Please Label PDF Links
I don't think there's anything more irritating than browsing along and seeing something interesting only to click on it and have Acrobat hijack your browser. It's like flying along on the highway and then hitting a 3 foot deep patch of water. Things just slow to a crawl and you can't use your back button to rewind time and pretend you never clicked on the infernal link.
This is my personal plea for anyone who doesn't label their PDF links to start doing so. In case you need motivation to start doing this, I provide you with the following perspective. I'm browsing along happily in Firefox, minding my own business when I see a link to something wonderful. I excitedly click on the link looking forward to the wonderful new information I'm about to gain. Then everything slows down kind of like bullet-time in the Matrix. That's when I first realize that Acrobat is trying to take over my browser.
9 times out of 10, the PDF is large enough that I end up closing my Firefox session and starting over. When that happens, I tend to not return to the site. It's not even malicious, I usually just can't find my way back. Anyways, I decided I'd try to make it as easy as possible for everybody to start labeling their PDF links.
The first, and easiest method I suggest is to type the characters "PDF" inside of your hyperlink. I understand the additional effort this takes, but I think you'll find it worth it.
If that's not hot enough for you, I've compiled the following list of PDF icons for you to use. Create a "PDF" class for styling links with a background image icon.
Lastly, if you still aren't happy, just use an old-fashioned img tag to put one of these wonderful little images next to your link.
All of these came off of Google Image search, I just picked the ones that looked ok, and threw in a couple of larger ones for people who want to play around and make their own.
Additionally, if anybody out there could create a Firefox extension that would automatically add some kind of PDF label to links to PDF's, I would be forever indebted to you.
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There is a FIrefox extension called TargetAlert that does exactly as you ask. It will add icons to PDF links along with many other configurable target types.
Couldn't agree more! I usually keep and eye on the bottom left part of my browser when hovering links. But still - I do this once in a while, and I hate it big time..
The new Acrobat Reader 7.0 is supposed to be quicker. I've found that to be true - what is your opinion?
That is the absolute Firefox extension I'v seen yet. Just installed on the Mac version of 1.0 and it works great!
geof
I'm with you.
The same goes for opening links in new windows. Sites that insist on interrupting my browsing should clearly label any links that open in a new window so I can override that manually.
I do recommend to all who'll listen that you configure your browser to open Adobe (reader/acrobat) externally and not within the browser anyway, it greatly improves browser performance.
Yep! That's a nice extension! But what about changing the icons? I would really like my own small set of icons..
Anyone?
Good points all. I've added the extension and changed the links to open externally in Acrobat. So far so good.
You also could use something like
a[href$="pdf"] { padding-left: 17px; background: transparent url(http://www.yourtotalsite.com/archives/usability/please_label_pdf_links/pdf11.gif) no-repeat top left; }
in your userContent.css file.
TargetAlert won't let you customize icons in this version but that functionality is listed in Michael's future goals.
Alternatively,
a[href$="pdf"]:before { content: url("http://www.yourtotalsite.com/archives/usability/please_label_pdf_links/pdf0.gif"); }
or
a[href$="pdf"]:after { content: url("http://www.yourtotalsite.com/archives/usability/please_label_pdf_links/pdf0.gif"); }
Yes, that looks like a better way to do it.
I don't know about you, but when I'm flying down the highway, I'm always on the lookout for what's in front of me. By that same logic, I'm always looking at where I'm going via the status bar. I understand what you're getting at, but there's also the matter of users just using common sense.
The only way I might click on a link to a PDF is if the status bar is hijacked by some lame Javascript message. In fact, I'd rather make a plea to either stop doing that, or use it as a more friendly label.
By the way, I do like that Safari does this. Even if you have a modifier key pressed, it will tell you what's about to happen when you click on any given link (open in new window, open in new tab, download to disk, etc.).
You're right robert, but it's not uncommon to have situations where the status bar isn't there. As in popup windows and such.
To me the extension , barring that you can't adjust the icons, makes it so much easier. Keep in mind, the status bar doesn't exactly use large text, and it takes a little more effort to move the mouse to your target, then have your eyes move to the status bar.
That's assuming that during that time the mouse hasn't accidentally moved. I know I'm being nitpicky, but that status bar has just never quite served me well enough.
In my Adobe Reader I just turn off "Display PDF in Browser" so that when I click on a link to a PDF it opens the reader separately (not inside a browser window).
BTW, can anyone explain how to reference a local image in userContent.css?
On a mac you can have pdfs open in Preview (external to the browser as others have suggested), which is quick and tidy and not intrusive.
I've wrote a customizable script which can handle other file-types as well.
Nice writing and comments!
I did a little looking and found a way to change the icons in the TargetAlert extension. It's not tough, but you have to do some digging.
Find the directory for the extension on your machine. On Windows (now sure where the extensions are on Mac) it should be in: C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\profiles\default___\extenstions\ You may have to look around to find what directory that sepcific extension is located in. I just looked at the date installed.
In the TargetAlert extension directory there should be a chrome directory with a .jar file in it. Use winzip to extract the contents of the .jar file. You should see two a bunch of images in \content\skin\ of the extracted directories. The skin directory contains all of the images for the little icons. There is a .gif and a .png for each icon. Open the ones you want changed in your favorite image app, save 'em, re-compress everything back into a .jar file (use winzip again). Bam... you've got customized icons for TargetAlert.
Nice find Scott. I'll have to give that a shot tonight.
Firefox users don't have to put up with hidden status bars or messages obscuring URLs. Just go to Tools > Options, Web Features and click the "Advanced" button on the JavaScript line.
From there, it's easy to disable the ability for scripts to move windows, change/hide the status bar, etc.