Re: Survey: how do you view links in a external browser?

["Robert D. Crawford" <robdcraw@gmail.com>]

jidanni@jidanni.org writes:

> How do fellows usually view links in a external browser when reading a
> message in gnus?

Well, I use emacs/w3 for almost all of my browsing.  I am only partially
sighted and emacs/w3 gives me the best experience.  Some pages don't
cooperate with w3 and I open them in w3m.  Other times I use firefox
under orca.  Below is what you will want to do.  I've commented within
the defun.

(defun rdc-gnus-open-in-browser (&optional arg)
  "opens the link under point in browser
numeric argument calls alternate browser"
  (interactive "p")
  ;; the next few lines are not useful to you
  ;;  (dtk-speak "Opening URL in GUI browser")
  ;;  (let ((emacspeak-speak-messages nil))
    (goto-char (point-min))
    (search-forward-regexp "link")
    ;; the next line moves into the word "link"
    (backward-char 2)
    (if (= arg 4)
        (setq browser-command-string "chrome ")
      (setq browser-command-string "firefox "))
    (shell-command  (concat browser-command-string
                            "\""
                            (if (eq browse-url-browser-function
                                    'browse-url-w3)
                                (w3-view-this-url)
                              (w3m-print-this-url)
                            "\""
                            nil nil))))

This is what I use for rss feed links and should give you a starting
point to adapt it to opening regular urls.  I just tested it under w3m
and it fails.  Sorry, but I don't have the time to figure out how to do
it properly.  The problem is w3m-print-this-url.  You need a function
that returns the url, not sends it to the kill-ring.  Not sure what I
was thinking when I wrote it.

> But to view them externally, the best we can do is copy/kill the region
> containing the link, then change to our Firefox etc. browser window, and
> paste it into the URL bar, and hit RET.

You have to think outside the box.  Almost anything is possible within
emacs, you just have to have the motivation to figure out how to do it.
All of emacs was created by people who had an itch to scratch.

I just sent myself an email containing a text link.  While point was on
the link I called browse-url-firefox via M-x.  It asked me what url with
the default being the link at point.  Assign a key to call this function
and Bob's your uncle.

> Rather cavewomanish in this day and age.

The tools are there you just have to put in the effort to learn how to
use them.

> Or one can click them, and then in emacs-w3m hit M. Browsing the same
> link twice.
>
> It's all because gnus-version "Gnus v5.13" lacks right click menus.

Seems a bit rude for someone who is both asking for help and unwilling
to search out the tools to help themselves.

rdc
-- 
Robert D. Crawford                                     robdcraw@gmail.com