FAQ: How to view collapsed comment threads
Greasemonkey is an extension that allows you to add some bits of Javascript to your browser in order to modify how certain webpages are viewed. The extension doesn’t actually do anything itself; but through it, you can install user scripts to modify the way a specific webpage, or an entire group of sites, is viewed. Someone with a lot more computer savvy than me can write their own, but there are also thousands and thousands of previously-written user scripts available that you can use.
There are many useful scripts aimed specifically at LJ, including one that gets rid of the ads in plus accounts and one that links all your LJ tags for you right on the page where you’re updating. The purpose of this post, though, is to familiarize you with a very helpful script: LJ Thread Unfolder with "Unfold all". This script allows you to expand all collapsed comment threads on a page with a single click, or, if you prefer, to expand a specific comment thread.
This nifty little fix-it only works with Firefox, I’m afraid. If anyone knows of a similar program that works with other browsers, please drop me a comment and I’ll add the information to this post.
Installation instructions:
Install Greasemonkey and restart your browser. There will now be a cute little monkey icon on your statusbar, as well as Greasemonkey menu items in your drop-down Tools menu. You can enable or disable the running scripts by left-clicking on the icon. A right-click on the icon will show you which scripts are running for the current page showing on your broswer, not which scripts you’ve installed. In order to see everything, click on “manage user scripts.”
Go here and install the LJ Thread Unfolder. (see my ETA below) That’s it! The next time you look at an LJ post with collapsed comment threads, there will be a link to unfold each individual thread - or, if you prefer, a single click on “unfold all” (right next to “post a new comment”) will do it for the entire page at once.
The script does not work on every LJ style ( surrealphantast, I’m looking at you), although it does seem to work for most. It also doesn’t seem to work if you have customized comments enabled. If you disable customized comments, you’ll be fine.
I have found one drawback: if a person links to a comment thread within their comment, the “unfold all” will jump to the linked thread instead of continuing within the actual comment thread. It’s pretty obvious when it happens. As far as I can tell, the best way to get to read the actual comment thread is to back up to the previous comment and open the “thread” link in a new tab.
Disclaimer: I am only a user of Greasemonkey, not one of its creators, and I’ve never installed scripts that apply to any website other than LJ. Use this extension, and apply it to websites, on your own recognizance. I’ve been very happy with the few scripts I’ve installed, but I can’t guarantee anything.
ETA Mar '08: the script stopped working a few weeks back. Firefox now has its own LJ extensions, including one that allows you to expand individual comment threads. However, I did find this Greasemonkey script that does work well.