MetaSearch Using Oracle MetaLink Search Plus

MetaSearch Using Oracle MetaLink Search Plus

Oracle MetaLink Search Plus is a very useful Greasemonkey script. It adds links to more search options from inside the Oracle Metalink search results page.

metalink.png

What does this script do?

After you install the script (see below for instructions), whenever you use the Quick Find to search for something on MetaLink, links are added just below the Quick Find search bar. The links are shortcuts to search results using the following search engines: Oracle documentation, blogs, public forums and mailing lists, AskTom, search.oracle.com and Google. Clicking on a link will open the corresponding search results page in a new window. The search is executed based on the search term that you have entered in the MetaLink Quick Find search box; You do not have to re-enter your search term.

How do I install the script?

Follow these three steps in order:

  1. Install Firefox: If you do not use the Firefox browser, now is a great time to switch. Skip this step if you already have Firefox, otherwise download and install it from mozilla.com.

  2. Install Greasemonkey: This is a Firefox extension that will allow you to manage and run user scripts from within the Firefox browser. User scripts are bits of JavaScript code that allow you to customize the way a web page displays or functions. Skip this step if you already have this extension installed, otherwise download and install it from addons.mozilla.org. Make sure you restart Firefox after you install Greasemonkey.

  3. Install Oracle MetaLink Search Plus: Just click on this link and then click the install button. It will be added to the list of available user scripts as shown below:

metalink_greasemonkey.png

How do I use the script?

Just login to MetaLink and simply perform a search from the Quick Find bar.

Who created the script?

I did. I added links to the most common Oracle related search engines in addition to Google, but if you have other suggestions please let me know.

Are there other useful user scripts out there?

Yes. there are hundreds of user scripts on userscripts.org. From the screen shot above you can see that I use a couple of them: Google Cached Text and Google Cache Continue. I wrote an article a few months ago about how you can use these two user scripts to browse the Web safely and anonymously.

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