Read your websites more relaxed with automatic columns for wide content.

Latest Version

Version
1.19
Update
December 4, 2023
Size
15.22KiB
Developer
unterberger.media
Category
Users
413
Rating
3.125 ★
Manifest Version
3
Web Store Status
Languages Support
English
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Permissions
Storage
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Columns Extension

Are you tired of big walls of text in articles ? Wait no more! Here comes the auto formatter for wide columns. It automatically converts big text blocks in websites into columns, which are easier and more relaxed to read. Text size is increased to 16px, which is the recommendation of w3c and designers as default font size of normal text. If a page does not display correctly because of fancy css in the design of some pages, you can always disable and enable the extension/columns by clicking on the button in the toolbar. it works without reloading the page.

you can turn off the badge-number in the options menu of the extension.

v1.19: cleanup code. removed customization of stylesheet, use another extension if you want to do this.
v1.18 : migrate to manifest v3
v1.16 : small bugfix


More details:

This plugin uses latest css3 column-width property to layout the blobs of text in paragraphs as nicely readable columns. Works with all websites, best on long boring text, eg. news articles. Screenshot of wikipedia is only one example.

The plugin has an icon to toggle the state, and keeps your current format-style for all open pages. The plugin is smart enough to detect which paragraphs to convert, eg. 1 or 2 liners are kept, if images or video/iframe (youtube) embeds are detected also the original format is kept, this way the layout looks best.

Font size is set to 16px which is good for normal reading distance, but not too big. Font is set to Verdana which works good with this column-sizes.

The first letter is a bit bigger, so one can easily detect a new row of columns.

The paragraphs are split into several columns and adopt to your browser width or the available width in the layout. most of the layout is preserved, but the readability is improved. With the toolbar-icon you can always turn back to the original layout, but after some time the new columns look normal and long lines look odd.

With extension-options you can change your preferred column-width, min-height and font-style for paragraphs.

Optimizations for Wikipedia:
* Read in columns
* navigation is on top and collapsed and shows on hover
* column width for images is optimized for column width.
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Source Manifest.json

{"update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx","name": "Columns","short_name": "columns","description": "Read your websites more relaxed with automatic columns for wide content.","author": "Daniel Unterberger","version": "1.19", "manifest_version": 3, "options_page": "options.html", "content_scripts": [ { "run_at": "document_idle", "matches": [ "http://*/*" , "https://*/*" ], "css": [ "content.css" ], "js": [ "content.js" ], "all_frames": false } ], "background": { "service_worker": "background.js" }, "host_permissions": [ "http://*/*" , "https://*/*" ], "permissions": [ "storage" ],"action": {"name": "Click to turn columns on or off"},"icons": {"16": "icon128.png","48": "icon128.png","128": "icon128.png"}}
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How to download and manually install Columns extension for Chrome

Looking for a way to install Columns extensions for Chrome, you can search for them in the Chrome Web Store, clicking the "Add to Chrome" button, and following the straightforward process.

However, you may need to install Columns extensions manually, this article outlines two simple methods to effortlessly install Columns extensions, whether they come as unpacked folders in compressed formats like .zip or as .crx files.

Method 1: Download Columns extension and manually install through Drag &Drop

If you ever need to manually install a Columns extension for Chrome, don't worry, it's a simple process. Just follow these easy steps, and you will have your extension ready to use in no time.

Step 1: Download the Columns Extension by clicking the "Download CRX" button on the website.

Look for the Columns extension you wish to install. Go to the website and download the Columns extension package, which is usually a .CRX file and comes in a zipped file. Here ".crx" file is the format for Columns extension that contains all the data.

Step 2: Extract &Arrange Files

Once the file is downloaded, extract that file into its own folder. Similarly, give that extension files a permanent home. In other words, keep it in a folder that you don't accidentally delete it because these files will be needed to make that extension work.

Step 3: Go to the Chrome Extensions Page

Open Google Chrome and in the address bar, type chrome://extensions; it will open the Google Chrome extensions page. Make sure that "My extensions" is selected in the sidebar.

Step 4: Drag and Drop the Extension

Now, go to the folder where you extracted the Columns extension and drag &drop the extension file from there anywhere onto the extension page within Google Chrome.

Step 5: Complete the Installation

Once you drag and drop the extension file, follow the steps that Google Chrome takes you through. Similarly, if the extension file is of .crx file format, you will be required to review the permissions and then add the extension.

Now, you can manage that added extension as you would like to with any other Chrome extension that you added through Chrome Webstore. Its icon will also appear in the Google Chrome Menu on the right side of the address bar once you activate it.

Method 2: Download Columns extension for Chrome and install in Developer Mode

This is another method to install Columns extension manually, but the twist is that here, you install by enabling the developer mode option provided in Google Chrome. This mode is commonly used for testing extensions or running unpublished tools.

Step 1: Download the Columns extension file

Select and download the Columns extension by clicking the 'Download CRX' button on the website.

Step 2: Extract the downloaded contents

Convert the file to a ZIP file if it is in CRX format then extract the Columns extension zip file or folder that you downloaded. Make sure you extract it using the same folder name and keep it safely in another folder, so you don't delete it by mistake. The extracted folder will be needed to keep your Columns extension running.

Step 3: Open Chrome Extension Setting Page

In the address bar of Google Chrome, type chrome://extensions and open the Chrome Extension Page.

Step 4: Enable Developer Mode

After opening the Chrome Extension page, look at the top right side, and you will find the toggle option of "Developer mode."Simply enable that developer mode option.

Step 5: Load the Unpacked Extension

Once you enable the developer mode option, you will see the menu of Load Unpacked, Pack Extensions and Update. From that, select the option "Load unpacked."

Step 6: Select the Extension Folder

Once the pop-up opens upon clicking Load unpacked, select the Columns extension directory and click on the "Select Folder "button.

Step 7: Confirm and Install

After you select an extension folder of a Google Chrome extension you're installing manually, confirm its installation for the final time and let the installation complete.

Conclusion

Here we've made a step-by-step guide on How to manually install Columns extension in 2 ways. We hope this guide proves helpful.

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User reviews

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Pat MySecret (ID: 0000000f565a0b8a) Voted 4 ★ - Updated 10/18/2021 I appreciate this because it got me thinking of possibilities, but it could use simpler feature options for the layman, like characters or word per line.. that kind of thing.

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success actions (ID: 000000b1cb7dc1ea) Voted 4 ★ - Updated 08/28/2020 It makes reading easier. Thank u.

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First Last (ID: 000000f538ca9742) Voted 3 ★ - Updated 05/06/2019 okay for Wikipedia. However is there a way to make it work on the google.com search results? I could not find a way to do that.

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Jachym Michal (ID: 000000366fff51e3) Voted 4 ★ - Updated 12/07/2017 A great addon, really makes reading Wikipedia easier :).

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Erika Barr (ID: 000000d7516673c9) Voted 5 ★ - Updated 09/03/2017 Helps my eyes focus. Thank you!!