Using MRef as a bookmarklet

A bookmarklet is a bookmark link that performs some activity beyond simply displaying a Web page. For example, it might display a Web form and fill in some personal information.

The MRef bookmark should work in all browsers, browser versions, and operating systems. The MRef bookmarklet works in Internet Explorer 5 and Netscape 6 and 7. It may also work in other versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape and in other browsers.

The MRef bookmarklet allows you to "copy and paste and Search", all with one click. Here is an example that you can try. Use your mouse to highlight the reference below.

Then click this bookmarklet link: MRef bookmarklet. Notice that the text is automatically copied and pasted into the input box of MRef, which is presented in a popup window. The search has been performed, without the need to click the "Search" button. (In some browsers, the popup window may be behind the current window. Sometimes clicking on the MRef link again will bring it to the foreground.) Your popup window will look something like this:

Because of the many different ways that text might presented in a Web browser window, the automatic copy and paste will not work in all cases. For example, you cannot transfer text from a graphical image. However, the bookmark MRef can always be used when text can be copied and pasted.

Here is a bookmarklet link that can be saved to your bookmarks or favorites: MReflet.

If you use the MRef bookmarklet frequently, you might want to file it in your "Personal Toolbar Folder" (Netscape) or your "Links toolbar" (Internet Explorer), so that the link is easy to find.

Here is a screen shot of the bookmarklet link on the toolbar in Netscape. A reference in the reference list of a journal presented on the Web has been highlighted, ready for application of the bookmarklet. Click the MReflet on the toolbar in the image to see the resulting popup screen, illustrated as an image file.