Yahoo has launched a new application in beta that allows registered users to create shortcuts to websites through the Yahoo search portal.
Yahoo calls these Open Shortcuts. Users can access any Yahoo webpage and request to link a short phrase to a specific URL of their choice.
For example, you can set the phrase “!mail” for the Yahoo Mail website. After that, to access Yahoo Mail, you simply type “!mail.”
Yahoo has also created a list of Open Shortcuts for users.
!clist http://www.craigslist.org/
!my http://my.yahoo.com/
!mysp http://www.myspace.com/
!amazon http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?mode=blended&keyword=%s
!audio http://audio.search.yahoo.com/search/audio?p=%s
!ebay http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?satitle=%s
!flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/%s/
!image http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=%s
!mw http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/myresults/ourresults?p=%s
!news http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=%s
!php http://www.php.net/%s
!shop http://search.shopping.yahoo.com/search?cop=mss&p=%s
!video http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=%s
!wiki http://en.wikipedia.org?search=%s
!note http://notepad.yahoo.com/?v=161&DESC=%s
!mail http://compose.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?login=1&To=%s
How to Create Open Shortcuts?
To create Open Shortcuts, you must use the keyword “!set” with the following command. This command is entered into your browser’s address bar.
!set URL of the website for which you want to create a shortcut
Example:
Enter the command: !set ff http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f2
This will create a shortcut to the Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football page.
To create a shortcut for a frequently used search keyword, you also use the keyword “!set” with the following command syntax:
!set your search keyword
Example:
Enter the command: !set it information technology
This will create a shortcut for searching the keyword “information technology” through the Yahoo search portal.
To create a shortcut to your favorite page, use the following command syntax:
!set URL_%s
Example:
Enter the command !set yf http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=%s
This will create a shortcut named “yf” to open Yahoo! Finance.
If you prefer using a user interface to create Open Shortcuts, you can use the Create Open Shortcuts website, provided you are logged in.
Managing Your Shortcuts
You can use the following commands to manage your shortcuts.
!list – List all your personal shortcuts
!unset – Remove a specific shortcut (!unset shortcut name)
!help – Display help
