The Return of Missing e
It’s back!
After an arduous effort to modify the Missing e extension it is finally ready.
In order to operate amid the obligations set forth by Tumblr’s various agreements and terms, Missing e will no longer interact with the Tumblr API in any way, favouring alternate techniques in order to continue to provide you with almost all of the great features you have come to love.
Please note that it is possible that I may need to continue negotiating with Tumblr if they do not agree with my interpretation of their policies and agreements. If anything should change, I will keep you posted on the Missing e Tumblr blog.
Almost all features unaffected!
The only noticeable difference in how the features work is in Timestamps. Unfortunately, timestamps will no longer be added to posts on the Tumblr dashboard. However, timestamps will continue to be displayed on unanswered ask messages and privately answered asks.
All other features will continue to work as normal, with a couple of exceptions noted below. Please note that features that have been adapted to function without the Tumblr API are not as well-tested. There may be some rough patches, but I will strive to provide timely updates to fix any problems that come up.
Other features fixed!
- The wrap tags feature has been fixed to work with Tumblr’s new tag implementation.
- The Better Reblogs feature will now allow you to control whether or not your tags get reblogged.
Find these and more in the Missing e settings page. Find out how to get there!
Follow Checker and Unfollower no longer available!
The Follow Checker and Unfollower features, though much-loved by many users, will no longer be a part of Missing e. These features were the most significant perpetrators of a technique called “page scraping”, an arguably bad web practice that can strain a website’s server infrastructure.
Neither of these features is likely to return in any form. Please understand that, though useful, these features represent only a small fraction of all the great options available as part of Missing e.
Important Notes
Some of Missing e’s features tweak the way the Tumblr interface is presented to you. However, none of them hide, block or otherwise remove any promotional or informational content intended to be viewed by users.
By downloading, installing, using or continuing to use Missing e, you agree to the terms and conditions set forth in the Missing e End User License Agreement. I cannot be held responsible for any action taken by any other party with respect to your use of Missing e.
Update or Install Missing e
If you currently have Missing e installed and want the new version immediately, DO NOT uninstall and reinstall Missing e, instead read the instructions on how to update:
Firefox users: There seems to be some trouble getting the Add-On site re-enabled. In the meantime, try this direct link: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/file/128930/missing_e-2.0.0-fx.xpi
New users or users who previously uninstalled Missing e can go to missinge.infraware.ca to install it. Simply click on the logo for the browser you use.
Thanks to thefrogman for the celebratory image!
If you enjoy this extension, please consider donating to support future development.
A common question (with an answer taken straight from the Missing e FAQ page):
Why doesn’t the Unfollower ‘Δ’ show up for one of my Tumblr accounts?
This is most likely because you unintentionally told Missing e’s Unfollower feature to ignore that Tumblr account.
As of version 1.4.0 the Unfollower feature is capable of tracking multiple Tumblr accounts. Whenever Unfollower encounters a Tumblr account it has not seen before and hasn’t started tracking (a new account or a renamed account, for example), the popup box you see above appears.
- If the untracked account (missing-e-testing in the example above) was renamed from one of the existing tracked accounts (for example, you renamed cutlerish to missing-e-testing), click on the “Rename” button beside the old account name to transfer all Unfollower data to the new account name.
- If the untracked account is a new account Unfollower is encountering for the first time, click the “New Account” button and Unfollower will track the new account.
- If the account is untracked, and you do not want Unfollower to keep track of it, click the “Ignore” button and no new data will be stored.
If you ignore a Tumblr account, the Unfollower ‘Δ’ (delta) symbol will not appear on that account’s sidebar.
If you later change your mind, or accidentally ignored an account, you can remove it from the ignore list! To do so, go to the settings page (find out how) and under the Social Features tab, in the Unfollower section, click on the button labelled “Ignore List…”.
In the popup box that appears (also shown above), a list of currently ignored accounts is shown. To cause Unfollower to stop ignoring an account, simply click the “Remove” button beside the account name.
From this popup box, you can also manually add accounts to ignore by click the “Add Ignore…” button and typing in the account name of the Tumblr you wish Unfollower to ignore.
‘Missing e’: Don’t lose your saved bookmarks!
Missing e stores your list of bookmarked posts in your browser using something called DOM Local Storage.
It is possible that this data will be lost if you clear your browser data.
Chrome
Using Chrome’s Clear Browsing Data tool, if you activate the option “Delete cookies and other site and plug-in data”, all of your bookmarks will be lost.
Firefox
Using Firefox’s Clear All History tool, if you activate the option “Cookies” and select Everything under “Time range to clear”, all of your bookmarks will be lost.
Safari
The only way to delete DOM Local Storage in Safari is by digging into your profile directory and deleting files manually. Therefore, I assume that if you know what you are doing, you also understand that your information may be lost.
Tracking Multiple Accounts with Missing e’s Improved Unfollower Feature
In Missing e version 1.4.0, I added support for the Unfollower feature to track multiple Tumblr accounts, including sub-tumblrs (also known as secondary tumblrs).
Remember! You need to have Missing e version 1.4.0 or higher!
I want to take the opportunity to explain how it works.
If you have used Unfollower before, the new Multi Unfollower will take the current stored data and save it as your primary Tumblr’s current list. For example, before I updated to Missing e 1.4.0, my browser stored unfollower information without knowing which account it was for. The first time I installed 1.4.0, it took that list and assumed it belonged to my primary Tumblr, cutlerish.
Tracking A New or Renamed Account
So, the first time I went to my testing account (missing-e-testing) tumblelog page, the box you see in the image at the top of this post comes up.
It says: “missing-e-testing” is not being tracked! Was this account renamed?”
I have a few options here:
- If I had renamed my cutlerish account, and it was now missing-e-testing, I would click on the “Rename” button beside cutlerish. Then, all the stored data for cutlerish would instead be stored for missing-e-testing.
- If missing-e-testing is a new account that I have never used with Multi Unfollower, I would click the “New Account” button. Unfollowers for missing-e-testing would be tracked separately from all of my other accounts.
- If I am not currently tracking unfollowers on missing-e-testing and do not want to, I can click the “Ignore” button. No new data will be stored.
Note that in this popup, you can also delete currently-tracked accounts that you are no longer using.
I want to track an account I previously ignored or I want to manually add an account to ignore!
In the Missing e settings page (find out how to get there), under the Social Features tab, in the Unfollower section, there’s a button that says “Ignore List…” If you click that button, this comes up:
A list of all the accounts the Missing e Unfollower feature is currently ignoring comes up. Simply click the “Remove” button beside the account you no longer wish to ignore!
If you want to manually add accounts to the Unfollower ignore list, click on the “Add Ignore…” button, and a dialog box will pop up, asking for the account name of the Tumblr account you wish to add to the ignore list:
Once you’ve got everything set up the way you want, you’ll have the little delta symbol on each of your accounts, each of them tracking a different list of followers!
Follow Checker Hasn’t Changed
It should be noted that the Follow Checker feature will always compare your list of followers from the account for the tumblelog page you are currently on to your list of Tumblrs you follow (since only primary accounts can follow).
If any of these instructions or the messages and buttons that you see in these screenshots are confusing, please let me know in my askbox so I can either explain them, or improve them in future versions of Missing e.
If you ever have problems with any feature, consult the Missing e FAQ page.
Download Missing e at missinge.infraware.ca
If you enjoy this extension, please consider donating to support future development.
Q:Hey! I was wondering if you were thinking about developping to make possible to see who unfollowed you on side-tumblr?
Thanks for Missing e, tumblr is so much better with it!
I’ve been trying to figure out a good way to do this, actually.
The same thing is linked to why your Unfollower results get screwy if you click the button when you are on your side tumblr’s tumblelog page.
The real trick is finding out a way to nicely link the list of followers to the Tumblr blog it is referring to. Doing that is easy enough, but the problem is that there is no way to identify a side Tumblr account when the name is changed.
If you have only a personal Tumblr and no side Tumblr, there is a special key embedded in the HTML that I can use. However, if you have a side-Tumblr, that key is still the same. So, that leaves me to only track by the username.
It sounds all well and good, but what if you change your username? I have to find a way to change the name linked to the list of followers to the new name. Because it is possible that you change the name on another computer, Missing e would have to ask you every time you click Unfollower after changing username (or accessing Unfollower on a Tumblr you haven’t used for it yet) if the username it is now seeing is actually a renamed version of any of the other names it already has stored.
It is certainly possible, but I haven’t yet figured out a way to make this work gracefully, and I am determined that features that get released on Missing e are polished. I don’t want to cause you headaches with a feature that is still hacky and doesn’t always work.
I’m currently a bit annoyed at a situation that is totally unrelated to you or your question, so if I come across as rude, please, please accept my apologies. There is nothing I appreciate more than feedback and suggestions. People like you, who enjoy my work as much as I do and want to see it do bigger and better things, are my favourite. Please continue being you.
Q:Hi Jeremy,
First, love missing e. However, I had an unfollower last night and the Unfollow didn't work. I clicked the delta symbol and it said I have no unfollowers (even though I know who unfollowed)...
There are two possibilities:
The person followed you and unfollowed you since the last time you checked Unfollower.
- Unfollower can only compare your current followers list with the list it got the last time you checked.
It is indicative of a problem with the way Tumblr presents your followers list
- See below
Unfortunately, due to the way Tumblr presents your followers/following lists, the Follow Checker and Unfollower features are not perfect. Sometimes the follower/following pages are missing people who are actually following you / you are actually following (and it isn’t always the same people every time you check, it changes when you gain or lose followers / follow or unfollow people).
For more information, check out this post.
FYI
The symbols used by the Missing e features Follow Checker and Unfollower:
Unfollower’s Δ
The Greek letter Δ (delta) is used in many fields of science and engineering to represent change.
Follow Checker’s ρ
The Greek letter ρ (rho) is used in statistics to represent the coefficient of correlation between two or more random variables. It is used in Follow Checker to refer to the relationship of tumblrs you follow to tumblrs that follow you.
Some important notes on Follow Checker and Unfollower
From the FAQ:
Follow Checker
- Why is Follow Checker reporting that I am not following someone that I actually am?
- Why is Follow Checker reporting that someone is not following me even though I know they are?
Unfortunately, Tumblr sometimes does not show all of your followers or accounts you follow on the follower/following pages. Some may be missing from one or both of these lists.
Follow Checker presents information purely for entertainment purposes. Before you take any rash actions based on information you get from it, you would be wise to double-check whether or not you follow someone or they follow you.
Unfollower
- Why does Unfollower report that someone has unfollowed that I know has not?
First of all, Unfollower displays all tumblr accounts that have either unfollowed you, been deactivated or have changed usernames. It cannot determine the difference in these situations.
Also, Tumblr, unfortunately, sometimes does not show all of your followers on the follower pages. Some may be missing from the list Unfollower receives from Tumblr.
Unfollower presents information purely for entertainment purposes. Before you take any rash actions based on information you get from it, you would be wise to double-check whether or not someone still follows you.
——
To quickly check if a specific person follows you, go to your followers page (http://www.tumblr.com/followers), enter their username in the “Lookup follower” box at the top and press the Enter key.
