1. Where does Webstractor keep the web pages that it captures?
2. Do I have to use Webstractor as my web browser in order to capture web pages with it?
3. Do I need to pay to upgrade to the current version of Webstractor?
4. Does Webstractor run natively on my Intel-based Mac?
5. What happens if a web page that I have captured is later updated or removed from the internet?
6. How do I remove unwanted material or add new text to captured web pages? I don't know the first thing about HTML.
7. Why in Edit mode do some web pages look different than they look in Browse mode?
8. Is there a limit to how many web pages I can capture into a Webstractor document?
9. When browsing in Webstractor, is there a way to capture a linked web page in the background without leaving the page I’m looking at?
10. I cannot seem to edit the PDF files that I capture from web pages.
11. Can I export a Microsoft Word document out of a Webstractor document?
12. Can I post the contents of a Webstractor document back to the internet as a web page?
13. Can I use Tiger’s Spotlight feature to search the contents of my Webstractor documents?
14. How can I change the order of the web pages I have captured?
15. I design web pages, how do I get to the HTML source of web pages I have captured?
16. I don’t see my question on this list. Who can I ask?

Where does Webstractor keep the web pages that it captures?

Webstractor is a “document-based” application, much like a word processor. When you launch Webstractor, you begin with an ‘Untitled’ document. Every web page you visit using Webstractor in that document’s window is captured into that document. Any web browsing that you perform outside of Webstractor is not automatically captured by Webstractor. As with a word processor, when you close the Webstractor document’s window you must choose to save or discard that document. If discarded, all captured web pages within are also discarded.

Just as you’d expect, you later double-click these Webstractor document files in order to access those captured web pages again.

Do I have to use Webstractor as my web browser in order to capture web pages with it?

No, you can carry on using your existing web browser. If you use a Webstractor-supported web browser (Safari or OmniWeb at this writing), you can use your browser’s contextual menu to add the web page you’re looking at into one of your recent Webstractor documents, without leaving your browser. Just hold down your ‘control’ key while clicking in a blank area of the web page, and you’ll be given the option of opening the current web page into a new Webstractor document or you can select one of your recent Webstractor documents to add it into. Multi-button mouse users can simply right-click for this menu.

Do I need to pay to upgrade to the current version of Webstractor?

No. All upgrades from version 1.0 (or later) to any version 1.x are free. Just visit the Downloads page to get the latest version.

Does Webstractor run natively on my Intel-based Mac?

Yes, Webstractor is a Universal Binary running natively on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs, starting with Webstractor version 1.6.

What happens if a web page that I have captured is later updated or removed from the internet?

When Webstractor's Radar feature next checks to see if your capture is still up-to-date, the Radar status column will change to a clock (to show that the original has changed) or to an exclamation point (to show that the original was unavailable). As long as you keep the Webstractor document containing the capture, you will always be able to browse and edit your captured web page exactly as it was when you captured it — even when you’re offline.

How do I remove unwanted material or add new text to captured web pages? I don't know the first thing about HTML.

If you know how to use a word processor, you can do this. You must first understand that each Webstractor document has two modes, ‘Browse’ and ‘Edit’. This keeps your edited web pages separate from their untouched originals, and provides a word-processor-like environment to make the desired changes. In order to edit a web page you must first make it editable by clicking the ‘Start Editing’ button or by clicking the checkboxes in the column with the scissors icon. After an editable copy of a web page has been created, it appears in Edit mode ready for you to make modifications.

Why in Edit mode do some web pages look different than they look in Browse mode?

Webstractor's Edit mode has a “printed page” oriented layout to help you visualize exactly how your captured web pages will appear when printed. Aside from page breaks, most web pages look almost exactly the same in both modes. However, some web pages use advanced layout methods not always conducive to printing, such as Flash, CSS layers, or heavy use of JavaScript. These web pages may look dramatically different (or even completely blank) when made editable in Webstractor.

Is there a fixed limit on how many web pages I can capture into a Webstractor document?

You can capture any number of web pages into a Webstractor document. All captured web pages in an open Webstractor document are held in RAM memory, however, so having hundreds of captured web pages in open Webstractor documents may affect your computer’s performance if you have not upgraded your computer’s RAM.

When browsing in Webstractor, is there a way to capture a linked web page in the background without leaving the page I’m looking at?

Yes, you can hold down the ‘command’ (Apple) key when clicking on a link in order to force it to be captured in the background while you remain on the current page.

I cannot seem to edit the PDF files that I capture from web pages.

While Webstractor will capture PDF files that you encounter while browsing, you cannot make them editable.

Can I export a Microsoft Word document out of a Webstractor document?

No, Webstractor currently cannot export to MS Word format.

Can I post the contents of a Webstractor document back to the internet as a web page?

No, Webstractor currently cannot export to HTML.

Can I use Tiger’s Spotlight feature to search the contents of my Webstractor documents?

Yes. If your Mac is running OS X 10.4 or later, your Webstractor documents are automatically indexed with Spotlight technology. Webstractor provides Spotlight with a variety of information, all of which is automatically searched when you use Spotlight.

Simply put, when you do a Spotlight search, if the word you’re looking for appears on any web page you’ve ever captured in any Webstractor document on your system, it will appear in the results. Not only that, but when you open a Webstractor document from a Spotlight results window, Webstractor will automatically search that document for the word(s) you used in your Spotlight search, taking you directly to the first instance found in your document.

Webstractor documents must have been saved using Webstractor 1.5 or later in order to be included in Spotlight searches. Older Webstractor documents can be quickly opened and resaved in Webstractor 1.5 or later in order to bring them up-to-date.

How can I change the order of the web pages I have captured?

You can drag-and-drop the items in the list of web pages in order to rearrange them. If you are in ‘Browse’ mode, there are a couple of limitations. You must be sorting by the ‘#’ column, which is the default sort mode for new Webstractor documents. In addition, in Browse mode you cannot rearrange amongst multiple captures of the same web page location — those are always shown together, sorted by the date of capture.

I design web pages, how do I get to the HTML source of web pages I have captured?

While looking at a captured web page, control-click somewhere in the captured page’s content to reveal a contextual menu. Among other useful things, you’ll find “View Source” here.

I don’t see my question on this list. Who can I ask?

Please ask your question on our Support page.