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SmartSelect for Google Chrome adds customizable searching of highlighted text
Google Chrome's context menu doesn't present a wide array of functions -- copy, search, and inspect elements are about all you get when selecting text. The SmartSelect extension, however, lets you set up as many custom search options as you want.
By default, SmartSelect can search selected text with Google, Google Maps/Directions, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia. Adding new search engines is incredibly simple via the extension's options page. Just name your entry, paste in the appropriate search URL, and add [selected] where the highlighted text needs to appear.
Unfortunately, it's not so easy to add an icon for your newly-created search just now. If you want to add an icon, you'll need to drop a .PNG into the extension's folder (mine is located at C:\Users\Lee\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ppogmggnjkiajddfecpjbjicpcobmaef\1.0.2_0\img), and then enter the filename minus the extension on SmartSelect's options screen (download, not download.png).
You may also want to enable the Ctrl+click option to activate the extension; I found that the menu was a bit to eager to spring into action otherwise.
By default, SmartSelect can search selected text with Google, Google Maps/Directions, Dictionary.com, and Wikipedia. Adding new search engines is incredibly simple via the extension's options page. Just name your entry, paste in the appropriate search URL, and add [selected] where the highlighted text needs to appear.
Unfortunately, it's not so easy to add an icon for your newly-created search just now. If you want to add an icon, you'll need to drop a .PNG into the extension's folder (mine is located at C:\Users\Lee\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ppogmggnjkiajddfecpjbjicpcobmaef\1.0.2_0\img), and then enter the filename minus the extension on SmartSelect's options screen (download, not download.png).
You may also want to enable the Ctrl+click option to activate the extension; I found that the menu was a bit to eager to spring into action otherwise.
Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsBringoSep 7th 2010 12:51PM
Firefox has a similar add-on if you are interested
"Context Search"
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/240/
You can also add custom search engines using this add-on:
"Add to Search Bar"
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3682/
chrisSep 7th 2010 12:55PM
wow, the author clearly did not do any research before writing this article. Chrome recently updated it's extension API to allow access to the context menu.
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/ocpcmghnefmdhljkoiapafejjohldoga
the extension in the article is out dated and no longer has a purpose for existence.
Lee MathewsSep 7th 2010 12:56PM
What does the existence of the context menu API have to do with this particular extension? It's useful and customizable.
If it's not for you, that's fine -- but I don't think the ability to tap the context menu automatically makes this one useless.
Lee MathewsSep 7th 2010 12:57PM
Also, Chris, we have covered that API before:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/08/24/chrome-extensions-with-right-click-context-menus-coming-soon-an/
as well as at least one extension which uses it:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/08/27/context-menu-url-shortener-for-google-chrome-puts-bit-ly-sharing/
JonnySep 8th 2010 11:02AM
Based on that screen cap, if Sea Bass doesn't come up in that google search then it ain't worth it ;-)