape-only bookmarklet in Internet Explorer, or vice versa. This shouldn't happen if you get your bookmarklets from this site; great care has been taken to insure that you can't keep a bookmarklet for a different platform than the one you are using. But if you move your bookmarks from one browser to another, or if a friend sends you one, then there is this risk. The solution is to delete the bookmarklet and replace it with the "same" bookmarklet from this site.
- There is an error in the bookmarklet. Because bookmarklets are so simple and have been tested on all major platforms, this is not a likely possibility. Furthermore, this site has built-in error detection (if an error occurs while someone is testing a bookmarklet the error and platform are logged.) However, nobody is perfect; if you think that this is the cause please send a bug report, giving the name of the bookmarklet, the page where the error occurred, and any other details you can provide.
- You are using Explorer on a framed page. As discussed above, some bookmarklets don't work on framed webpages. With Netscape they usually fail silently, but Explorer might put up an error message (possibly complaining about the "object"). See the discussion above about dealing with frames.
- A framed page contains a page from a different domain. If one of the frames from a framed page comes from a different domain than the one listed in the Location/Address box, even the bookmarklets which handle frames will fail. See the discussion above about dealing with frames.
If errors are reported they will be corrected; delete your bookmarklet and replace it with the latest version.
In any case, a JavaScript error message is more of a nuisance than anything else; no damage can come to your machine because of a JavaScript error.
I can't see the entire name of a bookmarklet when it is in my personal toolbar!
You can edit bookmarklet names the same way you edit the name of any bookmark or favorite. Choose a shorter name which will be memorable for you.
I used a Search Bookmarklet and got a "File not Found" message!
Search Bookmarklets use external sites and so have the same problem as any link; the sites may disappear or change addresses. If this happens please send a bug report giving the name of the search bookmarklet. An attempt will be made to replace it with a site address that works.
I want to use a Search Bookmarklet but I can't see my selection!
If the background color of the page and the color used to indicate selections are the same it becomes difficult to see the selection. You can do the selection anyway; it should work. Alternately, use the "Change Page Color" bookmarklet (under Page Look) to change the background color of the page (however, see below).
I used "Change Page Color" but the background color didn't change!
This happens on Netscape when the page has a background image. The background image obscures the page color behind it.
It says something like "javascript:xyz..." in my tooltips, location box, etc.!
This is normal. Bookmarklets use the javascript protocol instead of the more familiar http protocol so you might see javascript code in the same places where you usually see a web address. Similarly, if you bookmark an email address you will see the less familiar mailto protocol in those places.
I'm using Netscape 4.06 (or higher) on a Macintosh and a bookmarklet isn't working!
Try moving the bookmarklet from your Bookmarks menu to your Apple Menu; that should get it to work. Here's how to move a bookmarklet to your Apple Menu.
I need tips or help for a particular bookmarklet!
Any tips or notes are listed in the description of the bookmarklet. To find the description for a particular offline bookmarklet, click through the list of offline bookmarklets.
If these answers don't solve your bookmarklets problem please ask a question about your problem so this page can be updated to help others. Thanks.
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