How to manually install a Greasemonkey script · 11:35pm Aug 16th, 2012
I've written a blog post about a script of mine which aims to enhance the read later list this page in general. Unfortunately, as I didn't have the notion or muse yet to sign up at userscripts.org, the script is only in text form there in the post. I can see how this would raise the question on how to install it.
So how would you install a Greasemonkey script that is only in text form? This little checklist 
applies to all such scripts (I don't think there are many, I might be the only one because I'm lazy)! I'm also going to assume that your Browser already has the Greasemonkey addon installed. Wouldn't make much sense any other way. I'm not sure if the following works on Chrome, as I've only tested it on Firefox.
1. Copy the entire script into the clipboard. This includes the header part, it should start with "// ==UserScript=="
2. Create an empty file (A normal text file will do fine) anywhere on your PC, and paste the script from your clipboard into the file and save.
3. Now we have to rename the file. As we have to change the file extension, you have to disable the Windows Explorer option to hide file extensions! Name the file after the name of the script, which is found in the header part of the script after the "@name" identifier. Replace every space with underscores. Then add ".user.js" after the name. For example:
If the script has the name "FiMFiction Enhancer", the file should be "FiMFiction_Enhancer.user.js", not "FiMFiction Enhancer.user.js.txt" or any variation!
4. This is the script like you'd download it from userscripts.org. To finally install it, just open it in Firefox. Right clicking and choosing Open With->Firefox or, in Firefox, clicking File->Open will do just fine. If you've made no mistakes, then Firefox will recognize this as a valid user script and present you with a dialog to install the script.
5. Click on Install. That's it! You can now delete the file that you created if you want, but the script should now be working.
That wasn't to hard, was it? Once you know how to, it becomes easy 
If you want to, and know a little bit about JavaScript or programming in general, you can even modify the script to your liking before you install it! Neat, isn't it? (You can do that with already installed scripts, too, so this is no advantage.)
I hope this cleared some questions! In the future, I might just as well finally register on userscripts.org... 
Hey you seem like a smart guy, so...
Is there something wrong with FimFiction enhancements 10? (aside from the posting issue) Because I only get extra emoticons on blog comments, not on stories. It's weird.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Vinyl_sad.png
872586 Thanks^^
Well, I've never looked into the code of FimFiction enhancements 10 so I can't say for sure. My guess is that knighty changed the html-code in a way that the userscript no longer recognizes comment boxes on stories, so it won't add the emoticons. The script also broke various other things for me after the site update, so I uninstalled it. I didn't look, but maybe there is a new version on userscripts.org, and the auto-updater doesn't update, for some reason? If that's the case, make a manual update/reinstall and try again.
If nothing changes, though, I'd say that FimFiction enhancements are just out of date and maybe even no longer updated. Would make sense, seeing as pictures are hidden automatically now, which makes these emoticons kind of useless in my eyes. They were cool while they worked, though!
... I just had the idea for an enhancement script that automatically opens all image boxes that contain smileys, and leaving the others untouched. It would emulate the old behavior, but would only work for those who have the script installed as well, the others would still have to open the image as it is now.
Don't count on me writing this, though, I have some private stuff to take care of, first (My Bachelor Thesis, to be specific). I might have a go at it if I'm in the mood and have enough time, but it could be a while.
I just realized that this might be the longest comment I've written yet. Well, give me the right topic...
873746
That makes sense. There are a number of other issues I was already aware of but didn't worry about. I guess I'll just wait for a new version of enhancer to try again. Thanks for your time.
874007 No problem, I'm glad I could help
excellent
>4. This is the script like you'd download it from userscripts.org. To finally install it, just open it in Firefox. Right clicking and choosing Open With->Firefox or, in Firefox, clicking File->Open will do just fine. If you've made no mistakes, then Firefox will recognize this as a valid user script and present you with a dialog to install the script.
Doesn't work.
2226909 Check the following:
* is Greasemonkey running?
* is your file name ending with .user.js? Check without hidden file extensions!
* are the contents of your file a valid userscript? Specifically, is the header well-formed?
I'm sorry I can't be more specific, but "doesn't work" is not much to go on...
I'm having trouble installing a script using greasemonkey. I have the text form of the userscript and i followed your steps but once i save and open the file with firefox i dont get an installation dialog...
3124607 Sorry, I might not be the best of help, since I haven't been using Greasemonkey for a year now (Some bug was causing my Firefox to crash...)
One thing I can think of, though: If the script was opened in a new tab as plain text, then Firefox/Greasemonkey did not recognize it as a Greasemonkey script. Maybe the file extension wasn't right. If you have your file extensions hidden, you might not see that right away. Especially Notepad likes to add a hidden ".txt" file extension.
Also make sure the file not only ends with ".js", but with ".user.js". The header inside the userscript also needs to be intact, without any empty lines in front of it.
It does not hurt to check this even if the file did not open in a new tab...
3124875 Thanks I figured it out it was the file extension. was able to get it changed and it worked haha ^,^
3124914 Very good, glad I could help even if it was just a few suggestions