Backing up Safari Bookmarks

macOS
#1

Does anyone have an automated way to export bookmarks as an HTML file (something I can automate to run every 24 hours)?

#2

This looks highly automatable.

#3

It looks like the format has been changed and you can no longer grep them put (it is a binary file).

#4

Any chance it is just that the format is the same and it is just a binary plist rather than a pure text plist?

If that’s the case, you could work around that by converting it in the script.

Here’s some more recent posts about working with Safari bookmarks in a plist file with other methods.

Primarily it’ll bejust a set of names and URLS, and apps like Alfred reference them dynamically, so it should be possible.

#5

I ended up using launch to trigger a bash shell script that copies the ~/Library/Safari/Bookmarks.plist to a folder (renaming the copy each day).

The problem I am having is the script will not copy

#6

In Safari if you choose File>Export Bookmarks you get an html file of bookmarks. This should be AppleScript compatible. I haven’t even opened the AppleScript ediotr for years, but I do think this is doable.

#7

I had it working when it was under File but now it is under File/Export…

#8

Does anyone have any guidance on how to do this in AppleScript?

#9

(* As far as I know, there isn’t a method in the Applescript dictionary for Safari to save bookmarks. I think you have to use GUI scripting *)

tell application "Safari"
	activate
end tell

try
     tell application "System Events"
		tell process "Safari"
			tell menu "File" of menu bar 1
				click
				tell menu item "Export"
					click
					(* N.B. ellipsis after "Bookmarks" not fullstops/periods *)
					tell menu item "Bookmarks…" of menu "Export"
						click
						delay 1
						(* Safari remembers the last place you saved. *)
						(* Insert code here for a different filename if required *)
						(* The filename is already selected. *)
						-- keystroke "new filename"
						
						(* Save the file *)
						keystroke return
					end tell
				end tell
			end tell
		end tell
	end tell

on error errMsg
      display dialog "Error: " & errMsg
end try