Import and export bookmarks

vzell

Please add support for exporting a specific folder as HTML, at least on desktop. It's so easy to handle bookmark folders inside the browser (cut/copy/paste) and exporting ALL bookmarks ... what makes it so problematic to enable exporting of simple folders. ?
Also copying bookmark folders between profiles should be possible ... at least Chrome supports it.

Inclement

What I'm worried about at the moment is backup: what if my phone breaks? I'd buy a new phone, but the old phone's speed dials (for instance) would be lost because there's no way to back them up.

Would this help in the meantime? Are there any holes in it? I've never used sync, so before I try it I'd appreciate feedback from people who know more.

(This would be for people who don't want Android and desktop completely merged but who are willing to try sync in a limited way.)

Export desktop bookmarks to an html file.
In the desktop bookmarks sidebar, select the entire list and delete it. (Is there a better way to do this?)
Sync current phone and desktop, bookmarks only.
Now the Android bookmarks, and only those, will be in the desktop installation.
Turn off sync.
Export the list of Android bookmarks (now located on desktop, temporarily) - to an html file. Now the Android bookmarks are backed up.
Delete all bookmarks again in the desktop sidebar.
Re-import the desktop bookmarks html file from step 1.

Then if current phone breaks and I have a new, empty phone, I could do this:

Export desktop bookmarks again.
Delete desktop bookmarks again.
Import the Android bookmarks html file from step 6 above into the desktop installation.
Install Vivaldi on the new phone.
Sync new phone and desktop, bookmarks only.
Now the new phone has all the bookmarks from the broken phone.
Delete all the desktop's bookmarks (which are still the Android ones at this point).
Import the desktop bookmarks you exported in step 1.

Zalex108

@Inclement

Hi,
Currently,
The only way is Sync and Root.

Since Root means, if not already applied, lost the data and start over, Sync is the only way.

You would create a different account por Mobile/Desktop, so data will not be merged.

The extra work to mix your preferred data, will be from your side only.

Inclement

@Zalex108

The workaround I proposed uses sync.

What do you think of it? Do you see any problems with it?

Zalex108

@Inclement

Yes,
That will work.

But overtime, you will probably add more bookmarks, so you end up, repeating to have a backup.

I see that lots of work, but on my side, I don't care about merge all the bookmarks, I just keep different SpeedDials and Folders.

Inclement

@Zalex108 said in Import and export bookmarks:

@Inclement

Yes,
That will work.

Oh good. Thank you for checking it over for errors.

But overtime, you will probably add more bookmarks, so you end up, repeating to have a backup.

True. But fortunately my speed dials (at least) are pretty stable now, unlike when I was first setting up my phone and adding new ones a lot.

I wonder, though... if whenever Vivaldi gives people a way to save data in the browser (speed dials, bookmarks, notes, and so on), maybe they shouldn't release those sorts of features without providing a way to back up / export-import right along with it. In other words, make keeping data safe just as important as encouraging people to store data.

After all we're constantly told, by everyone everywhere, "Back up your data!" We're also told, almost as often, that sync and backup are not the same, and in general (not just Vivaldi) we shouldn't rely on syncing for that.

So no wonder people are frustrated when we're told there is no solution here other than sync.

Zalex108

@Inclement
To backup is mostly expected on Desktop.
Mobile is usually closed to access Users' Data on Apps' Folders.

Sync happens when a Logged Device is online.
Backup when it's Offline.

Syncronizing between devices, then backing up on Desktop, should get all the information.

OC,
Some Mobile settings are not Sync'd as well as on Desktop.

BTW,
Would be nice that the Team Advises somehow about the importance of run your own data backup in the Start Up, on the Help...

lfisk

@Zalex108 said in Import and export bookmarks:

To backup is mostly expected on Desktop.
Mobile is usually closed to access Users' Data on Apps' Folders.

On Desktop most users have access to ALL the files Vivaldi runs on and stores data. On Android we have diddly squat unless you're running a rooted device. I have other Android apps that can save/write backup files to directories that are accessible without being rooted. Vivaldi should be be able to write a file to one too, for instance "Downloads".

Zalex108

@lfisk

I'm running mostly A10.
Since A12/A13 Google limited the access even to Data/Apps Data/Downloads.

Not sure whether any Browser allows to move to SD directly from the App itself.

From Dev Options you can allow to write outside, also using ADB and Shizuku, but allow it by default, which is the most comfortable, IDK.

lfisk

@Zalex108 Sorry if my tone seemed a bit rough, I tend to be terse in my posts and didn't mean to sound like a grouch...

On A11 here and had problems with getting apps to use the SD card too. "Downloads" in the main memory area is usually writable for most of my apps without doing anything outside normally accessible permissions. Really hope by the time I have to get a new device there are better, affordable options available than current Android defaults...

Zalex108

@lfisk

A year old devices gets some good deals on Amazon or AliExpress, at least on Spain.

Maybe in the future there's an easier option to access those storage settings/places.

Ayespy

@lfisk my 3-year-old Samsung device (Galaxy S-22) runs A14, but I suspect that is as far as it will ever update.

far4

@Zalex108 said in Import and export bookmarks:

but allow it by default, which is the most comfortable, IDK.

But that's already been discussed, hasn't it? Let's say a person works with Vivaldi release. Downloads Snap, makes a mod, embeds Document provider, synchronizes data from release to snap. Next, using TotalCom or MiXplorer, we get full access to all browser folders/files without root or any substitutes for it.. On the A10 this works 100%. I can backup and restore any user data w/o root. However, if they are out of date, I don't know how the synchronization mechanism will work with data from, for example, a year ago.
More, you can still use the browser with DP as normal - no any restrictions. And make backups even every day or every week.

DP differs from root in that you can't set permissions to files, but it's not necessary for backup/restore.

Zalex108

@far4 said in Import and export bookmarks:

DP

?

The access to Data/Apps' folder on A10 is a Bug if I'm not wrong.

Using MixPlorer I couldn't access Root/Data/Data/Vivaldi

Not tested yet with Shizuku but has the option on Mix.

far4

@Zalex108
The mechanism of embedding Document provider in any application, before it is installed, of course, gives access to all the data of that application. It's been around since android 5.

ps You can do mods of any application this way. For example, this is how you can make saves of some games at critical moments, when there is a big chance to lose.

Zalex108

@far4

Ok
I'll check it

Thx

far4

@Zalex108
As a tool you can use MT Manager or Apktool M (the second one is more convenient). You can sign the mod with the built-in test key, or you can create your own - the app can do everything. Creation of the mod itself takes less 5 minutes.

omerfg

@Zalex108 Hi, I think it would be much better if there is the option to export bookmarks on Android too. If this is already possible today, please enlighten, dear Vivaldians

Hitch42

I would like to add my vote for this as well.

For some reason, upon reinstalling Vivaldi, the sync feature did not work and I lost hundreds of bookmarks, some of them very important ones. But those bookmarks still exist on my mobile version of Vivaldi (iOS). I would like to be able to export those mobile bookmarks and import them into my desktop version of Vivaldi.

Please Vivaldi, give this feature some serious consideration. People are asking for this for a reason. There are some legitimate, and sometimes very serious, reasons as to why users would need to access their data this way.