Reviews for WebScrapBook
WebScrapBook by Danny Lin
Review by alfio
Rated 3 out of 5
by alfio , 4 years agoImpossible to use. Continuously changes directory and I have not been able to make it stop. Tried to have it give a title to each file to no use. When I try to view the pages saved it tells meat the backend server is not configured but I am not using a backend server. I understand that it is not meant to replace Scrapbook but it has to be made simple to use otherwise it is of no use.
After the reply I have been able to set it up. Maybe it is just a lot different from Scrapbook and maybe it does a lot more but what I needed was a replacement for scrapbook which was simple to use.
I do not know what is the point to have a backend server to store web pages but perhaps someone has a need for that; the programs insists of storing the pages (before I had it incorrectly setup as storing each page in a different directory so it was continuously creating directories but it was my fault) in "the download directory"\scrapbook but the problem with me lies in using the "download directory" instead of allowing me to select a different one as for the original scrapbook so as to keep separate the download directory and the scrapbook directory.
The pages seem to be saved correctly but it really needed to have a sidebar where all the pages could be accessed from the browser instead of using a folder in windows (maybe there is a way to set ip this way but I have not been able to do it).
I cannot fault the program since now that it is setup it works but it is not a Scrapbook replacement since it is very different, maybe you should use a name as "savewebpages" instead. Based on this I reviewed the rating but if you could implement the changes, allow a directory different form "download directory" like Z:\_whatever\ and see the files on a sidebar you would get more. Please keep it simple.
After the reply I have been able to set it up. Maybe it is just a lot different from Scrapbook and maybe it does a lot more but what I needed was a replacement for scrapbook which was simple to use.
I do not know what is the point to have a backend server to store web pages but perhaps someone has a need for that; the programs insists of storing the pages (before I had it incorrectly setup as storing each page in a different directory so it was continuously creating directories but it was my fault) in "the download directory"\scrapbook but the problem with me lies in using the "download directory" instead of allowing me to select a different one as for the original scrapbook so as to keep separate the download directory and the scrapbook directory.
The pages seem to be saved correctly but it really needed to have a sidebar where all the pages could be accessed from the browser instead of using a folder in windows (maybe there is a way to set ip this way but I have not been able to do it).
I cannot fault the program since now that it is setup it works but it is not a Scrapbook replacement since it is very different, maybe you should use a name as "savewebpages" instead. Based on this I reviewed the rating but if you could implement the changes, allow a directory different form "download directory" like Z:\_whatever\ and see the files on a sidebar you would get more. Please keep it simple.
Developer response
posted 4 years agoThank you for the feedback.
Viewing the "scrapbook" (which lists saved pages in the sidebar) requires a backend server, that's why the error message appear when you attempt to open the sidebar without backend server configured. For more information you can visit the three principal approaches of using WebScrapBook (https://github.com/danny0838/webscrapbook/wiki/Intro#three-principal-approaches) and FAQ (https://github.com/danny0838/webscrapbook/wiki/FAQ) in our documentation wiki.
I really don't get “Continuously changes directory and I have not been able to make it stop. Tried to have it give a title to each file to no use.”, it may be needed to stated more clear for us to know about the situation you encounter.
Update 2020-10-12:
Seems the comment has been updated. Unfortunately this comment page is designed to comment for other users, not for the developer, and we are not notified when a comment has been updated. For a better discussion please raise an issue in the source repository, as the about page says.
Basically all points in the revised comment are already covered in the docs provided above:
1. Sidebar management IS supported. It's just that a backend server is required. This should be clear in the about page, the screenshots, and the docs.
2. Saving captures to any directory is restricted by the browser. There are basiclally three ways to workaround:
(1) Save capture as single file, and configure the browser to ask location for every download.
(2) Create a symbolic link
(3) Use backend server
For more details read the FAQ page.
It's currently not possible to keep it even simpler due to the browser restrictions, unfortunately.
Viewing the "scrapbook" (which lists saved pages in the sidebar) requires a backend server, that's why the error message appear when you attempt to open the sidebar without backend server configured. For more information you can visit the three principal approaches of using WebScrapBook (https://github.com/danny0838/webscrapbook/wiki/Intro#three-principal-approaches) and FAQ (https://github.com/danny0838/webscrapbook/wiki/FAQ) in our documentation wiki.
I really don't get “Continuously changes directory and I have not been able to make it stop. Tried to have it give a title to each file to no use.”, it may be needed to stated more clear for us to know about the situation you encounter.
Update 2020-10-12:
Seems the comment has been updated. Unfortunately this comment page is designed to comment for other users, not for the developer, and we are not notified when a comment has been updated. For a better discussion please raise an issue in the source repository, as the about page says.
Basically all points in the revised comment are already covered in the docs provided above:
1. Sidebar management IS supported. It's just that a backend server is required. This should be clear in the about page, the screenshots, and the docs.
2. Saving captures to any directory is restricted by the browser. There are basiclally three ways to workaround:
(1) Save capture as single file, and configure the browser to ask location for every download.
(2) Create a symbolic link
(3) Use backend server
For more details read the FAQ page.
It's currently not possible to keep it even simpler due to the browser restrictions, unfortunately.