PTW Extender

A WebExtension that makes adding titles to one's MyAnimeList, AniList, or Kitsu plan-to-watch list easier by automating the process: all you have to do is select the extension from the context menu list when you right-click a link to one of the list sites. Moreover, it adds the current datetime and the URL of the tab you found the link into the comments section for that title's list entry so that you can refer back to why you added it to the list in the first place.

MAL

As of the writing of this README, MAL doesn't have an external API so the extension is forced to take you to the edit details page for that title where it changes settings as appropriate (status to ptw if it wasn't already completed, comments with the URL added, etc.). By default it just leaves you there, but if you select the appropriate options in the options page, it'll automatically submit the changes and even close the tab. NOTE: You need to already be logged into MAL in order for this extension to work since, as of the writing of this README, there is no way to access and modify a user's data without the add-on storing your MAL credentials (i.e. your username and password in plain-text) due to the aforementioned lack of API.

AniList and Kitsu

AniList and Kitsu DO have external APIs, so the extension just makes the appropriate requests to (if necessary) add it to your list and change the appropriate settings (ex. having the title be private to just the authenticated user).

Why?

My problem is that I'd keep finding gifs or pics or watch-this posts or nostalgia threads or random recommendations or ... of anime and manga that'd make me want to add them to my ptw list; however, I'd either put it on there without putting up a source, which would eventually result in me wondering why that show was on there in the first place, or I would just save the source without going to the bother of adding it to the list. All in all, this resulted in a mildly frustrating experience when trying to keep track of WHICH title I wanted to consume and WHY I wanted to do so.

Having gotten tired of this, I decided to make an extension that would automate the process sufficiently enough that it'd be easy to go through that process, resulting in sourced anime and manga being added to my plan-to-watch list... where they'll stay and rot forever.

Building the extension

System dev-dependencies

• Inkscape - Cmdline tool to convert icon.svg into a set of resized PNG files
• Node/npm - Javascript package manager
• Unix-like operating system - The build script at least assumes you got bash
• web-ext - Mozilla's script for "compiling" extensions

Build process

Run build to install dependencies locally, move over libraries, generate the icons, and "compile" this readme.

Run web-ext build to generate the extension artifact. It's just a zip file, but before uploading it anywhere, you can get rid of the pictures directory if you want since that'll just bloat the artifact with stuff that's useless for the end-user.

Permissions Explanation

A detailed explanation for why PTW Extender asks for these permissions.

https://myanimelist.net/*

As of the time of writing, MAL doesn't have an API, so in order to access, scrape, and modify the add/edit page, PTW Extender need permissions to view it.

contextMenus

The way the extension is used is to right-click a link and then select PTW Extender's context menu button in order to add a title to your PTW list.

identity

In order to log into a site securely, PTW Extender needs to follow the OAuth flow, which starts with a window popping up asking for your credentials to AniList, but in order to make that window pop up, PTW Extender needs to call a function defined here.

notifications

This is less relevant for the default settings for MAL since you have to manually click submit and can see if the update went through or not, but if you tweak the options or use an AniList or Kitsu link, then you don't get that visual confirmation, so notifications come in to fill that gap. If you don't like them, they can be turned off in the options.

storage

Need access to storage in order to save your settings for PTW Extender. It also stores your accessToken for AniList and Kitsu so you aren't forced to log in every time you restart the browser.

tabs

Need access to grab the url of the current page you're on in order to add it to the comments block of whatever title you're adding to your PTW list. Moreover, it's necessary in order to open the add/edit pages for titles in MAL (see above).

webNavigation

If you're using MAL and have tweaked the appropriate options, you can first and foremost autosubmit the changes PTW Extender makes to that entry, and then also tell it to take certain actions post autosubmit. However, in order to know when the submission process has completed requires knowing when the page has finished redirecting to MAL's "you've updated the entry" page, which is where this permission comes in.