[Brad]

UPDATE (05 June 2006): Please read this and then read my more recent posts later in the thread. I've released an update that addresses a bug in Shiira's code.


UPDATE (18 May 2006): Please read this and then read my more recent posts later in the thread. I've released an update that adds some features to Shiira.


UPDATE (09 May 2006): Please read this and then read my more recent posts later in the thread. I've released an update that addresses another bug in Shiira's code.


----------

There are a few things that have bugged me about Shiira, but I've managed to work around them and keep Shiira as my default browser. A few days ago, though, I decided it was time to figure out what I could do about two of them. One was very easy; the other took some code-mining and a couple of recompiles.

First of all, there are conflicting menu shortcuts for Shiira. Command-shift-L is mapped to both File -> "E-mail Page Location" and Window -> "Downloads Panel"; command-option-L is mapped to both File -> "E-mail Page Contents" and Window -> "Show Downloads in Sidebar". I never use the e-mail feature but I frequently check downloads; so, I killed the former.

Secondly, I've never liked how the URL and Search toolbar fields are so small. After digging through the source, I've found that they are basically standard Aqua controls with the "small" size option applied. I've changed that. Now, they both use the "normal" size and are much more legible by default, but they switch back to the smaller versions if you choose "Use Small Size" for the toolbar.

I don't know if these little things have bothered anyone else here, but I figured I'd share my customized version just in case. If you use this modified version, please let me know what you think.

Download Brad's modified Shiira 1.2.2+

edit: Oh, I'm providing this with no support. If it causes any problems, I take no responsibility.
edit2: I guess I should mention the license since I'm redistributing it...

Copyright 2004 The Shiira Project. All rights reserved.Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:  1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions   and the following disclaimer.  2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of   conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided   with the distribution.THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE SHIIRA PROJECT ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE SHIIRA PROJECT OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

[chucker]

U r teh king.

[Wickers]

If you ever need a mirror for that file, give me a shout.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by chucker U r teh king.

I take that to mean those things bugged you too?

[Wickers]

Oh, and have you submitted the changes to Shiira developers yet?

If they don't bite I'd consider forking, creating a small project page, and setting up a paypal account for donations to your fork.



EDIT: I mean, poking around and see if there are other features or changes people want but the Shiira team is not working on, or does not want. If there is a demand, it could be a neat project for yourself.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Brad I take that to mean those things bugged you too?

Well, suffice to say, it's a step forward. I'm still not quite sure if I can make this my main browser just yet, although it does seem quite a bit snappier™.

[chucker]

I can't seem to set the default browser, nor the default RSS reader (and it ignores Safari's setting on that), in Shiira.

[chucker]

ARGH, shift-cmd-← and shift-cmd-→ (alternatively) switch between tabs , making manipulating the URL bar much more annoying than it could be.

[World Leader Pretend]

I'm using it right now and it seems fine, although I can't really tell any difference with the length of the search field. On my screen it only reads "Goog" and isn't big enough to display the whole word "Google". Is there a way to change this?

Otherwise, great work Brad!!

[CFP]

This version of Shiira requires OS X Tiger, right? I'm currently only running 10.2.8 (whichever cat that is).

It's a shame if it does. I've recently switched from Safari to Camino, as my version of Safari didn't support tabs, but it's sooo slow.

[turbulentfurball]

Shiira requires 10.3.9. You have Jaguar

[CFP]

Drat and darnation. That's what I get for computing in the Dark Ages. My Jaguar's one tired pussy.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by World Leader Pretend On my screen it only reads "Goog" and isn't big enough to display the whole word "Google". Is there a way to change this?

Put your cursor on either the right or left edge of the search box and drag to resize it.

[turbulentfurball]

I had never used Shiira until I read this thread, and I'm very impressed. Safari has gone from my dock

[World Leader Pretend]

Originally Posted by Brad Put your cursor on either the right or left edge of the search box and drag to resize it.

Thanks, I never noticed that before!

[PKIDelirium]

Originally Posted by turbulentfurball I had never used Shiira until I read this thread, and I'm very impressed. Safari has gone from my dock

Where's the love for Safari? It's been set to my default browser since Day 1.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by PKIDelirium Where's the love for Safari? It's been set to my default browser since Day 1.

I still like Safari. After all, Safari's WebKit engine is what powers Shiira. However, Safari's development has seriously stagnated. Practically no improvements, save for RSS, have been made to the application itself for years, since 1.0 was released in 2003. There are lots of things that could have been making better, but Apple seems not to care.

That's where Shiira and others step in.

Shiira utilizes the same great engine that powers Safari, but it wraps that up into a UI that supports many additional features that we users have been hoping Apple would put into Safari. Here are some of my own reasons for migrating to Shiira.

Safari was my #1 browser right up until Shiira. I hold no allegiance to a piece of software just because it bears Apple's or anyone else's name. I choose the best tool for the job. Safari simply is no longer that tool.

[copland]

This approach to improve an application just to the point that it's good enough and not the best available, reminds me of some other company .... It will come back to my mind.

[copland]

Tried Shiira before, but it didn't realy cut it for me. I will give Brad's shiira a try.

[ast3r3x]

Originally Posted by chucker ARGH, shift-cmd-← and shift-cmd-→ (alternatively) switch between tabs , making manipulating the URL bar much more annoying than it could be.

Very annoying, this is true.

[Hassan i Sabbah]

Does anyone else have problems with Shiira rendering non-Latin characters?

Something else that bugs me about Shiira is that if you want to enter a .co.uk url you have to include a 'www'. Kinda annoying...

For these reasons I'm still a Safari-ite. Although my copy of Safari seems to be broken and Apple won't let you download a new one.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Hassan i Sabbah Does anyone else have problems with Shiira rendering non-Latin characters?

Yes, but only on websites that are horribly broken anyway. Such as, y'know, AI.

For these reasons I'm still a Safari-ite. Although my copy of Safari seems to be broken and Apple won't let you download a new one.

Install from your OS X DVD (/System/Installation/Packages/Safari.pkg), then install the combo updater on top.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Hassan i Sabbah Does anyone else have problems with Shiira rendering non-Latin characters?

As chucker said, it's only a problem for horribly written websites that don't define a character set in the header.

Simple temporary fix: View -> Text Encoding -> Western (ISO Latin 1)

Yes, there's a preference to set a default encoding, but it's broken and usually is ignored for some reason, sticking to the original developer's original Japanse character set, I believe. Maybe I'll try to hunt down that one in the source later too.

[thegelding]

mmm, might have to give it a try again...first try it crashed on me about three times in a day so i chucked it (a round house kick to the head) and went back to safari

g

[macleod]

I have a question about Shiira. When I click the address bar to type in a new web page address it doesn't highlight the text so I can just type over it without having to highlight it myself. Is there any way to change this? It happens in both the traditional Shirra and Brad's version (which is GREAT by the way! Thanks so much for posting the link to it. I really like it!). Thanks for the help!

[Majost]

Originally Posted by MACleod I have a question about Shiira. When I click the address bar to type in a new web page address it doesn't highlight the text so I can just type over it without having to highlight it myself. Is there any way to change this? It happens in both the traditional Shirra and Brad's version (which is GREAT by the way! Thanks so much for posting the link to it. I really like it!). Thanks for the help!

Yeah, that's actually the *correct* behavior. Text fields are only supposed to be activated by a click, not highlighted. It was IE's move to the *bad* behavior that trained everyone for the single-click highlight. Be careful what you say, or the User Interface geeks around here will jump all over you.

Two ways around it: Triple-click (admittedly a pain), or click on the favicon icon (my choice - simply because it is *consistent* across all browsers that I've ever used)

Edit: Or a third: cmd-L. I actually probably use this one more often than the other two above. But it doesn't work in IE. But only rarely am I in a situation where I have to use IE.

[turbulentfurball]

Hmm... I can't log into my University's web-mail using Shiira. When I enter my username and password, I get an error message saying 'authentication cancelled'. The site uses https. Is this a common issue, or I have I missed something?

[Brad]

I've never had any login issues with my university, home, or work webmail systems, all of which use HTTPS. It must be something done badly with that particular site.

[turbulentfurball]

Thanks, Brad. It's strange. I've used Safari, Firefox for Windows and OS X, IE for Windows and never had an issue. I'll drop the IT department an email.

[Hassan i Sabbah]

Hey, cool, thanks for the text encoding tip thingie. I hadn't thought of that.