After Hours

DownThemAll screenshots

By // August 28, 2006, 3:34 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • Starting DownThemAll

    Using the DownThemAll (dTa) Mozilla Firefox extension, you can quickly and easily download multiple images and links from a Web page. In this gallery and related blog post, Bill Detwiler shows you why he thinks dTa is definitely the right tool for the job.

    Once installed, you can quickly access DownThemAll through Firefox's Tools dropdown menu.

    Submitted by Bill Detwiler

  • Main window - Links

    DownThemAll's main window has two tabs--Links and Pictures and Embedded. Both funtion in the same way, letting you select the desired items to download, specify the target folder, apply any renaming options, and start the process.

    Once dTa starts, it automatically analyzes the open Web page and creates a list of links, images, and embedded objects.

  • Main window - Pictures and Embedded

    I use the Pictures and Embedded tab most often. With just a few clicks, I can download all the images on any Web page.

  • Manually select images

    By clicking individual images you can mark them for retrieval.

  • Selecting All files

    Checking the All files option will mark all detected images and embedded files. Using the other file extension check boxes, you can also select only .jpeg, .gif, or .png files.

  • Selecting with a text filter

    DownThemAll also allows you to select items using several canned or a custom text filter. This feature is handy for downloading multiple images/links with a common text string.

  • Download in progress

    Once download process starts, the dTa! Manager opens and tracks the download progress of each file. You can pause and restart the download process, reorder individual downloads, or cancel the retrieval of some or all files.

  • Download complete

    Here the DownThemAll Manager shows a completed set of downloads.

  • Download stats

    Mousing over each individual download will give you a little information about each file.

  • Download Manager

    If you start the Download Manager directly from the DownThemAll dropdown menu, it will normally be empty--unless you have paused downloads waiting for retrieval or downloads in progress. You can also manually add a URL to target with DownThemAll.

  • Preferences: Main

    From the Main preferences windows, you can configure a variety of dTa options.

  • Preferences: Filters

    On the Filters window, you can create, edit, or delete filters used to select links and images from Web pages.

  • Preferences: Privacy

    Through dTa's Privacy settings you can manage how much information DownThemAll retains from sessions to session.

  • Preferences: User Interface

    I've stuck with the default DownThemAll UI, but you can customize the dTa to fit your needs.

  • Preferences: Advanced

    Under Advanced Preferences, you can configure dTa's multipart download settings, timeout length, temp file location, and enable or disable disk space pre-allocation.

  • Help File

    DownThemAll's help file is limited but adequate.

  • About DownThemAll

    If you need additional DownThemAll support, you'll find a link to the DownThemAll Web page on the About window.

Starting DownThemAll

Using the DownThemAll (dTa) Mozilla Firefox extension, you can quickly and easily download multiple images and links from a Web page. In this gallery and related blog post, Bill Detwiler shows you why he thinks dTa is definitely the right tool for the job.

Once installed, you can quickly access DownThemAll through Firefox's Tools dropdown menu.

Submitted by Bill Detwiler

Related Topics:

After Hours Innovation Hardware Tech & Work

By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...