SrcAnywhere 1.0

Overview

SrcAnywhere is a computer code source viewing bookmarklet which will work with Firefox and Chrome, but not Internet Explorer.

Depending on whether the user is accessing the web via Android, iOS or a desktop computer, they may already have the option to access the source code driving the web page by simply right-clicking over the web page and selecting the “view source” option or finding the same option within the menu system of a mobile browser. If this is the case, then this bookmarklet won't directly add a new feature. Where the bookmarklet finds its flexibility is that it can be used across many platforms and web browsers some of which lack a “view source” feature by default.

More web browsers on mobile devices lack the “view source” feature because it is most likely believed that programmers will not be examining web site code from a 5-inch smart phone. In the case of a laptop or desktop computer, be it Windows, Mac or Linux-based, it is more likely that a default option is already present on most modern, updated web browsers available.

Accessing the bookmarklet is either done by pressing the bookmarklet button in the bookmarks toolbar, selecting the bookmark from the list of bookmarks or by entering “src” in the address bar which works in some browsers but less successfully in others. Accessing the “view source” feature from a bookmark bar button is the quickest method.

Installation

Whilst an archive package can be downloaded, it is perhaps easier to visit the developer's site and drag the SrcAnywhere button over to the web browser's bookmark button to install it on a desktop system. With Firefox under Android, a long tap and hold is needed to bring up a menu system where the “Bookmark Link” must be selected.

There was no adware, toolbars, spyware or malware included when adding the software in either manner described above.

SrcAnywhere requires a modern web browser, but works with iOS, Android, Linux, Windows and Mac.

Interface

With desktop browsers, usually a right-click and the selection of the “View source” command will deliver the source code for the page being currently viewed. However, the bookmarklet button is another way to go and this uses the SrcAnywhere feature to do it.

With a mobile browser like Firefox using Android, typing in “src” in the address bar will bring up several options including a Javascript link to access the SrcAnywhere script for the current web page. There will often be a security warning displayed when selecting this option because unknown Javascript code can be a security concern. Once selected, this opens up a new tab in Firefox with the source code for the page that was just being viewed.

However, given the minimal interface on a smartphone web browser there was no extra menu or toolbar feature to quickly access the SrcAnywhere features without typing in “src” directly into the address bar (certainly not found by this reviewer anyway).

One thing that is surprising is that the SrcAnywhere open source software only actually accesses the native “view source” feature within a web browser itself. As such, it is only making the feature a little more accessible, but fails to add improvements to the basic feature that already uses line numbering for each line of code and displays the code on the screen.

Pros

• Access the native “View source” feature that may not be presented as a menu option within a mobile or desktop web browser
• Adds source viewing option to most browsers outside of Internet Explorer

Cons

• Will not usually work with Internet Explorer
• Troublesome to get working on some browsers
• Piggy-backs off existing “View source” browser feature rather than adding any new features to it

Alternatives

The View Source Firefox add-on provides some access to the source code via a status bar icon. There is also a View Source Mobile Firefox add-on that can be useful for Android users of Firefox web browser.

Conclusion

SrcAnywhere is a bookmarklet for a web browser that can provide easier access to the source code for a given web page. It lacks additional options and doesn't work on all web browsers.