Set custom cursors for links
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could know if clicking on a link will open a new window or if it will trigger a JavaScript function instead of just taking you to a different web page?
Well, it’s possible. Just add this code to the end of userContent.css, one of Firefox configuration files that you can find in the chrome subfolder of your profile folder to get different cursors depending on the type of link you are hovering.
Restart Firefox and now you will know a little more about those links.
Edit: As suggested in the comments. Link Alert, reviewed before, provides the same functionality plus details of the linked document type (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.) based on the file extension.
Comments
NicholasK
Wouldn’t it be easier/better to install the great Link Alert add-on that does the same job and supports more link targets (like Secure Sites, Email Links, JavaScript, Word and Excel docs, PDF Files, Zip Files, Applications, Text Files, Images, RSS Feeds, etc)?
David Naylor
There is a great extension that does this too. Link alert:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3199
There is also Target Alert, which appends icons at the end of links:
Bob
I like this. I’ll likely only use the JavaScript one though since I usually press CTRL+click to force my links into a new window. But very neat.
Percy Cabello
Brian, Nicholas and David, thanks for the suggestions. In fact in the past I reviewed Link Alert (http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/01/better-informed-clicks-with-link-alert/). Personally I prefer these kind of tweaks rather than extensions, but are worth mentioning in the article so I’ll update it. Didn’t know about Target Alert but it seems to be no longer maintained in Mozilla Add-ons. Do you know of a more updated version?
pligg.com
Set custom cursors for links : Mozilla Links
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could know if clicking on a link will open a new window or if it will trigger a JavaScript function instead of just taking you to a different web page? Well, it’s possible.
Bob
In follow-up to what I said before “I like this”, I too prefer to do this as a tweak rather than as an extension. I only wish that I could figure out how to modify the images in the tweak so that I could make my own images. With the extension, it is very easy to change an image or add new ones.
Percy Cabello
Bob, for creating cursors it doesn’t make a difference whether you use a tweak or a extension. I used ArtCursors to make the ones in the post (http://www.aha-soft.com/artcursors/). Then encoded them using this tool: http://software.hixie.ch/utilities/cgi/data/data Just make sure to check the Base64 checkbox.
Also, I read it doesn’t have to be a .cur file but haven’t tried it.
Brian Yi
Stylish is more user-friendly than userContent.css.
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