Safari

[CorduroyZeus123]

Love using this extension but also prefer using Safari for its speed and battery efficiency.

Would love it if you could make an extension that is compatible with Safari.

Happy to pay for it!

[Anoaxx]

What an emotional change between title and desc xD

[ImprovedTube]

Hi! ♥ yes, we'd like to publish for Safari. Safari supports normal "Web Extensions". However they want them to be wrapped in an "app". Which requires a OSX command as follows:
If you can, please try it in Safari already. ImprovedTube-latest.zip

[CorduroyZeus123]

Sorry, I have downloaded the zipped folder... What do I do next?

[ImprovedTube]

Cool! Unpack, then run that Xcode command in command line as in the screenshot
i.e.
xcrun safari-web-extension-converter /Users/You/Documents/unpackedStuff/
( or $HOME/ImprovedTube-master or drag and drop the folder as seen here @ 4:19 https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10665/ watch up to 2 minutes until 6:20 )

[CorduroyZeus123]

Great, but how long would it take you to get an official app on the AppStore??

[CorduroyZeus123]

So is there any chance of a safari extension application for mac??

[ImprovedTube]

hi @CorduroyZeus123, does everything work for you in Safari? Did you identify difference compared to Chromium?

[CorduroyZeus123]

Sorry, I don't really want to go through all of the hassles of unpacking the extension etc onto Safari, but I would be happy to use it if and when available on the AppStore and provide feedback.

[ImprovedTube]

@CorduroyZeus123
oww, it's less of a hassle than opening github issue (=you might be done as fast as you can type the command)
(so you might be the noble first tester before >10000 people get it from store)
Alternatively you can sponsor the Appstore fee of $99/year 😆

[CorduroyZeus123]

I just unpacked the extension onto Safari, and it loaded perfectly fine. However, YouTube does not work at all with the extension on - an error continually occurs preventing any video from loading! In addition, the forced playback slider does not work. I would be happy to test out further extension updates if you send the zipped folder which I can then load onto Safari.

[CorduroyZeus123]

Just unpacked the latest version of the extension onto Safari and it works much better! Here are a couple of things that need fixing:

• Blocking all ads does not always work although does the majority of the time
• Banner ads are not blocked at all
• Autoplay when clicking a video doesn't work all the time
• When you change a setting via the extension, it is not applied until the website is reloaded
• The shortcuts to change the playback speed, when set, only allow changes up to 2x speed and cannot go faster using the shortcut
• (The extension is unsigned so has to be allowed every time safari quits and opens - any way of permanently allowing unsigned extensions?)

Cheers

[CorduroyZeus123]

*Forced playback doesn't actually work past 2x at all, whether the shortcut is enabled or not, even when set to higher forced playback speeds

[Venryx]

I did work earlier to fix the playback speed being limited to x2, as well as making the playback-speed-setting code consistent between the three code-paths that perform that function. It was merged: #161

However, soon afterward (like a few days later), some other commits were added that overwrote (some of) my fixes, and messed up some other things as well. I wrote this comment explaining the situation, and how to fix it again: #27 (comment)

Unfortunately, the issue didn't end up getting re-opened, and no one followed up on what I could do to get the fixes re-merged. So after a few days, I gave up and started using a different extension for video-speed controlling: https://github.com/igrigorik/videospeed

Hopefully ImprovedTube will eventually get this issue fixed, but in the meantime you can use the extension above (or one of the others like it).

[ImprovedTube]

Thank you so much! @CorduroyZeus123 & @Venryx

@Venryx sorry this took long!! no good edits should be lost of course!

When you change a setting via the extension, it is not applied until the website is reloaded

Sounds like this is the only Safari-specific issue, to fix before publishing in Appstore

(The extension is unsigned so has to be allowed every time safari quits and opens - any way of permanently allowing unsigned extensions?)

good question. not in official documentation
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/safari_app_extensions/building_a_safari_app_extension

[Raid13577]

👌🏻♥️

[ImprovedTube]

Safari version could have ** *** users already.
Sadly AppStore costs $99/year (& extra work)
If you sell it, you only get 70%.
So we should raise funds and publish a free link + sell at monthly price when found by store? - what is the cheapest possible?

[h3nk387]

I can pay for the App Store fee first year. People hate subscriptions so I think you should just sell it for like $0.99 or $1.99 max. That should get you more than enough funds to pay off the next year App Store fees and make a little well earned money for your work. :)

How do I easily send the money to you. How do we go about that? I'm not so familiar with GitHub. Is there a way to open a "chat" with you if we both follow each other or something?

[augustobob]

I failed in every attempt to convert it to safari, no matter what i do terminal gives me this message: "xcrun: error: unable to find utility "safari-web-extension-converter", not a developer tool or in PATH"

[andyayya]

Please add this to the App Store so it's available for Safari now that iPadOS 15 will bring extensions to iPad :(

I would suggest this extension to be "free" for people to install and use features like "hide recommendations and ads" but you have to pay to unlock speed/hide comments,etc. and all the other cool features. (If it's too much work just make it a paid app and call it a day)
Most people don't know that you can "hack youtube features" so making it free to install in the first place could show the premium features so they are more convinced to pay. I didn't know that an extension could to what this extension does and now I can't live without it 😅 I would pay 2$ with eyes closed hahaha I would recommend to some friends and are in the Apple ecosystem

[ImprovedTube]

Wow, thank you guys! How did i miss this? @h3nk387 @andyayya
To be more specific:

• We'd love to publish a free App Store gift-Link (for everybody who doesn't want to pay.)

  • Still for that our community has to give Apple $100/year. In turn this should bring paying users, who would otherwise never have noticed us. ( While something cute like $0.4/month will most accurately describe our work (never ending while Youtube changes & show our confidence that these new users will stay for long too.)

    • We would long have started Safari, if Apple would allow to donate all. (- Like ebay does: sellers can donate up to 100%, while no commissions are deducted on the donation ebay.com/donating Then we'd preferably pass on what we'd earn at AppStore, but rather ask for donations in a place like Gitcoin, where they would sometimes be subsidized(multipled) Gitcoin/Code-For-Charity

• people suggest to contact @apple / https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/66341

  • The height of the fees is popular: Macrumors/"walled garden"-fee should be 3%
    • Apple offers 15% for small businesses by now (through developer program enrollment.)

[augustobob]

I’m currently a YouTube premium user and have Vinegar extension for iOS and macOS, I’m a bit lazy to make improved tube work and maybe if you create a script to auto install people would be more inclined to use.
if you sell this extension on the AppStore I’ll pay for it, I understand your complaints about the fees, but no doubts you’ll get more than enough with a good profit

[GameParrot]

You can also distribute the extension as a DMG outside of the app store. You can sign it to run without "Allow Unsigned Extensions" enabled without being in the paid developer program (users will have to right-click and choose open to open it for the first time due to Gatekeeper).

[augustobob]

Cool! Unpack, then run that Xcode command in command line as in the screenshot
i.e.
xcrun safari-web-extension-converter /Users/You/Documents/unpackedStuff/
( or $HOME/ImprovedTube-master or drag and drop the folder as seen here @ 4:19 https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10665/ watch up to 2 minutes until 6:20 )

I followed this instructions and finally succeeded to run with no errors, but then I got a folder with some other folders and no app to add the extension. what im doing wrong?

[TienTim]

@ImprovedTube May I distribute this app extension on the App Store?

[RobyRew]

does someone have the .app?, we really don't need it to be on App Store, I can codesign the app so App Store is not necessary

Edit: Typo

[TienTim]

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/improved-tube/id1672777754

[ImprovedTube]

Hi Guys! Please review @TienTim's upload to the AppStore as he proposed in #1568

@h3nk387 @RobyRew @CorduroyZeus123 @augustobob @GameParrot @andyayya @Raid13577

If we have an AppStore account later, as an organisation, then this App can be transfered in place.

many smiles!

[RobyRew]

Hi Guys! Please review @TienTim's upload to the AppStore as he proposed in #1568

@h3nk387 @RobyRew @CorduroyZeus123 @augustobob @GameParrot @andyayya @Raid13577

If we have an AppStore account later, as an organisation, then this App can be transfered in place.

many smiles!

I have installed on my both Macs and too far too good is working, tomorrow ill review on AppStore,
for now I have a small issue, where I can report the bug?

as you can see the buttons are just super small and everything is disordered and some hidden.

[ImprovedTube]

Hi @RobyRew, thanks! With sidebar on the left only? (Or even with no features enabled?) Assumably thats our first a safari specific bug-report

Just uploaded the first big update since several month to the repo latest
@TienTim you can upload it (Wont ask often 😆) Thanks again!

[RobyRew]

Hi @RobyRew, thanks! With sidebar on the left only? (Or even with no features enabled?) Assumably thats our first a safari specific bug-report

Just uploaded the first big update since several month to the repo latest @TienTim you can upload it (Wont ask often 😆) Thanks again!

It looks like its there anyway, I found why, its has something to do with (Return YouTube Dislike by Anarios & JRWR): https://github.com/Anarios/return-youtube-dislike/raw/main/Extensions/UserScript/Return%20Youtube%20Dislike.user.js

I have it installed with Tampermonkey, these settings control a little about the grey bar , im not sure what to do to fix Return Dislike Button.

Soo the extension ImprovedTube works perfectly, is the other extension that is conflicting with.

Youtube with ImprovedTube OFF, and Return Dislike Button ON:

Youtube with ImprovedTube ON, and Return Dislike Button OFF:

Youtube with ImprovedTube ON, and Return Dislike Button ON:

SUGGESTIONS?

[ImprovedTube]

hi! @RobyRew try v4.2 😊

[RobyRew]

hi! @RobyRew try v4.2 😊

Where's the .app, .dmg or xcodeProject? to download it?

---

Also, the app can work too even if its not on the App Store or not dev code signed, everyone can self code sign the app with this instructions:

1. Create a local certificate called ImprovedTube-for-YouTube with code signing capability.
2. Download the .app on /Download folder
3. Open Terminal and run these commands:
   • cd /Download
   • macdeployqt Improved\ Tube.app -codesign=ImprovedTube-for-YouTube
4. Copy the Improved Tube.app application package to Applications.

[ImprovedTube]

hi @RobyRew @CorduroyZeus123 & all: ${\color{red}Can}$ we just run an apple VPS & automate the process for every extension?

[RobyRew]

hi @RobyRew @CorduroyZeus123 & all: we just un an apple VPS & automate the process for every extension?

yes, for sure we can, but I personally don't know much about macOS apps build automation.

[avanderhoorn]

Any chance we can get the latest version uploaded to the app store?