ActiveCaption Diagram

The illustration below shows the components of the ActiveCaption Palette.

The palette attaches itself to your browser's caption bar--occupying space which is generally unused. If ActiveCaption does get in the way of a long page title, you can hide it by clicking the icon at the far right.

As the illustration shows, ActiveCaption can operate in Space Saver mode. This puts essential browser functions on the caption bar, so that you can hide the browser's toolbar and location bar--giving you more screen space to view webpages.


Introducing ActiveCaption

ActiveCaption(tm) adds a powerful set of utilities to your browser's caption or title bar--occupying screen space which is normally unused.

Here is just some of what you can do with ActiveCaption:

•	Access all the major search engines directly from your browser's caption bar. Easily perform the same web search on multiple search engines.

•	Perform searches directly on a variety of major websites in a number of specific categories.

•	Comparison shop for the best online values on books, music, videos and computer hardware and software.

•	Program Speed Buttons to provide one-click access to your favorite sites.

•	Optionally use Space Saver mode--which puts essential browser functions on the caption/title bar, so that you can hide your browser's toolbars, giving you more screen space for viewing webpages.

•	Use a powerful, browser-independent bookmark manager.

•	Keep track of user/login names associated with websites so that you can login with a few clicks of the mouse.

ActiveCaption works with Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later.

With ActiveCaption, all your settings and bookmarks are available regardless of which browser you are using. You can change browsers at any time -- or even run both Netscape and IE simultaneously -- and all your bookmarks and settings will be instantly available.

ActiveCaption does not impact the operation of your browser in any way. You can still use your browser's native bookmark utility in the normal fashion.

For a detailed list of ActiveCaption features, click here.

An illustration showing the components of the ActiveCaption palette is available here.

If you are a webmaster, you may be eligible to distribute a customized version of ActiveCaption from your website.  Click here  for details.


Using Space Saver Mode

ActiveCaption's Space Saver Mode, puts the browser functions you use most often on the browser's caption/title bar. This allows you to hide your browser's toolbar and/or URL location bar, giving you more screen space for viewing webpages.

To Enable/Disable Space Saver Mode

Hold down the CONTROL key and click any of the Speed Buttons with the mouse. Repeat to switch back to normal mode.

Using Browser Toolbar Functions

In Space Saver Mode, the last four Speed Buttons are replaced with the following browser functions: Back, Forward, Reload and Stop. Use these icons in the normal way.

You can still use the last four Speed Buttons; if you need to access them, simply switch out of Space Saver mode  by holding down the CONTROL key and clicking any Speed Button.

Entering URLs

In Space Saver Mode, ActiveCaption allows you to enter URLs directly into the keyword edit area. This lets you hide your browser's Location bar if you wish.

To use this feature, you must enter a complete URL. The "http://" prefix is optional.  If you do not enter a complete URL, ActiveCaption will assume that you want to perform a web search.

For example:

•	Entering "www.yahoo.com" will take you directly to the Yahoo! website.

•	Entering "yahoo" will search the web for the keyword "yahoo".

Bookmark Functions

By default, ActiveCaption's bookmark features ("+" and "B" icons) use ActiveCaption's own browser-independent Bookmark Manager.

However, if you prefer, you can use your browser's built-in bookmarks instead.  To do this, hold down the SHIFT key and click any Speed Button. Then in the Settings dialog box, change the Bookmarks setting at the lower right of the dialog box to "Browser Native."

How to Hide your Browser's Toolbars

•	Netscape Communicator/Navigator 4.0:  From Netscape's View menu choose "Hide Navigation Toolbar", "Hide Location Toolbar", and  "Hide Personal Toolbar".

•	Netscape Navigator 3.0:  From Netscape's Options menu uncheck "Show Toolbar", and  "Show Location".

•	Microsoft Internet Explorer: Right click in IE's menu/toolbar area and select "Standard Buttons" and "Address Bar" .

For both browsers, simply repeat the procedure to restore the toolbars.

An illustration showing ActiveCaption in Space Saver mode is available here.


ActiveCaption Features

•	Multi-engine web search: Search directly from the browser's caption bar utilizing the top 7 search engines.

•	Category searches: Directly search the top websites in a variety of specific categories including news, business, entertainment, sports, movie reviews, travel, health, politics and more.

•	Comparison shop: Shop the top stores for books, music, videos, software and hardware.

•	Technical Search: Search top sites of interest to webmasters, developers, and IT professionals. Categories include HTML, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Windows, etc.

•	Speed Buttons: Set 8 buttons (like radio presets) to provide one-click access to your favorite sites.

•	Space Saver Mode: Replicates essential browser functions on the caption bar, so that you can hide your browser's toolbars and location bar--giving you more space for viewing webpages.

•	Bookmark utility:

•	Drag and drop tree organizer.

•	Single click to bookmark the current webpage in either Netscape or IE

•	Append notations to bookmarks.

•	Track user/login names associated with sites.(these are automatically copied to the clipboard so you can enter your user name with CNTR+V or SHIFT+INSERT)

•	Set alerts on bookmarks, so you'll be reminded to re-visit the webpage at a certain time or periodically.

•	Save bookmarks to HTML.

•	Search bookmarks.

•	Group Browser: browse groups of bookmarked sites using VCR-style controls.

•	Multiple bookmark file support. (For example different people using the same computer can have their own bookmarks).

•	Easily merge bookmark files.

•	Completely browser independent. Works identically with either  Netscape or IE. All bookmarks and settings are available to both browsers. You can even run both IE and Netscape at the same time while using ActiveCaption.

•	Portable: bookmarks and settings can be moved between computers by copying a single file. Files can easily be merged (so if you work on both a desktop and laptop, you can quickly merge all the bookmarks from both places.) You can also share bookmark files with other ActiveCaption users.

•	ActiveCaption attaches itself to the browser's caption bar and generally occupies unused space. In cases where it is in the way (for example a long page title), it can be iconized with a single click of the mouse.

•	Supports Win95/98/NT.

•	FREEWARE. No limitations or nag screens of any kind.


Searching the Web with ActiveCaption

To perform a web search, do the following:

1	Select  "Search for:" in ActiveCaption's first drop down menu.

2	From the second drop down menu, select "Web Search" if you want to use the major search engines. If you want to search specific sites, choose a category.

3	Enter your search keyword(s) and press the ENTER key.

4	The first search result will be shown in your browser. To repeat the same search on another site, drop down the "Sites" list at the top left of the browser window and choose the site. You do not need to press any buttons.

To Set the Default Search Engine

You can specify the first search engine to be contacted when you use the "Web Search" function. To do this, hold down the SHIFT key and click in ActiveCaption's Keyword edit box. Then at the bottom of the Settings dialog box, choose the search engine you want to use and click OK.

Getting the most out of ActiveCaption's search feature

In addition to the general "Web Search" option which gives you access to all the major search engines, ActiveCaption lets you directly search top sites within specific categories, including news, business, stock quotes, entertainment, sports, movie reviews, travel, health, politics, etc.

As most web users know, the major search engines can often produce an overwhelming number of results--many of which are irrelevant. Searching in a specific category can often produce higher quality results because the search is confined to top quality sites which specialize in the area of interest.

For example, if you want to find out whether it is worth renting a particular video, you will get much better results if you select the "Movie Reviews" category than if you perform a general web search.

Don't hesitate to try your search in different specialized categories, as well as in the general web search category. One of the main advantages of ActiveCaption is that it makes it easy to search a variety of sites in a small fraction of the time it would take to visit these sites individually!

Other Search Features

The first drop down menu on the ActiveCaption palette offers access to two other more specialized search types: the "Shop for:"  option lets you comparison shop the top online stores for books, music, videos, software and hardware. The "Tech Search"  option lets you search top technical websites for information of interest to webmasters, developers and IT professionals.


Comparison Shopping with ActiveCaption

To shop online stores, do the following:

1	Select  "Shop for:" in ActiveCaption's first drop down menu.

2	From the second drop down menu, select the proper shopping category.

3	Enter your search keyword(s) and press the ENTER key.

4	The first search result will be shown in your browser. To repeat the same search in another online store, drop down the "Sites" list at the top left of the browser window and choose the site. You do not need to press any buttons.


Searching for Technical Information with ActiveCaption

ActiveCaption's Technical Search feature makes it easy for you to search top sites which are of interest to webmasters, developers and IT professionals.

To perform a technical search, do the following:

1	Select  "Tech Search:" in ActiveCaption's first drop down menu.

2	From the second drop down menu, select the proper search category.

3	Enter your search keyword(s) and press the ENTER key.

4	The first search result will be shown in your browser. To repeat the same search on another site, drop down the "Sites" list at the top left of the browser window and choose the site. You do not need to press any buttons.


Using and Setting Speed Buttons

ActiveCaption includes eight Speed Buttons which can be set to provide one-click access to your favorite websites.  In addition, Speed Buttons can keep track of user/login names associated with sites. The user/login name is automatically copied to the clipboard, so that you can log in by pressing CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT to paste the information into the login form.

To set a Speed Button

1	Display the webpage which you want to associate with the Speed Button in your browser.

2	Hold down the SHIFT key and click the Speed Button you want to set with the mouse. The Settings dialog box will appear.

3	Click the Set from Current Webpage button toward the bottom of the dialog box. The URL and Title will be filled in for you.

4	If the site requires you to enter a user/login name, enter it in the box on the right.

5	Each Speed Button has a one-character label (1-8 by default). You can customize this as you wish; you may want to use the first letter of the site's name.

6	Press Ok.

Using a Speed Button

Simply click the Speed Button to visit the site. If you have specified a user/login name, this will be copied to the clipboard.

Note on Passwords

ActiveCaption will keep track of user/login names, but because of security considerations it does not track passwords. If you have trouble remembering the password for a site, you can enter some information in the title to help. The title is displayed as a pop-up hint when the mouse cursor passes over the Speed Button. We recommend that you do not enter the actual password here; instead enter a word or phrase which will help you remember the password--but won't give it way to others.


Bookmarking the Current Webpage

To bookmark the webpage currently displayed in your browser, click the "+" icon on the ActiveCaption palette with your mouse.

The new bookmark with be added to the "New Bookmarks" folder in the Bookmark Manager. You can then display the Bookmark Manager by clicking the "B" icon and move the bookmark to another folder if you wish.


Using the Bookmark Manager

The Bookmark Manager provides a drag-and-drop, tree-style organizer for your bookmarks. You can access the Bookmark Manager's commands either by clicking the toolbar icons or by right clicking with the mouse and choosing an item from the context pop-up menu.

You can move and resize the Bookmark Manager as you wish.

To display the Bookmark Manager

Click the "B" icon on the ActiveCaption palette.

To visit a bookmarked webpage

Double click the bookmark in the Bookmark Manager.

To move a bookmark or folder to a new location

Select the item, hold down the mouse button, and drag to a new position in the tree.

To edit the properties for a bookmark

Select the bookmark and then right-click and choose Edit Properties from the pop-up menu (or click the Edit icon on the toolbar).

Bookmark properties include the title and URL, an optional login/user name, your own notes, and an optional alert which you can set so that you will be reminded to visit the site at some time in the future. See Setting Bookmark Properties  for details.

To delete a bookmark or folder

Select the item and press the DELETE key.

To browse a group of bookmarks

You can browse through a group of your bookmarked pages using VCR-style controls. To do this, select an item and then right click and choose Browse Group from the pop-up menu. You will then be able to move through the pages using "forward" and "back" buttons.

To search bookmarks

Click the magnifying glass icon on the toolbar. You can then enter a search keyword and press ENTER.

To open or create another bookmark file

You can have multiple bookmark files. This can be very useful if more than one person uses your computer; each user can have his or her own bookmarks. You can also easily copy bookmark files between computers or share them with other ActiveCaption users.

The controls at the bottom of the Bookmark Manager let you open and create bookmark files. For details see Working with Bookmark Files.

To save bookmarks as HTML

This feature lets you save your bookmarks in HTML format, so you can easily publish them on your webpage. To access this feature, click the icon on the toolbar.

To merge bookmark files

The bookmark file merge utility lets you easily copy and merge bookmarks and folders between files. This is very useful if you use two or more computers and want to keep you bookmarks up-to-date everywhere. For details see Merging Bookmark Files.

To copy bookmarks as HTML

You can copy an individual bookmark as HTML. To do this, select the bookmark and then right click and choose Copy as HTML from the pop-up menu.  This places HTML code in the format <a href="URL">Title</a> on the Windows clipboard. You can also copy just the URL associated with the bookmark.


Setting Bookmark Properties

To set properties for a bookmark, select the bookmark in the Bookmark Manager tree and then right-click and choose Edit Properties from the pop-up menu. You can also click the Edit icon on the toolbar.

You can specify the following properties:

URL is the location of the webpage.

Title is a short description of the page. Initially this comes from the HTML page title, however you can edit it if you wish.

User/Login Name is an optional user name associated with the site. The user/login name is automatically copied to the clipboard when you visit the site, so that you can log in by pressing CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT to paste the information into the login form.

Remider allows you to set an alert on the bookmark so that you will be reminded to visit the site at some point in the future.

You can choose to be reminded in a specified number of days, on a specific date or you can set a recurring reminder so you'll be prompted to visit the site periodically.

Notes allow you to add your own comments or description for the bookmark. Your notes will be displayed in a pop-up hint when the mouse cursor passes over the bookmark in the Bookmark Manager.


Working with Bookmark Files

ActiveCaption lets you maintain an unlimited number of bookmark files.

Bookmark files have a ".bmk" file extension and are stored in the "Bookmarks" subdirectory under the main ActiveCaption installation directory. By default, the bookmarks directory is c:\Program Files\ActiveCaption\Bookmarks.

Bookmark files can be copied between computers and  shared with other ActiveCaption users. You can also easily merge and copy items between bookmark files.

To open a different bookmark file

1	Display the Bookmark Manager

2	At the bottom of the Bookmark Manager, drop down the bookmark name list and choose a new file. All bookmark files must be in the Bookmarks subdirectory as described above.

To create a new bookmark file

Click the New button at the bottom of the  Bookmark Manager, type a name (do not include the full path) for the file and press OK.

To delete a bookmark file

Use the Windows Explorer or File manager to delete the .bmk file in the Bookmarks subdirectory.

To copy a bookmark file to another computer

Simply place the .bmk file on a diskette and then copy it to the Bookmarks subdirectory on the other computer.

CAUTION: The default bookmark file is called "default.bmk" on all computers. If you want to move this file to another computer you must rename it, or it will overwrite the existing bookmarks on that computer.

To merge bookmark files

Use the Bookmark Merge Utility.


Merging Bookmark Files

The Bookmark Merge utility makes it easy to copy/merge bookmarks and folders between bookmark files. The current bookmark file is always displayed on the left of the dialog box; you can specify the file to be opened on the right.

Only the current bookmark file (on the left) can be modified using the Merge Utility; the file on the right will not be changed.

To access the Bookmark Merge Utility

Display the Bookmark Manager and click the Merge icon on the toolbar.

To open a file in the Merge Utility

Click the Open button at the lower right of the dialog box and then select the .bmk file you want to open.

To copy bookmarks or folders into the current bookmark file

Select the item on the right and then drag it into position in the bookmark tree on the left.

To "merge" folders

If you drag a folder from the right tree and drop it onto a folder with the same name in the left tree, the folder items will be merged. In other words, any new bookmarks will be added to the folder on the left, but bookmarks will not be duplicated.

In contrast, if you drag an folder with a different name and drop it onto a another folder on the left, it will become a sub-folder (child).

If you want to merge two folders which have different names, you can first edit the name on the right so that it matches the one on the left. To do this just click in the folder name area. Doing this will NOT modify the folder name in the bookmark file.


ActiveCaption Settings Dialog Box

Speed Buttons

You can set the following parameters for each of ActiveCaption's eight Speed Buttons:

URL - The location of the website to be visited when you click the Speed Button.

Title - Text to be displayed in a the pop-up hint when the mouse cursor passes over the button.

Label - A one-character label to be displayed on the Speed Button face.

User/Logon Name - Optional text which is automatically copied to the clipboard when you visit the site. This allows you to log on by pasting your user name into the form using CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT.

Set from Current Webpage

This button makes it easy to set Speed Buttons. Simply place the cursor in the URL edit area for the Speed Button you want to set and then click this button. The URL and Title will be filled in based on the current page displayed in your browser.

Default Search Engine for Web Search

This option lets you set the first search engine to be contacted when you perform a Web Search. The results from this search engine will be displayed when you search the web using ActiveCaption; you can repeat the same search on other search engines by dropping down the "Site" menu and choosing a different site.

Bookmarks

This option lets you choose between ActiveCaption's own browser-independent Bookmark Manager  or the bookmark/favorite features built into your browser. If you choose "Browser Native" the "+" and "B" icons on the ActiveCaption palette will activate your browser's own bookmark features.

This option is especially useful if you are using Space Saver mode, and you have hidden your Browser's bookmark function, but you prefer to use your browser's own bookmarks, rather than ActiveCaption's.


Moving Information Between Computers

If you use more than one computer, ActiveCaption makes it easy to keep all your bookmarks and settings up-to-date on each system.

To copy Speed Button and other Settings between Computers

Simply copy the file "ac_settings.ini" to the other computer. This file is located in the main ActiveCaption directory. By default, this directory is c:\Program Files\ActiveCaption.

To copy Bookmark Files between Computers

Simply copy the .bmk file to the other computer. All bookmark files are located in the Bookmarks subdirectory under the main ActiveCaption directory ( c:\Program Files\ActiveCaption\Bookmarks by default).

CAUTION: The default bookmark file is called "default.bmk" on all computers. If you want to move this file to another computer you must rename it, or it will overwrite the existing bookmarks on that computer.

To Share Bookmark Files with other ActiveCaption users

Simply make the .bmk file available. You can send this file as an email attachment, post it on your web or ftp server, etc.

To merge bookmark files

Use the Bookmark Merge Utility. This utility makes it easy to copy/merge bookmarks and folders between files. This is very useful if you regularly use two computers (such as a desktop and laptop) and you want to have all your bookmarks in both places.


Automatically Dismissing Pop-up Ads

Pop-up window advertisements are becoming increasingly prevalent on the web. Many users find these ads intrusive and annoying because they appear spontaneously -- obscuring the screen and causing the main browser window to lose the input focus.

ActiveCaption can automatically detect these windows and close them nearly instantaneously. This feature is disabled by default. To enable it, follow the directions below.

To automatically dismiss pop-ups

1	Hold down the SHIFT key and click any Speed Button on the ActiveCaption palette. The Settings dialog box will appear.

2	Check the Dismiss Pop-up Windows with box in the lower right corner of the dialog.

3	You can change the width and height values if you wish. Any pop-up window with either dimension less than the specified value will automatically be dismissed.

4	Press OK.

Important Note

ActiveCaption cannot distinguish between a pop-up window containing an advertisement and one which contains other (perhaps desirable) material. All browser pop-up windows with at least one dimension smaller than the value specified in the Settings dialog box will automatically be dismissed.

While non-advertisement pop-ups are relatively uncommon, they do occur. In most cases, pop-ups which do not contain ads will be displayed as the result of direct user interaction--rather than automatically when a page is loaded.

If you have set ActiveCaption to automatically dismiss pop-ups and you find that clicking a link does nothing, it may be because a pop-up window is being terminated.

If you want to view the pop-up window, press the SHIFT key and click a Speed Button. Then disable the Dismiss Pop-ups feature. If after, disabling the this feature, the pop-up window still does not appear, shut down and restart your browser.


Saving Bookmarks as HTML

This feature saves your bookmark file in HTML format so that you can publish it on your web page.

Click the Select >> button and use the Save As dialog box to specify an HTML file.

If Include Notes is checked, any notes you have added to bookmarks will be included in the HTML file.

If Apply Bullets is checked, bullet points will be applied to the bookmarks.


Distributing ActiveCaption

ActiveCaption is Freeware. You are welcome to place a link to ActiveCaption on your website so that your users can download the software. The url is:

http://www.oneseek.com/ActiveCaption

Keep Visitors coming back by Distributing a Custom Version of ActiveCaption!

If your website gets at least 1000 unique visitors per day, we can create a free, custom version of ActiveCaption for you to distribute.

Your custom version of ActiveCaption will have the #1 Speed Button permanently set to your website! This insures that every user who downloads and installs ActiveCaption from your site will have one-click access to your home page!

Research shows that repeat visitors to your website are far more likely to make purchases or initiate transactions. Distributing a custom version of ActiveCaption is an exciting new way to build repeat traffic at no cost.

If your site qualifies, we will create a custom version of ActiveCaption for you free of charge.

If you are interested in this program, please contact us by email at admin@oneseek.com.

Please include the following information:

•	Website Title and URL.

•	A brief description of your site.

•	Page views per month.

OneSeek reserves the right to determine which sites are eligible to distribute a custom version of ActiveCaption.


Setting a Speed Button

This Speed Button is not yet set.

To set a Speed Button

1	Display the webpage which you want to associate with the Speed Button in your browser.

2	Hold down the SHIFT key and click the Speed Button you want to set with the mouse. The Settings dialog box will appear.

3	Click the "Set from Current Webpage" button toward the bottom of the dialog box. The URL and Title will be filled in for you.

4	If the site requires you to enter a user/login name, enter it in the box on the right (see note below).

5	Each Speed Button has a one-character label (1-8 by default). You can customize this as you wish; you may want to use the first letter of the site's name.

6	Press Ok.

Note on User Names

Speed Buttons can keep track of user/login names associated with sites. The user/login name is automatically copied to the clipboard when you click the Speed Button, so that you can log in by pressing CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT to paste the information into the login form.


Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions (click to see the answer)

Does installing/using ActiveCaption affect the normal operation of my browser?

What is the advantage of using ActiveCaption's search feature, rather than simply visiting my favorite search engine/portal?

Can I configure the search feature so it uses my favorite search engine?

Why use ActiveCaption' Bookmark Manager instead of my browser's built in bookmarks/favorites?

Can I still use my browser's own bookmark features if I prefer them?

Can I convert my browser's existing bookmarks/favorites to ActiveCaption format?

What is Space Saver mode and how to I use it?

ActiveCaption can keep track of user names, but what about passwords?

How can I contact you to suggest enhancements to ActiveCaption, report a problem or ask a question?

What if I want to uninstall ActiveCaption?


Does installing/using ActiveCaption affect the normal operation of my browser?

No! ActiveCaption does not affect your browser or your existing bookmarks in any way.


What is the advantage of using ActiveCaption's search feature, rather than simply visiting my favorite search engine/portal?

•	You can search directly from your browser's title bar, without the need to first navigate to the search engine site.

•	You can easily repeat the same search on multiple search engines, without the need to visit the sites individually.

•	In addition to the major search engines, you can search top sites in specific categories like news, business, stock quotes, entertainment, sports, movie reviews, travel, health, politics, etc.  The major search engines can often produce an overwhelming number of results--many of which are irrelevant. Searching in a specific category can often produce higher quality results because the search is confined to top quality sites which specialize in the area of interest.

•	ActiveCaption also offers two specialized search types: Comparison shopping, which lets you shop for a variety of products in online stores, and Technical Search  which makes it easy to find information of interest to webmasters and developers.


Can I configure the search feature so it uses my favorite search engine?

Yes. You can select any of the top 7 search engines as your default. To do this, hold down the SHIFT key and click any Speed Button. Then choose the search engine you want to use from the list at the bottom left of the dialog box.

The results from this search engine will be shown first. You can then repeat the search on other engines by dropping down the "Sites" list. See Searching the Web  for details.


Why use ActiveCaption' Bookmark Manager instead of my browser's built in bookmarks/favorites?

•	ActiveCaption's bookmarks are browser-independent and will always be available regardless of whether you are running Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer. This can be an important consideration if you regularly use more than one browser, or if you want to preserve the option to switch to or try another browser in the future.

•	ActiveCaption's Bookmark Manager offers a number of powerful features which may not be available in your browser's built-in bookmarks:

•	ActiveCapiton can track User/login names associated with bookmarks.

•	Reminders allow you to set an alert on a bookmark so you will be reminded to visit the site on a specific date or periodically.

•	Notes let you add your own information to bookmarks.

•	Bookmarks can be saved in HTML format for publication on your web page.

•	ActiveCaption's bookmarks are highly portable. You can move them to another computer or share them with another ActiveCaption user by moving a single file. You can also easily merge bookmark files, so that if you use two computers regularly, it is easy to keep your bookmarks up-to-date in both places.

For details see Using the Bookmark Manager.


Can I still use my browser's own bookmark features if I prefer them?

Sure! If you prefer your browser's bookmark/favorites manager, you can continue to use it in the normal way. You can still use other ActiveCaption features (such as web search and Speed Buttons).


Can I convert my browser's existing bookmarks/favorites to ActiveCaption format?

We don't currently have a utility to automatically convert bookmarks. However, it is easy to gradually copy your bookmarks over time as you visit your favorite sites.

To do this, simply click the "+" on the ActiveCaption palette while you are visiting a site. This will add a bookmark to ActiveCaption's "New Bookmarks" folder. Later you can display the Bookmark Manager and drag the new bookmark to a different folder if you wish.


What is Space Saver mode and how to I use it?

Space Saver mode lets you "Drive your Browser from the caption bar." You can hide your browser's toolbar and/or URL location bar because the key features are available on the title bar!

Space Saver mode is very useful if you are using a computer which doesn't have a high resolution screen (or if you just want to maximize the amount of screen space available for viewing webpages).

To toggle Space Saver Mode on/off hold down the CONTROL key and click any Speed Button with the mouse.

More details on using Space Saver mode are available here.


ActiveCaption can keep track of user names, but what about passwords?

ActiveCaption will keep track of user/login names for Speed Buttons and bookmarks, but because of security considerations it does not track passwords. If you have trouble remembering the password for a site, you can enter some information in the title or note field to help.

The title is displayed as a pop-up hint when the mouse cursor passes over a Speed Button.  For a bookmark, the notes are displayed when the mouse passes over the entry in the Bookmark manager.

We recommend that you do not enter the actual password here; instead enter a word or phrase which will help you remember the password--but won't give it way to others.

There are also a number of shareware/freeware products available which track passwords.


How can I contact you to suggest enhancements to ActiveCaption, report a problem or ask a question?

Please contact us by email at feedback@oneseek.com.


What if I want to uninstall ActiveCaption?

You can uninstall ActiveCaption using the normal procedure for Windows applications:

1	From the Start menu, choose Settings and then Control Panel.

2	Double click Add/Remove Programs.

3	Select ActiveCaption and click Add/Remove.


ActiveCaption Quick Start

ActiveCaption attaches a control palette to the right side of your browser's title bar. To get help at any time, click the "?" icon on the palette.

Searching the web

To search, type one or more keywords into ActiveCaption's center edit box and press ENTER.

You can also directly search dozens of top sites in specific categories, set the default search engine, and comparison shop the top online stores.  More...

Speed Buttons

These 8 buttons give you one-click access to your favorite websites. To set Speed Buttons, hold down the SHIFT Key and click any Speed Button with the mouse.  More...

Maximize Usable Screen Space

Space Saver mode puts essential browser controls on the title bar. This lets you hide your browser's toolbar and/or location bar, freeing up screen space. To enter Space Saver mode, hold down the CONTROL key and click any Speed Button with the mouse. Repeat to return to normal mode.   More...

Browser-Independent Bookmarks

ActiveCaption provides its own drag and drop bookmark organizer. To display the Bookmark Manager, click the "B" icon. You can set a bookmark on the current webpage by clicking "+". ActiveCaption's bookmark manager has many features not available in your browser's built in bookmarks/favorites.  More...

Keep Track of User/Login Names

If you have login accounts at a number of websites, ActiveCaption's Speed Buttons and bookmarks can keep track of your user names. Your user name is automatically copied to the clipboard when you visit the site, so you can log in by pressing CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT to paste the user name into the login form.

Other Useful Information

A picture describing the ActiveCaption controls

Detailed list of ActiveCaption features

Frequently Asked Questions with Answers