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<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.151.jpe" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.15"/>Did you know that you can customize the way you see a website in your browser?  We’ve all heard of the <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/greasemonkey-firefox-addon/">Greasemonkey add-on for Firefox, right?  If not, check out the articles <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/20-must-see-greasemonkey-addonsno-technical-knowledge-req/">that <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-cool-greasemonkey-scripts-to-rock-your-friendfeed/">have <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-turn-greasemonkey-scripts-into-firefox-extensions/">been <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-ten-flickr-greasemonkey-scripts/">written here on MakeUseOf and you’ll be sure to find out some neat stuff about it.

Basically, Greasemonkey allows users to write and implement scripts that customize the way you interact with websites.

Until now, people who knew nothing about writing scripts have been limited to just installing scripts made available by others.  Well, not anymore my friends!  Now we have a whole new, user-friendly, no scripting necessary way of changing the way we interact with our favorite websites.  Sound too good to be true?  I thought so too!  Please check out the <a HREF="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11759">Customize Your Web Firefox add-on.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.21.jpe" WIDTH="394" HEIGHT="98" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.2"/>

The way this add-on works is really neat.  Basically when you are on a site you want to customize Firefox, click on the hand-dandy icon in your Firefox tray and start customizing.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.19.jpe" WIDTH="133" HEIGHT="98" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.1"/>

In this post I would like to walk you through how to set up a few customizations I have found useful.

Automatic clicking

With this add-on you can make it so that a specific button is clicked upon the load of a website.  For instance, when I head over to the login screen for my blog, <a HREF="http://timmyjohnboy.com">timmyjohnboy, I always have to click on “log in.”  I already have the username and password fields auto-filled but perhaps I’m just too lazy to click the stupid button.  Come on, you can’t tell me you’ve never felt that way!

Anyways, just click on the icon (or press F10) and you’ll be given a bunch of options.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.38.jpe" WIDTH="394" HEIGHT="613" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.3"/>

You’ll also notice that as you move your mouse across the site, the objects highlight and if you click them, you’re given some options.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.42.jpe" WIDTH="346" HEIGHT="344" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.4"/>

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.61.jpe" WIDTH="234" HEIGHT="402" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.6"/>

For what we want to do, and that is saving us from the overbearing task of clicking the “log in” button, click “click.”  Then a window pops up giving you the options you’re looking for.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.71.jpe" WIDTH="456" HEIGHT="506" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.7"/>

Make sure the left button is chosen and make sure that the repetition behavior is set to “run always” if you want this to happen every time.  Then, hit “OK.”  Then, in the script properties sidebar, click save for the settings to be saved.

OK, now I can be automatically logged in just by making a few adjustments!  This can obviously be done for any website where you want to automatically click any button.

Get ride of elements you don’t want to see!

For the sake of demonstration, let’s head over to <a HREF="http://GodlySheep.com">GodlySheep and get rid of Brett’s nifty little sheep icon!  OK, I am not saying that I don’t like the icon, I really do!  It just makes a really good object to make an example of!

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.81.jpe" WIDTH="160" HEIGHT="124" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.8"/>

Basically just follow the same steps (browse to godlysheep.com, click the icon in the tray, and click on the sheep graphic) but this time click on “remove.”

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.92.jpe" WIDTH="299" HEIGHT="375" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.9"/>

Just like before, make sure that the repetition behavior is set to “run always.”  Then click the same “save” button.  This is what you should now see:

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.102.jpe" WIDTH="313" HEIGHT="337" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.10"/>

Cool, huh?  This trick can be applied to many different objects, including ads!  For instance, if you’re like me and you hate those MySpace ads, all you have to do if remove them!

Move objects or elements (cut, copy, and paste)

Let’s say we also want to rearrange the sidebar on GodlySheep.com to better suit your usage patterns.  Let’s move the banner below the navigation links.  All it takes is some simple cut and paste actions.  Click the banner and then click cut,

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.121.jpe" WIDTH="187" HEIGHT="300" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.12"/>

choose the appropriate settings, and then click the navigation area and click paste after.

<img SRC="http://blog.amit-agarwal.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/screenshot.142.jpe" WIDTH="221" HEIGHT="118" ALIGN="bottom" ALT="screenshot.14"/>

That’s all it really takes.  Always make sure you save your changes.

It is also necessary for me to mention that changes you make can ALWAYS be deleted so don’t worry too much about ruining something. You can also do many MANY more modifications with Customize Your Web, including toggling the visibility of objects, keyboard shortcuts and so much more!

Whilst exploring this add-on to customize Firefox, let us know what tricks you like the most!

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ <a HREF="http://www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/">www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

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