muffin.stuffin
A Python script that extracts bookmark data from a Firefox places.sqlite file and exports it as an HTML file. The HTML file retains the heirarchal organizational structure of bookmarks, and includes only the title and URL information.
By using muffin.stuffin, users can save time and manage their bookmarks more efficiently.
Rust users
An implementation of this script's functionality has been made in Rust; If you are interested, please visit the muffin.stuffin.rs repository.
Usage
To use the program, first make sure you have Python installed on your machine. Then, download the muffin.stuffin.py file and save it in the same directory as your places.sqlite file.
To run the program, open a terminal in the same directory as the muffin.stuffin.py and places.sqlite files, and enter the following command:
python muffin.stuffin.py
The program will automatically locate the places.sqlite file and export the bookmark data to an HTML file named bookmarks.html.
Technical Explanation
This script uses the SQLite library in Python to connect to a Firefox places.sqlite database file, which contains information about bookmarks, history, and other data. SQLite is a lightweight, serverless database engine that is embedded within many applications, including Firefox.
The script then executes a SQL query to select the title and URL for each bookmark stored in the database. Specifically, it joins the moz_bookmarks and moz_places tables on the fk and id columns, respectively, and filters for bookmarks only (WHERE moz_bookmarks.type = 1). The results are sorted by the position column in moz_bookmarks, which specifies the order in which the bookmarks are displayed in the browser.
Once the bookmarks data is retrieved from the database, it is written to an HTML file using Python's built-in file I/O functionality. The script first writes the necessary HTML boilerplate, including a title and heading for the bookmarks page. It then iterates through each bookmark and writes an HTML list item (<li>) for each one, with a link to the bookmark's URL and the title enclosed in an anchor tag (<a>).
To ensure that the HTML is properly formatted and that any special characters are escaped, the script uses Python's html library to encode the bookmark title and URL values.
Overall, this script provides a simple way to extract and export bookmark data from a Firefox database file, which can be useful for backup, analysis, or custom bookmark management applications.
Potential Use Cases
Here are three potential use cases for this program:
- Backup: Users can export their bookmarks to an HTML file for easy access outside of Firefox.
- Custom bookmark manager: Developers building their own bookmark manager can use the program to extract bookmark data and save time.
- Team bookmark management: Administrators can easily manage and distribute bookmarks to team members.
Privacy Considerations
When using the program, there are privacy considerations to keep in mind. Users should ensure they have permission to access the Firefox places.sqlite file, review the bookmark data for sensitive information, and store the HTML file in a secure location with limited access. They should also keep their system and any third-party utilities used in the program up-to-date with security patches to minimize risk.
Disclaimer
This software is provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the software or the use or other dealings in the software.
The authors do not endorse or support any harmful or malicious activities that may be carried out with the software. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that their use of the software complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
License
These files released under the MIT License.