Element Hiding - Filter Lists?

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:31 am

Anonymous Coward wrote:The guide is here: http://adblockplus.mozdev.org/filters.h ... hide_basic

It's actually pretty easy if you use the DOM Inspector

--V

Thanx V:

I knew that article was around somewhere .... Thanx for finding it. I couldn't remember where I saw that.

Sounds like you (like that article states) DO have "a basic knowledge of HTML" (otherwise, you wouldn't even know what a DOM inspector was). Unfortunately, most normal people really don't know much about that stuff. That is why I told Arckon that if he had some HTML knowledge, that there WAS an article somewhere. You've got to admit, V, without a slight knowledge of html, you would just be sitting there going .... "DUH"

The DOM Inspector definitely helps if you have a basic undestanding of what it is that you are trying to do. Funny, though, I actually find it easier to just "search" a piece of text in the code just before or just after the element that I'm looking for. The DOM Inspector gets a little too "tree-like" in its workings (kinda like digging thru the Windows' registry). I like to go right after the code-line itself.

Actually, my biggest problem is finding SITES that need element cleaning. The ad-blocking on most sites is pretty 'self collapsing" and really doesn't need extra element blocking. But every now and then you run into something that needs someextra tidying up.

Anonymous Coward · Post by **Anonymous Coward** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:37 pm

Well, sure, not everyone would be able to do it, but it's still easier than sifting through the html, especially given that you can use "select element by click."

But lots of sites desperately need element cleaning, see theonion.com for a good example. I'm wary of recommending many, though, given that you (understandably) seem to want to do the most popular ones first.

--V

ecjs · Post by **ecjs** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:15 pm

Anonymous Coward wrote:Well, sure, not everyone would be able to do it, but it's still easier than sifting through the html, especially given that you can use "select element by click."

But lots of sites desperately need element cleaning, see theonion.com for a good example. I'm wary of recommending many, though, given that you (understandably) seem to want to do the most popular ones first.

--V

Try selecting something and then right-clicking. You can see the source code of the selection.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:00 pm

ecjs wrote: Try selecting something and then right-clicking. You can see the source code of the selection.

Wow! ... Thanx ecjs:

I never knew that you could do that

That sure helps.

Anonymous Coward · Post by **Anonymous Coward** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:44 pm

@ V

Thanks for the link!

Like rick752, I knew there was some info about that, but I couldn't remember where it was. I got it bookmarked now

I do have some knowledge about HTML, and I messed around with the DOM inspector a little bit too. I haven't done much web page stuff lately, so I became a bit rusty on the div stuff. The main thing I need it for is trying to clean up some web pages that end up having gaps and white space left over after blocking the ads.

-- Arckon

nolookingca · Post by **nolookingca** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:54 am

On AnandTech, #*(adcontainer) (btw, not in your list yet, Rick, *cough*gettowork*cough*) isn't collapsing the divs. I suspect some absolute values in the stylesheet might have something to do with it, but I don't have the time to check right now.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:11 am

nolookingca wrote:On AnandTech, #*(adcontainer) (btw, not in your list yet, Rick, *cough*gettowork*cough*) isn't collapsing the divs.

"adcontainer" now in.
The 'collapser' is
anandtech.com#div(topmarq)
... also now in.

God, you guys are TOUGH!
Like I said somewhere before when I started this ... I think it would have been easier just to shot myself in the head.

nolookingca · Post by **nolookingca** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:31 pm

rick: thanks.
P.S. Don't shoot yourself until you get a fairly comprehensive list, then...

IceDogg · Post by **IceDogg** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:41 pm

Rick, Don't burn yourself out on this stuff. When ever you get to something is ok. I think this is exactly what's happened to G. He just pushed and pushed until he had burned himself out at least to some degree.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:18 pm

i don't i'll have to test but does adblock check for elements in the stylesheets?

sheepy · Post by **sheepy** » Mon May 01, 2006 5:15 am

rick752 wrote: Unfortunately, Arckon, element hiding takes a knowledge of HTML coding.
...
Think of it as being even harder to find than trying to block an ad WITHOUT being able to right-click and add it ... and also WITHOUT it being in the "blockable items" list either. As least ads are only urls .... elements can be any type of html tag.

Hi there, I'm also a convert to your list a few days back, when I finally have had enough of filterset G.

Have you got web developer's toolbar installed? If so, you can see all Ids by "Information > Display id & class details". Combine this with "Outline > Outline Custom Elements" for a quick view of the page's composite.

A problem is, I found that some site is merging text ads into pages inline - sometimes without any class or id. I found those ads impossible to remove without stylish. And I need DOM inspector.

It would be really nice if we can use wildcast or regx in element hiding. Then we can add a bunch of anchor block by their href.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Mon May 01, 2006 3:14 pm

Anonymous wrote:i don't i'll have to test but does adblock check for elements in the stylesheets?

You CAN make css rules to block stylesheet elements (haven't done it myself, yet) by using a ## rule. There are instructions for it somewhere.

EDIT: Instructions are at the link on the top of this page.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Mon May 01, 2006 3:24 pm

sheepy wrote: A problem is, I found that some site is merging text ads into pages inline - sometimes without any class or id. I found those ads impossible to remove without stylish. And I need DOM inspector.

Yeah, sheepy, tell me about it. Sometimes you just get something like a "table=100%" and nothing else in the whole text ad table.

Some elements are very simple to block ... others not so simple. I have also run into the inline style (like you said) where ads and info are combined thru the same class/id. You end up tring to find something (anything!) to create a rule with that won't destroy other stuff. This type of element structure is not normal to see, but they do exist.

As far as what programs I use to find these? That isn't the problem. Being a web guy, I have no problems finding the code .... it's finding the best element-blocking string that's the problem.

ps: Thanx for the filter compliment

sheepy · Post by **sheepy** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:22 pm

rick752 wrote:Being a web guy, I have no problems finding the code .... it's finding the best element-blocking string that's the problem.

How about using... experience? XD

Oh, I need more selectors. I once tried something like (site)##body table table table table table[width="150"] tr:last-child, which would be perfect if that last critical selector is supported. >_<