Upgrading Opera 12 to 32: organizing imported bookmarks

davidr

davidr

I just installed Opera 32, upgrading from v. 12.16. I found that I could import my bookmarks from the default browser (= Opera 12) during install; or by using Main Menu > More tools > Import bookmarks and settings after installing. This was a big relief, as I had hundreds of bookmarks (and a number of saved sessions and passwords) that I did not want to lose. They all imported OK (however, autofill did not; and sessions have to be managed quite differently in v. 32--see this thread).

But once the bookmarks were imported, I found organizing them extraordinarily difficult, for several reasons. First is the inability to select multiple bookmark items to manage using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click, as virtually all software allows these days. There's also the inability to delete an item from the bookmark list using the Del key; I had to right-click one item at a time and select Move to Trash. I understand that Opera is still under development, and we're all beta testers all the time, no matter what browser we use. But, seriously?

Worse yet is Opera's refusal to sort bookmark folders alphabetically unless commanded to do so, along with its refusal to sort subfolders alphabetically when sorting the parent folder. I had to right-click every single one of many dozens of folders and select Sort alphabetically. And any time a new bookmark is added to a folder, it seems to be added at the top of the list until you once again tell it manually to sort alphabetically. There is apparently no setting to cause Opera to do this obvious bit of sorting automatically. This is possibly the single most aggravating thing I have ever seen any software do. Yeah, yeah, under development, I'm a beta tester (could I at least get a T-shirt?); but this is not acceptable at any stage of released software.

Oh yes, and once I had the bookmarks organized, I then had to drag one folder at a time from Imported bookmarks to My folders--no multiple selection, remember? I'm pretty sure I spent more extra time doing things the hard way like this than it would have taken a capable programmer to have made the thing work right in the first place.

So that's my big complaint. Once set up, after a couple hours' work, the bookmarks function admirably; and overall I do like the new Opera's speed and ability to handle Websites that v. 12 just couldn't display any more. But organizing the imported bookmarks was a beast.

lando242

lando242

But, seriously?

You are missing half the commands. They don't use all the same commands as other browsers but their are alternatives. You can click and drag to select multiple bookmarks/folders. There is also check mark in the upper left corner/left side (depending on your view setting) that allows you do select multiple bookmarks. It appears by hovering your mouse cursor over the bookmark. This also shows the X button in the upper right/right side that allows you to delete a bookmark with 1 click.

This is possibly the single most aggravating thing I have ever seen any software do.

I know you are upset but there is no reason to exaggerate. Its unlikely for a developer to read your post so you are just complaining to other users here. I work at a service desk and let me tell you the people I support come up with some of the most aggravating garbage you've ever heard of when it comes to their software. You have no idea.

no multiple selection, remember?
I'm pretty sure I spent more extra time doing things the hard way like this than it would have taken a capable programmer to have made the thing work right in the first place.

PEBKAC error. Its self correcting. I be you will never have it happen again.

davidr

davidr

I've tried to reply twice, and both times it's been flagged for moderation, though I have been quite peaceable throughout. I will try to say as little as possible, and hope for the best.

PEBKAC - nice, I like that, and to some extent I agree. I knew I was only venting, not addressing the developers. IMHO, though, failure to do an automatic alphabetic sort (even in a program being rebuilt from the ground up) is pretty basic, given that the purpose of organizing bookmarks into folders is to be able to find them again later on.

As to multiple selection and dragging, we are talking about two different areas of the interface. I meant the Bookmarks sidebar on the left of the Ctrl+Shift+B Bookmarks screen, where there is no multiple selection. I did discover the checkmarks in the main page of that Bookmarks screen, and their utility in managing multiple bookmarks and folders. I should have updated my post, or at least specified what area I was talking about.

Two more tiny complaints. (1) While you can right-click on a folder in the sidebar and select Copy or Cut, you can't paste to another folder there, only in the main page on the Bookmarks screen. Secondly, the Help page speaks of "the Share folder button in the upper-right of the screen," and "the Shared by Me folder, toward the bottom of the bookmark manager's sidebar." I can't see either of these things on the Bookmark's screen. Are they there?

So, "You are missing half the commands" may be something of an exaggeration too. There really are some commands missing on the sidebar, IMHO. But I appreciate your remarks here, lando, and the help you've given me on other threads. Peace.

lando242

lando242

automatic alphabetic sort

I would murder someone if they automatically sorted my bookmarks. The only time that ever happened to me (and I was okay with it) was when I had to restore some bookmarks after a hard drive failed. If my bookmarks were sorted just from importing them from somewhere else I would have a serious issue with that. Especially since the title of many of my bookmarks would have very little to do where where I would want them to appear in my folders. Yeah, Opera's sorting features are basic.

I meant the Bookmarks sidebar on the left of the Ctrl+Shift+B Bookmarks screen

Right, the side menu in there is limited. It was only an update or two that you could even see the folders as an expandable tree instead of just the first round of folders inside My Folders and nothing nested further in. So its still very much a work in progress.

Are they there?

Nope. The feature was removed. I guess they didn't update the help files.

davidr

davidr

Thanks for all this. Different strokes as far as sorting bookmarks go. I give mine shortish names that seem relevant, and then I can go through a long list alphabetically to find what I want. And I do tend to have long lists in folders that have stuff that's important to me. If it's just a few items, I might sort them by priority. For larger lists, I use the trick of starting a name with * or - or #, etc., to move it to the top of an alpha sort.