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Web Clipper (Chrome Extension)

The UnderControl Web Clipper is a Chrome browser extension that saves web pages as UnderControl tasks with a full-page HTML snapshot attached as a resource.

Features​

  • One-click save — Click the extension icon, edit the title, and save
  • Full-page snapshot — Captures the entire page as a single HTML file using SingleFile
  • Auto-attachment — The HTML snapshot is attached as a resource to the newly created task
  • Custom title — Edit the task title before saving (defaults to the page title)
  • API Key auth — Connects securely using your UnderControl API key

Installation​

The extension is not yet published on the Chrome Web Store. Install from source:

  1. Download or clone the ud-chrome-extension repository
  2. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions
  3. Enable Developer mode (toggle in the top right)
  4. Click Load unpacked
  5. Select the ud-chrome-extension folder

The extension icon will appear in the Chrome toolbar.

Configuration​

Step 1: Get an API Key​

  1. Log in to the UnderControl web app
  2. Go to Settings → API Keys
  3. Click Create API Key — the key starts with ak_
  4. Copy the key (it's only shown once)

See the API Keys documentation for details on managing API keys.

Step 2: Configure the Extension​

  1. Click the UnderControl icon in the Chrome toolbar
  2. Enter your API URL (e.g., https://api.undercontrol.app)
  3. Enter your API Key (starts with ak_)
  4. Click Test to verify the connection
  5. You should see "Connected as [your username]"
  6. Click Save

Usage​

Saving a Page​

  1. Navigate to the web page you want to save
  2. Click the UnderControl icon in the toolbar
  3. Edit the task title if desired (pre-filled with the page title)
  4. Click Save Page
  5. Wait for the capture to complete — the popup auto-closes on success

The saved page appears as a new task in your UnderControl task list. The full-page HTML snapshot is attached as a resource.

Managing Settings​

  • Settings — Click the Settings link at the bottom to change API URL or API Key
  • Test — Verify your connection before saving
  • Clear — Remove all configuration and start fresh

How It Works​

  1. When you click Save Page, the extension injects the SingleFile library into the current tab
  2. SingleFile captures the entire page (HTML, CSS, images, fonts) into a single self-contained HTML file
  3. The extension uploads the HTML file to your UnderControl server via the Resource API
  4. A new task is created with the HTML file attached as a resource

Limitations​

  • Cannot capture Chrome internal pages (chrome://, chrome-extension://)
  • Very complex pages with heavy dynamic content may take up to 2 minutes
  • The HTML snapshot is a point-in-time capture — it won't update if the original page changes

Troubleshooting​

"Invalid API key"​

  • Verify the key starts with ak_
  • Regenerate the key from Settings → API Keys in the web app
  • Make sure the API URL is correct

"Cannot reach server"​

  • Check your network connection
  • Verify the API URL (no trailing slash)
  • Ensure your server is running and accessible

Capture fails or times out​

  • Some pages with heavy media content take longer
  • Try refreshing the page before capturing
  • Chrome internal pages cannot be captured

"Invalid format" error​

  • This usually means the server version is outdated
  • Update your UnderControl backend to the latest version

Open Source​

The Web Clipper is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, as it incorporates the SingleFile library.