Edit of backed up bookmarks file

[Jojo Yee]

When I first tried to import a bookmark html file using Linkman, I chose importing from "Chrome bookmark" and was prompted that "the function is available to the paid Pro version", so I gave up. Seeing Rhiannon's post (thanks Rhiannon), I gave Linkman another try. I chose "Netscape bookmark" to import my bookmark html file, it worked with the free Lite version.

Linkman allows me to drag-and-drop items in a tree structure. Adding a new URL is much easier than TreeLine. Better still, when I'm on a webpage, I can add that page link to the list conveniently by right-clicking a folder and selecting "Add URL from browser". Exporting to a bookmark html file by selecting "Netscape bookmark..." is also allowed with the free version.

Another standalone bookmark manager vbBKM also supports import and export of bookmark html file but I notice that it lacks a handy feature to move the items around in a tree structure by drag-and-drop.

The exported html file from both Linkman and vbBKM keeps the document type quite well and similar to those exported from a broswer. The exported bookmark html file opened up with Notepad++ looks something like this.

<!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE-Bookmark-file-1>
<!-- This is an automatically generated file.
It will be read and overwritten.
Do Not Edit! -->
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; chxxxxt=UTF-8">
<title>Exported bookmarks</title>
<h1>Exported bookmarks</h1>
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[rhiannon]

Originally Posted by Jojoyee

When I first tried to import a bookmark html file using Linkman, I chose importing from "Chrome bookmark" and was prompted that "the function is available to the paid Pro version", so I gave up. Seeing Rhiannon's post (thanks Rhiannon), I gave Linkman another try. I chose "Netscape bookmark" to import my bookmark html file, it worked with the free Lite version.

Linkman allows me to drag-and-drop items in a tree structure. Adding a new URL is much easier than TreeLine. Better still, when I'm on a webpage, I can add that page link to the list conveniently by right-clicking a folder and selecting "Add URL from browser". Exporting to a bookmark html file by selecting "Netscape bookmark..." is also allowed with the free version.

One little tip for using Linkman - you can usually export your browser bookmarks as an .html file via the bookmark manager - then you can import them easily to Linkman since they are regular .html files.

When you're done organizing bookmarks, you can export them as an .html file (labeled plain IE favorites in Linkman).
From there, you can import them back into your browser, though I really prefer to use the free version of a freeware program called Transmute since it's compatible with most browser bookmarks, including Firefox's .json format. There's a portable version of Transmute for those of us who enjoy portable apps.

[Jojo Yee]

Originally Posted by rhiannon

... I really prefer to use the free version of a freeware program called Transmute since it's compatible with most browser bookmarks, including Firefox's .json format. There's a portable version of Transmute for those of us who enjoy portable apps.

Thanks for mentioning Transmute, which is good for transferring the bookmarks from one browser to another directly without the steps to be taken by users to export bookmarks from one browser and go to another browser to import them.

Here are two notes though on Linkman:

1. When I export bookmarks to "plain IE favorites" using Linkman Lite, it creates folders in the system viewable in Windows Explorer rather than creating an html file. (or I must have missed out something?)

2. If I export bookmarks to "Html linkpage" using Linkman Lite, it creates an html file with the document type declaration as <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">. If I export bookmarks to "Netscape Bookmarks...", it creates an html file with the document type declaration as <!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE- Bookmark-file-1>. Both the exported files carry the same file extension .html or .htm, but the elements used in the exported html/htm files are quite different. If I'm not mistaken, only the doctype Netscape Bookmark file (so called "bookmark html file") can be imported to a browser such as Firefox with no issue.

[rhiannon]

Originally Posted by Jojoyee

Thanks for mentioning Transmute, which is good for transferring the bookmarks from one browser to another directly without the steps to be taken by users to export bookmarks from one browser and go to another browser to import them.

Here are two notes though on Linkman:

1. When I export bookmarks to "plain IE favorites" using Linkman Lite, it creates folders in the system viewable in Windows Explorer rather than creating an html file. (or I must have missed out something?)

2. If I export bookmarks to "Html linkpage" using Linkman Lite, it creates an html file with the document type declaration as <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">. If I export bookmarks to "Netscape Bookmarks...", it creates an html file with the document type declaration as <!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE- Bookmark-file-1>. Both the exported files carry the same file extension .html or .htm, but the elements used in the exported html/htm files are quite different. If I'm not mistaken, only the doctype Netscape Bookmark file (so called "bookmark html file") can be imported to a browser such as Firefox with no issue.

You didn't miss anything Jojo.
Exporting to Plain IE Favorites adds the bookmarks back to IE.

Export from Linkman using Firefox 2/K-Meleon creates an HTML file.

The exported bookmarks using Firefox 2/K-Meleon will import into Firefox, Chrome, and IE using the bookmark manager (or, for IE, the Organizer)
using Import HTML (or import from file in IE).
I've always used "bookmarks.html" to import/export with no problem - I haven't tried re-naming the file or changing the extension.

That's all the browsers I have installed at the moment, but I think most browsers would import an .html file with no problem.
I had Safari installed a month or so ago and used the same method (export as bookmarks.html from Firefox, imported bookmarks.html from inside Safari) with Safari - it worked fine.

[Jojo Yee]

Originally Posted by rhiannon

Export from Linkman using Firefox 2/K-Meleon creates an HTML file.

The exported bookmarks using Firefox 2/K-Meleon will import into Firefox, Chrome, and IE using the bookmark manager (or, for IE, the Organizer)
using Import HTML (or import from file in IE).

You're right Rhiannon, I've had a check on the doctype of the html file exported from Linkman to "Firefox 2 /K-Meleon Bookmarks..." and yes it is <!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE- Bookmark-file-1>. In that sense, Linkman Lite is exporting bookmarks to an html file with the Netscape bookmark doctype either you select "Firefox 2 /K-Meleon Bookmarks..." or "Netscape Bookmark..." to export the bookmarks to.

That's all the browsers I have installed at the moment, but I think most browsers would import an .html file with no problem.

I had Safari installed a month or so ago and used the same method (export as bookmarks.html from Firefox, imported bookmarks.html from inside Safari) with Safari - it worked fine.

Agreed. A browser (FF, Chrome, IE, etc) exports and imports an html file seamlessly so long as the html file is using the Netscape bookmark doc-type irrespective of the file name.

[26Dolphins]

Hi,

I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions and experience offered here.
Looks like I've got quite some trying out to do. I'll be back after I get some results.

Thanks again,
26Dolphins