Nihal
Vala
Have you ever wanted to use the correct punctuation on your browser but couldn't bother to memorize all the ALT+Key codes? Don't you remember how to do the elusive em dashes?
Example
While using typewriter quotes (aka "dumb quotes") may seem okay when using a sans-serif font in an informal environment, it looks simply ugly when using any refined serif font on an article, book excerpt or some otherwise professional-oriented work.
After searching for an extension that would convert the quotes and more, I found Smart Punctuations, an extension that worked for blogger and gmail. It didn't suited my needs, but the author made his source code available. I delved into it and developed a new version that works for every site and has more features.
Download [SUP][beta!][/SUP]
v1.2: Right-click here and select "Save link as..." to download the extension
How it Works
1. Installation
After downloading the extension, type chrome://extensions in a new tab and drag and drop the downloaded file on this tab. Click "Add" when asked for permissions.
2. Usage
With the text input or the textarea active–you'll see the little | blinking inside it–click on the extension icon.
Examples:
Features and Restrictions
I have purposely created some restrictions.
Feedback
I'm not sure if keeping quotes preceded by numbers from being replaced is a good idea, since I've provided another methods to escape them, nor if I shouldn't delete the backslashes upon activating the extension. It seemed a bad idea automatically remove them, for the user may wish to keep writing and editing. They would become unescaped, therefore, being replace on the next activation.
This extension is currently on beta testing stage. It worked fine on every test I have run, but I can't predict every possible situation. Also, I will not put it up on the Chrome Store since you have to pay a fee to become a "developer" and be able to upload extensions. No, thanks!
If you have any doubts or suggestions feel free to post them.
Example
“The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats–the hobbit was fond of visitors.” (The Hobbit p.7) |
While using typewriter quotes (aka "dumb quotes") may seem okay when using a sans-serif font in an informal environment, it looks simply ugly when using any refined serif font on an article, book excerpt or some otherwise professional-oriented work.
After searching for an extension that would convert the quotes and more, I found Smart Punctuations, an extension that worked for blogger and gmail. It didn't suited my needs, but the author made his source code available. I delved into it and developed a new version that works for every site and has more features.
Download [SUP][beta!][/SUP]
v1.2: Right-click here and select "Save link as..." to download the extension
How it Works
1. Installation
After downloading the extension, type chrome://extensions in a new tab and drag and drop the downloaded file on this tab. Click "Add" when asked for permissions.
2. Usage
With the text input or the textarea active–you'll see the little | blinking inside it–click on the extension icon.
- This extension will replace "dumb quotes" with “smart, curly quotes”.
- 'Single quotes' will be replaced by ‘curly single quotes’. It works for apostrophes as well.
- Three periods "..." will be replaced by an ellipsis "…".
- "---" will be replaced by an em dash "–", "--" will be replaced by an en dash "—".
Examples:
"I have these 'ugly quotes'. After clicking on the extension icon, I'll experience the result below." “Isn’t it a pretty and typographic correct quotation? I say ‘smart quotes’, baby!” Did you know? Three dots... they aren’t real ellipsis… Go ahead, highlight this example and see the difference! You should never use hyphens in the place of em dashes-it’s simply wrong. A properly placed em dash looks professional–even an en dash matters when you wish to express range and should be used 0—24h a day. |
Features and Restrictions
I have purposely created some restrictions.
- Anything written inside braces, [like this 'silly' example] or less-than and greater-than signs, <as you're seeing see there>, won't have it's single and double quotes replaced. Your BBCode and HTML tags are safe!*
- Single and double quotes preceded by a number won't be touched. Your feet and inches are also safe! (even if I can't understand why people still stick with imperial units)
- Only three periods "..." will be changed to an ellipsis. Not ". . .", nor "..........", only three.
- Only two dashes "--" will become an en dash, only three dashes "---" will become an em dash. "------" will be forever "------".
- You can escape periods or quotes adding a backslash "\" in front of them. This way, a "\..." will not become an ellipsis, nor a \" will become a curly quote.
- *If you wish to escape long passages of text surround it with braces, {{Like this}}. Surrounding it with [] and <> is not reliable in this case, they're meant for tags only.
Feedback
I'm not sure if keeping quotes preceded by numbers from being replaced is a good idea, since I've provided another methods to escape them, nor if I shouldn't delete the backslashes upon activating the extension. It seemed a bad idea automatically remove them, for the user may wish to keep writing and editing. They would become unescaped, therefore, being replace on the next activation.
This extension is currently on beta testing stage. It worked fine on every test I have run, but I can't predict every possible situation. Also, I will not put it up on the Chrome Store since you have to pay a fee to become a "developer" and be able to upload extensions. No, thanks!
If you have any doubts or suggestions feel free to post them.
Last edited by a moderator:
Troubadour
