One of MultiIE 3.0's strongest features other than the ability to load up multiple windows in Pocket Internet Explorer is its Quick URL Builder and its Enhanced Go button.

These two additions to MultiIE definitely makes it easier to input address without having to type out http://www or .com, .net, .co.uk and the like ever again.

The best feature about this new addition is that it is user configurable and can be made to behave in different ways.

In this article, we look at how these features work and how they can be modified by the user to enhance their mobile Internet experience.

First is the definition of the entry point of the user inputted data. The second is the placement of the generated address. The third is the option to automatically launch the address entered.

By default, MultiIE 3.0 has its Quick URL Builder divided into 4 groupings:

• Edit General which takes care of cursor control
• Domain Part
• Domain Suffix
• File Part

The Edit General grouping takes care of cursor control and allows you to either clear an address bar of its entries or to move to either the start or end of an address.

The Domain Part grouping is where the usual http://www and .com patterns are placed.

The Domain Suffix grouping is where additional entries such as .uk, .de, .jp and the like are stored.

The file part takes care of file extensions such as .htm, .html, .asp, .php, and the like are stored.

MultiIE 3.0 makes use of symbols to instruct the Quick URL Builder as to how it should perform. The basic symbols and symbol combinations are:

• <] = Clear (completely clears out the address field)
• ] = Clear to end (which clears all data found after the cursor)
• | = Cursor placement
• <| = Move cursor to start
• >| = Move cursor to end
• < = Enter preset data at the start or before data which has been previously entered
• > = Enter preset data at the end or after data which has been previously entered
• # = Pre-entered text
• ^ = Go
• , = to separate presets
• ; = to indicate how the presets will appear in the drop down list as titles

Let us take a look at one of the default Quick URL Builder entries for the Domain Part. You will see that it is set to Clear the address field as it enters http://www. and .com and then inserts the cursor right between www. and .com.

<]http://www.|.com

With a basic entry as such, you will have to enter the address after this preset has been launched then all you have to do is tap on the Go button to launch the site.

Similarly, if you needed to enter an extension to this address, say a .tw or a .ph at the end, you can pull down the list and tap on the Domain Suffix grouping and select the needed suffix. The suffix is written this way in the settings.

>.ph

This means that the suffix is entered after all the data in the address field. So in practice, if you wanted to type in an address such as http://www.smart.com.ph, you would have to select <]http://www.|.com first, type out the body of the address, then select >.ph from the Suffix list and then hit Go. Of course, you can also modify the preset URL builder entry to have the complete pattern of <]http://www.|.com.ph ready for use.

As another approach, you can also set the Quick URL Builder to work in a different fashion. In the address field, enter the address body, then select on the desired Quick URL Builder pattern and automatically launch the site. Now this is not in the default setting but has to be done by editing the presets. No hacking necessary since the presets can easily be edited via the settings of MultiIE.

So let's say you wanted to view http://www.ppcw.net but you want to type only ppcw and let the Quick URL Builder do the rest. All that is needed is to rearrange the command symbols so that it places the necessary Domain Parts in the correct positions.

In the Address bar macros which is in the MultiIE Options under the tab called Bars, select the grouping which you intend to modify. This can be selected form the first drop down list. Select URL Insert: Domain Part and edit the entry.

From the default <]http://www.|.net, what needs to be done is to edit the commands which will then dictate the behaviour of the URL Builder. So from <]http://www.|.net, you will have to change the pattern to instruct it to enter http://www. before the pre-entered text and add .net to the end of the pre-entered text in the address field and then automatically launch the site simulating the pressing of the Go button. The pattern then will show as such:

Default: <]http://www.|.net

Modified: http://www.#.net^

Your changes will then appear on your drop down list and reflect the changes that you've made.

This actually duplicates the Ctrl + Enter command for Internet Explorer on the Desktop PC but gives you a multitude of patterns to choose from.

Similarly, the Enhanced Go button behaves in a similar way.

As you type in the subject that you would like to search for in Google, all that is needed is to select which type of Google search is required and as soon as it has been selected, it launches itself automatically.

As an example, the default Google Web search pattern is written as such: http://www.google.com/ie?q=#^;-Search Web - Google, where all text after the ; is basically used as a title for the drop down list.

If we wanted to modify this to make use of the MSN Search site, we would have to edit the field in the Address bar macros which is in the MultiIE Options under the tab called Bars, select the grouping which you intend to modify. This can be selected form the first drop down list. Select Open Button: Search and edit the entry.

Default: http://www.google.com/ie?q=#^;-Search Web - Google

Modified: http://search.msn.com/pass/results.aspx?q=#^;-Search Web - MSN

When this is done, the title in the drop down list will then reflect -Search Web - MSN and will use the newly configured preset for web searches or you can simply add this as an option to the Google search which is preset.

All other fields found in the Address bar macros can be modified this way. So it really is up to the user as to how ho or she would want to configure the macros of MultiIE 3.0.

Happy web browsing with MultiIE!

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo