WW Firefox extension

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frd
Posts: 1429
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 8:45 pm

by frd

Hi all,
as an avid WW reader I have a problem (well more than one :lol: but let's focus on this one).
Weight weenies is about weights, in most threads we discuss weight of components.
Unfortunately nowadays the world is split in two: those who use metric units (:thumbup:) and those who use imperial units (:roll:).

To a lazy boy like me this means ending up switching to google all the time to write stuff like http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search , but at some point it starts getting annoying.

To solve the problem I am writing a Firefox extension that automatically converts units.
The idea is to simply replace every occurrence of "xy lbs" with "xy lbs (zw kg)" in the complete text (and of course the opposite for you overseas folks).

I have a first working version (still some bugs to correct), but I'm interested to hear suggestions.
What do you thing? Would someone find it useful? Should I also implement conversion for other units?

Happy rides
Frenk

by Weenie


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Alfie
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:09 pm
Location: The Netherlands

by Alfie

Great idea :!: it's usefull to have it in your toolbar just like the forecastfox extension.

an other sugestion is to use the converter on the WW-site :!: :?: (just an idea)

Alfie

frd
Posts: 1429
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 8:45 pm

by frd

good idea. In fact it's just a very small javascript function and it could be very easily embedded in the weight weenies website (just add the function in the page <head> and then add <body>)

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Hi|ikus
Posts: 582
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 2:46 am
Location: Brisbane, QLD, Australia

by Hi|ikus

Possibly a distance/speed conversion, Miles per hour to kilometers per hour. Great work regardless. :thumbup:
Shut up legs and do what I tell you!

2 wheels
Posts: 4898
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:56 am

by 2 wheels

Good idea frenk, actually I have had the same idea myself.

Are you familiar with the "Change" Firefox extension?
It does something similar to what you want but just with currency conversions instead of unit conversions.
You might find it useful for inspiration, maybe the two tools could even be integrated into one, so you could wither choose between currency conversion or diffferent unit conversions.
Check it out here: http://www.c-est-simple.com/change/

I use it all the time to convert between different currencies and it even automatically updates conversion rates on a daily basis.

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collideous
Posts: 476
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 5:53 am

by collideous

Simple bookmarklet, see lbs2kg.
blogging at 29in.ch

frd
Posts: 1429
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 8:45 pm

by frd

collideous wrote:Simple bookmarklet, see lbs2kg.


Hey that's about exactly the same regexp I came up with :D

I've had no time this week, maybe next week I'll finish the extension. I'll look at "change" also.

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Fabian
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 5:07 pm
Location: Black Forest, Germany

by Fabian

As a WW it is a duty to know some conversions. ;) :mrgreen:

kg -> lbs...../0,453
lbs -> kg.....*0,453

km/h -> mph...../1,609
mph -> km/h.....*1,609

Only complicated units like the body height are a bit more difficult. :?

So guys Image

BTW: nice idea!

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Frankie - B
Admin - In the industry
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Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Drenthe, Holland

by Frankie - B

If you click "HOME" you will see a converter button appearing in that same bar. Ok, maybe not as convenient as a FF extension, but helpfull indeed.

:thumbup:
'Tape was made to wrap your GF's gifts, NOT hold a freakin tire on.'
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2 wheels
Posts: 4898
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:56 am

by 2 wheels

frenk wrote:To solve the problem I am writing a Firefox extension that automatically converts units.
The idea is to simply replace every occurrence of "xy lbs" with "xy lbs (zw kg)" in the complete text (and of course the opposite for you overseas folks).

A Firefox extension called "Converter" to convert between imperial and metric units already exists. I have recently installed it myself.
Check it out here:
http://converter.mozdev.org
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2286/

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Boonen
Posts: 2407
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Europe

by Boonen

Frankie - B wrote:If you click "HOME" you will see a converter button appearing in that same bar. Ok, maybe not as convenient as a FF extension, but helpfull indeed.


I use this one as well, very usefull :thumbup:
If you use Firefox and want to use the converter a lot you could always have it opened in another tab.

by Weenie


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2 wheels
Posts: 4898
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:56 am

by 2 wheels

Boonen wrote:
Frankie - B wrote:If you click "HOME" you will see a converter button appearing in that same bar. Ok, maybe not as convenient as a FF extension, but helpfull indeed.


I use this one as well, very usefull :thumbup:
If you use Firefox and want to use the converter a lot you could always have it opened in another tab.

It's much much easier to use the Coverter extension I linked to. I only takes two mouse clicks to convert all units on a website. You shouldtry it out, it's very easy to use.

I also like the "Change" currency converter extension.

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