Google Chrome Board

[Note #1: Updated to reflext upcoming changes in Google Chrome's build. thx screasey.]
[Note #2: You can now import/export bookmarks through the bookmark manager. If you can't open Chrome, try this.

Hey, hopefully this update will help you all out. I stayed up all night making a nice little web tool you can just upload your Bookmarks file to, and it will spit out a .html file you can save!

Web Exporter: http://tools.googlechromeboard.com/expo ... kmarks.php (http://tools.googlechromeboard.com/export-chrome-bookmarks.php)

--- OR, USE MARKCLOUDEN'S UTILITY ---

MarkClouden's Google Chrome Bookmark Exporter (http://www.googlechromeboard.com/markclouden-s-google-chrome-bookmark-exporter-t102.html)

--- OR, YOU CAN STILL DO IT THE MANUAL WAY --- (OUTDATED?)

You're actually going to need Mozilla Firefox for this one, because there is no third party utility developed specifically for exporting Google Chrome bookmarks, and nothing built into Google Chrome to do so.

If you're like me, you probably had to reinstall Firefox, ahh ... memories.

• Download SQLite Manager (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817) Mozilla Firefox Plugin
• Run SQLite Manager from within Firefox (Tools > SQLite Manager)
• Click on Database, and then Connect Database
• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<USERNAME>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\History
• Windows Vista: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\History
• Click View > Create View, name it bookmarks and enter SELECT * FROM urls WHERE starred_id >= 1 then click OK.
• If you're running on the new Chromium build (or future builds of Google Chrome) use this query instead: SELECT * FROM starred
• Click View > Export View and click OK, use the next dialog to save the file to wherever you would like.

By default, SQLite Manager will spit out a comma separated values database of your bookmarks.

The steps listed would have just been far too simple to follow (had I read them last week).

Without them at hand, I wrote a quick utility app to do this and many many more things (OK, exactly one other thing). It is described and includes a download link at http://blog.reloadedsoftware.com.

The app creates the formal bookmark.htm file for easy import in to any other browser.

Hey MarkClouden, thanks for posting your application! Sadly, it errors out for me ... I shot you an e-mail with the error log the crash generated.

In case you didnt see, the error has been fixed. Thanks again.

Thank you so much!!!!!!

Looks like this is now broken. The 'starred_id' has been removed:

http://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/chrome/browser/history/url_database.h?r1=1153&r2=1152&pathrev=1153

But the 'Bookmarks' file (...\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default) looks like it's just an instainated javascript array.

--
Spencer

My bad (sp). I meant "instantiated". But it is a js array, or rather an object = hashed js array (Mozilla calls them Initializers (https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Core_JavaScript_1.5_Guide/Creating_New_Objects/Using_Object_Initializers)/Literals (https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Core_JavaScript_1.5_Guide/Literals#Object_Literals)).

thanks for pointing that out Spencer, I updated the original post to reflect how to export bookmarks in the new Chromium builds or future versions of Google Chrome.

Thanks for the fix, I'm using Chromium to test out GChrome until I like it to actually install the stable, hehe.

I have the lastest chromium build.  SQLite gave me this message after trying this query: SELECT * FROM starred. I targeted C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Chromium\User Data\Default\History

Likely SQL syntax error: CREATE  VIEW "main"."bookmarks" AS SELECT * FROM starred [ no such table: main.starred ]
Exception Name: NS_ERROR_FAILURE
Exception Message: Component returned failure code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) [mozIStorageConnection.createStatement]

Is there anything more required in the query?  Seems like it is missing something,  or did I target the wrong file?

thanks,
zeem

What do you mean by "instainated" ... I've never heard that word before?

This is what a javascript array looks like: http://www.tizag.com/javascriptT/javascriptarray.php (http://www.tizag.com/javascriptT/javascriptarray.php)

The "fix" for Chromium didn't work for me. I think you're using an older build of Chromium that still has the "starred" table, the newer ones do not.

Like screasey said, there is a file with what seems to be oddly formed XML (not javascript, or XML for that matter) with your bookmarks in it.

First I tried the SQLLite thing and I noticed that there is no History folder inside of
C:\Users\Damien Lee\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

And thats the user I am using... I tried all other users which is Default and Local and Public and there isn't anything there either...

Plus I tried the little program that the person made and that didn't work either. I really need to get all my bookmarks cause I need to reformat my computer and thats the only way i can save my bookmarks before I reformat. Can someone help?

Had the same problem, wanted to take my bookmarks with me when I traveled, finaly did it the long way.

Open firefox (or Internet explorer), select organise bookmarks.
Now Open Chrome (so its open at the same time).
You can now drag and drop individual bookmarks from Chrome to firefox (or IE) like you would in word.
You still have to creat folders in firefox and IE as chrome doesn't allow you to drag and drop them, just the bookmarks.

Takes time but you can now use firefox or IE to back them up in the usal way.

OMG. That is just sick and terrible. Why would Google release their browser to the public before they have ability to export bookmarks and more..... having notifications for gmail... Why cant google have a gmail notification system in the browser... sometimes people just really dont think!

What if there is no : Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<USERNAME>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\History
Path on my PC
I did search and there is no files with extension *.sqlite on my computer at all?!

Well then if you cant find it then you are screwed just like the rest of us. Maybe google is just slipping up because I cant find it either using Vista. I did a search and its nowhere. I guess we will all have to give up on life.

Here take this pill with me!

Here is the error I get when I try using that software :

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteException: SQLite error
no such table: starred
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLite3.Prepare(SQLiteConnection cnn, String strSql, SQLiteStatement previous, UInt32 timeoutMS, String& strRemain)
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteCommand.BuildNextCommand()
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteCommand.GetStatement(Int32 index)
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteDataReader.NextResult()
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteDataReader..ctor(SQLiteCommand cmd, CommandBehavior behave)
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteCommand.ExecuteDbDataReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Common.DbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at Reloaded.Data.DatabaseConnectionScope.GetSchema(String tableIdentifier, String[] columnIdentifiers)
   at Reloaded.Data.DatabaseEntityMapping`1.GenerateColumnDetails()
   at Reloaded.Data.DatabaseEntityMapping`1.ValidateDatabaseCommandCriteria(DatabaseCommandCriteriaList source)
   at Reloaded.Data.DatabaseEntity`2.List(Int32 rowLimit, DatabaseCommandCriteriaList criteria)
   at Reloaded.Data.DatabaseEntity`2.List(DatabaseCommandCriteriaList criteria)
   at Reloaded.ChromeDump.Access.ListStarredGroups(Int32 parentId)
   at Reloaded.ChromeDump.Main.ComposeExportDocument(Int32 nodeId, StringBuilder document)
   at Reloaded.ChromeDump.Main.ComposeExportDocument()
   at Reloaded.ChromeDump.Main.btnExportBookmarks_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
ChromeDump
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Damien%20Lee/Desktop/ChromeDump.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
Reloaded.Data
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Damien%20Lee/Desktop/ChromeDump.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Data.SQLite
    Assembly Version: 1.0.58.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.58.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Damien%20Lee/Desktop/System.Data.SQLite.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Data
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/System.Data/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Data.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Web
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/System.Web/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Web.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Transactions
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/System.Transactions/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Transactions.dll
----------------------------------------
System.EnterpriseServices
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/System.EnterpriseServices/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.EnterpriseServices.dll
----------------------------------------
DataAccessLayerDynamicCodeAssembly
    Assembly Version: 0.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Damien%20Lee/Desktop/ChromeDump.exe
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

Hey markils and Skettalee,

First off I'd like to say welcome to GCB, and sorry that you are having issues exporting your bookmarks.



The "History" file is not a folder, it is just a file with no extension name that resides in the Google\Chrome\User Data\Default folder. the "History" file is actually a SQLite database.


as for that, I have emailed the creator of the program with your error and hopefully he can post an update.

as for now, you should be able to open the History file from Firefox's SQLite Manager plugin. Just navigate "C:\Users\Damien Lee\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default" and click on the History file. (You'll probably see some other History files like History Index 2008-09, or History Index 2008-10, those are just older history archives, don't click on these.)

hay all. just registered because i am using crome and firefox. and this post helped.. i think us amateurs missed 2 things, i finally found the file using sqlite as indicated but needed to switch the file type in the search window to all files, bam there it was, so using plain old windows search i went to the file copied it and went made a folder in an easy to get to place then pasted the file there. the next problem i had was it was not opening with the sqllite program and err i new i could make this work... got to using the old noggin and noticed the file was named history with no extension, give me a hallelujah. i renamed it to history.sqlite (the file i copied and pasted to a new location NOT the one in the crome directory) and bam it opened up using the sqlite program. and now i must say OH MY GOD.... every where i ever went and not that i visited any porn sites but if i did they would be listed there and i dont want them to be on the computer that i did. not that i did, honest,, i did not,, can i show you the fixed list ?
any way thanks to this post i now have a favorites list that rocks.... and other info that is helping me manage my lists.
thanks
Don

EDIT: In my version of Chrome(0.3.154.9), instead of the "starred" row/table, there's a separate "Bookmarks" file in the same folder as the "History" one is (and I just found ou that it was already stated before, right here!)
It's not SQL or XML (although it kind of reminds it, structure wise).
Could someone with more experience tell me what script language is that?

-------------------------------

First of all, I must say that I appreciate the help TYPELiFE and MarkClouden offering us clueless amateurs. :cry:

hi,
unfortunately the above steps haven't worked for me so far. here's the screen copy of the error i get:
(http://voblablog.com/ancillary/lj/img/sqlite.JPG)

Hey donsignguy,
It worked!!
figured out needed to switch to ALL FILES under file types, yeah
however, the idea to rename the file hadn't occured to me.
you're a star!

now question is: how do you manage that list? do you do it from firefox's sqlite plugin as well? or else, how you manage it?

thanx!

Hi peeps!

I found that the .NET app didn't work properly, since the bookmarks are now stored in a text file with a proprietary format. If only they had used XML ....

Anyhow, I just knocked together a small Java app that will read the Chrome bookmark file and create internet shortcuts in your IE Favorites folder, which effectively makes them appear as Favorites within IE.

The ZIP attached is the entire NetBeans 6.0 project, with source code, so you can see that the program does not contain spyware, etc...

To run it, either build the source yourself, or just go into the "dist" folder and double-click the JAR file. The process is silent, so check your Favorites folder before concluding that it didn't work. Also, make sure you have the latest Java runtime installed, obtainable at http://java.com/en/

This is all released under a Creative Commons License as per http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/au/

I just realised after using Chrome for a couple of months (and reorganizing my bookmarks in it) that it doesn't have an export bookmarks function. So I stopped by this site for a look. I found out where the data files were located (strange place to put an app, though). I opened some of the files in Notepad++ and found they are SQLite Format 3 (e.g. "History"). Others, like "Bookmarks", seem to be Python dictionaries (equivalent to hashes in Perl). Not surprising considering Google's preference for Python. I guess some sort of serialising library (pickle?) should be able to read them.

Anyhoo, I guess don't need to bother now that Scaroth has already knocked up a Java app. And I was looking for something to try out in NetBeans!

Thanks.

Hi guys!

Firstly, huge thanks to TYPELiFE and MarkClouden for trying to help everyone out and providing help and assistance in trying to accomplish what should be a simple task, if only the Chrome developers had stopped to think that people might just want to export their bookmarks  ;)):
1. Got hold of and installed Chromium build #4205 from link provided on Google Chrome Help
2. Copied bookmarks, history, cookies and preferences from Chrome user data to Chromium user data
3. Jumped up and down excitedly when I realised I'd got my bookmarks et al into Chromium
4. Stopped jumping up and down excitedly when I realised I still couldn't export them anywhere else easily
5. Eventually found MarkClouden's lovely little app and tried to get hold of my bookmarks from Chromium
6. Got an error message saying something about SQLite (didn't think to take note of it at the time, but I guess it was because I didn't have the SQLite Manager installed in Firefox)
7. Found this thread, and decided I probably needed to install SQLite, so installed SQLite and tried again. All appeared to work, but then opened up Firefox, and nothing had happened to the bookmarks
8. Consumed more coffee and cigarettes while plotting revenge on Google Chrome developers for messing my day up
9. Decided to try it the manual way, as described at the beginning of this thread, but came up with the error attached. Also, looking at the structure of the database, it doesn't look like it's anything to do with the bookmarks (as in 'starred' items). Like the name of the file suggests, it looks like it's to do with the browsing history only.
10. Decide to try and export bookmarks from Chrome rather than Chromium, as I've only bookmarked a few sites since setting up Chromium this morning, but trying to select the 'history' file in Chrome, SQLite's just saying 'database not selected' in the left pane (despite me selecting it in 'connect database', and if I try 'create view', it's just saying "you must first open a database"
11. Try again with Chrome, but this time try to select the file called 'bookmarks' (logically, you'd think they'd call it 'bookmarks', wouldn't you?). Same error message as in previous step above, that no database is selected.
12. Tried Scaroth's little Java app, after checking I've got the latest Java runtime installed, which according to the Java site, I have (1.6.0_10-rc). Not only is the Java app silent, but I checked my IE favourites, and definitely absolutely nothing has happened at all.
13. Closed everything again and double-clicked the jar file again, just to make sure I did infact double-click it before. For result, see previous step.
14. Give up and sulk because I've wasted virtually all day on this, got no work done, consumed far too much coffee and cigarettes, and contemplate whether to join the Foreign Legion (and infact whether they accept girlies, even if they are geeky girlies  :o ):
Chrome: 0.3.154.9
Chromium: 0.3.155.0 (build #4205?)
IE: 7.0.6001.18000
Vista 32 bit (all Win updates applied)

Check out the new web updater, maybe that'll work for you?

It's completely customizable, so if you need it to output a certain way, just tell me!

Has it really been a month since the starred table was removed? Sheesh, im either very lazy or very overworked. Im not sure.

But I finally did get sick of all the 'no starred table' errors being mailed to me and so today I released a version to support the latest Chrome builds as well as Chromium (default profile). Just in case, I made it so that it will still work with old installs of Chrome (starred table).

Hey Mark, awesome update! I hope it will appease the masses until the next big Google Chrome change. Is the download link the same? I didn't see a post about it on your blog.

I am working on a web version where people can upload their "Bookmarks" file and it will parse and shoot them a downloadable .html file.

http://tools.googlechromeboard.com/expo ... kmarks.php (http://tools.googlechromeboard.com/export-chrome-bookmarks.php)

It doesn't appear to be. I've just tried downloading from that same link again, and I'm still getting the 'starred' error or the one saying history/bookmarks (I've tried it with both) aren't a sqlite db file.


That sounds awesome! Of course it would be so much easier if Chrome would just let us have a html file anyway *sigh* I guess you can't have everything.

I've even tried Transmute (http://www.gettransmute.com/) this morning which I just discovered, which is supposed to be able to convert between just about every known bookmarks format (including Chrome, Chrome dev builds, and Chromium), but Firefox is resolutely refusing to play.  :roll:

You all can download MarkClouden's Google Chrome Bookmark Exporter (http://www.googlechromeboard.com/markclouden-s-google-chrome-bookmark-exporter-t102.html) at the original link.

<snip>

The latter fails with

Warning: file_get_contents() [function.file-get-contents]: Filename cannot be empty in /home/gcboard/public_html/tools/export-chrome-bookmarks.php on line 31

my pc crashed and when i restarted i lost all my bookmarks :/

tried uploading history file to the website but im getting:

This webpage is not available.

The webpage at http://tools.googlechromeboard.com/export-chrome-bookmarks.php might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.

  More information on this error