[App][2.2+] Short URL Resolver

julianjm · Jan 19, 2014

Short URL Resolver handles the short URLs typically used in social networks: t.co, goo.gl, bit.ly, etc.

Why would you need a (big) web browser to open a Youtube video. Click this link on your Android phone: Video (Then try again after installing this app to see the difference).

Sure, there are other apps that do this, but I think mine has unique features:

Doesn't get in the way: It's small (~200kb). Minimal user interface. Does exactly 1 thing and does it right.
Handles Facebook's external links. Tired of launching the browser to open a m.facebook.com?l.php URL? No more.
Handles Youtube's attribution links. These should be handled by the Youtube app (Google's fault). Short URL Resolver handles them for you, so you get to see the video on the Youtube app. No browser involved.
Handles Tapatalk api click links.
Handles Google.com/url links. They are used in the Play Store descriptions, for example.

Also, it's free, and ad-free. You can make an in-app donation if you feel it's worth it.
It doesn't use any third party service for resolving the URLs. The basic principle is making an HTTP request and determining where it's being redirected.

It's my first public Android App, but I think it's the best of its kind

(you can try and prove me wrong X-D)

Download

I'm also attaching the latest version to this post, for those that can't access the Google Play Store.

julianjm · Jan 19, 2014

Just updated to support Tapatalk links... I didn't notice those api click links Tapatalk generates until I was testing this thread

estapagu · Jan 23, 2014

Really awesome! Certainly the best, there isn't any other app that works so ****ing good. It makes easier moving between apps and improve the workflow. Thanks a lot, keep going!

Walter.White · Jan 25, 2014

How does this compare to CrappaLinks. I know that this one doesn't require root/xposed...But my question is what benefits/advantage does this offer over CrappaLinks for people who are already rooted and have xposed??

billbowers · Jan 25, 2014

Great work. Thanks for sharing.

BETEO

AssToast · Jan 25, 2014

Walter.White said:
How does this compare to CrappaLinks. I know that this one doesn't require root/xposed...But my question is what benefits/advantage does this offer over CrappaLinks for people who are already rooted and have xposed??

Well i think its only advantage is for non rooted users and redirects bit.ly and goo.gl, i personally use crappalinks and doesnt seem to work on those but im not sure since i dont click on alot of links

GermainZ · Jan 25, 2014

Walter.White said:
How does this compare to CrappaLinks. I know that this one doesn't require root/xposed...But my question is what benefits/advantage does this offer over CrappaLinks for people who are already rooted and have xposed??

I'm the author of CrappaLinks. If you're already using CrappaLinks: you can use it for apps that may not be supported by CrappaLinks, or use it for shortened URLs (as CrappaLinks doesn't unshorten URLs yet.) It's also useful if you come across a shortened/masked link in a document or similar.
CrappaLinks removes masking from *specific* apps that mask your links. This app can be used anywhere for unmasking *and* unshortening.

I personally use it alongside CrappaLinks, for the reasons I've mentioned above.

Walter.White · Jan 25, 2014

GermainZ said:
I'm the author of CrappaLinks. If you're already using CrappaLinks: you can use it for apps that may not be supported by CrappaLinks, or use it for shortened URLs (as CrappaLinks doesn't unshorten URLs yet.) It's also useful if you come across a shortened/masked link in a document or similar.
CrappaLinks removes masking from *specific* apps that mask your links. This app can be used anywhere for unmasking *and* unshortening.

I personally use it alongside CrappaLinks, for the reasons I've mentioned above.

Gotcha. Do you plan on adding universal link unmasking to CrappaLinks in future? Or just adding support for individual apps? (Support for slickdeals app would be great). The reason why I ask this is because the url shortner service that app uses is blocked by Adblock and because of that I can't open ANY links from that app. Also same with adf(dot)ly links

Regardless I'll be using this alongside CrappaLinks that way most if not all links on my phone will be unmasked regardless of the app. Thanks @op for this.

Edit
Even after installing this app....slickdeals redirect urls don't work.

Edit 2: Here is a sample redirecting link from slickdeals app http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-122526...5267-_-Home%2520Depot%2520Product%2520Catalog

GermainZ · Jan 25, 2014

Walter.White said:
The reason why I ask this is because the url shortner service that app uses is blocked by Adblock and because of that I can't open ANY links from that app. Also same with adf(dot)ly links

Putting it in very simple terms, the only way to unshorten these URLs is:
"Open" the URL -> See if the "destination" is different
This requires a connection to the host that is shortening the URLs. If you're blocking it (by using Adblock for example,) it's not possible to connect at all, so all unshortening apps will fail as well.

You may be able to white list whatever hosts you want in Adblock. Check their help pages and see for yourself, not sure.

About CrappaLinks requests, please ask in the CrappaLinks thread as to keep this one on topic.

julianjm · Jan 25, 2014

Walter.White said:
Edit
Even after installing this app....slickdeals redirect urls don't work.

Edit 2: Here is a sample redirecting link from slickdeals app http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-122526...5267-_-Home%2520Depot%2520Product%2520Catalog

Hi... I'll try to add support for those URLs... Shouldn't take long.

I have a beta testing community on g+ ( sorry it's private and I cannot make it public now). Send me a message and I'll invite you if you want to test early versions.

Julián

Enviado desde mi Nexus 4 mediante Tapatalk

julianjm · Jan 25, 2014

Walter.White said:
Edit 2: Here is a sample redirecting link from slickdeals app http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-122526...5267-_-Home%2520Depot%2520Product%2520Catalog

Just installed slickdeals app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.slickdeals.android), but the URLs generated by the app aren't like yours... Example:
http://slickdeals.net/?sdtrk=android&api_key_id=872706&pno=112586&lno=1

You see the destination URL is not visible there (I have to contact their server to get it).... Also, there URL is too generic to add it to the manifest. I.e., I don't want to handle all links to slickdeals.net... just the ones that mask redirection links.
http://slickdeals.net/click?whatever (good, I can match the /click prefix)
http://slickdeals.ne/?whatever (bad, too generic, would catch urls that arent redirections)

Julian.

Walter.White · Jan 25, 2014

julianjm said:
Just installed slickdeals app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.slickdeals.android), but the URLs generated by the app aren't like yours... Example:
http://slickdeals.net/?sdtrk=android&api_key_id=872706&pno=112586&lno=1

You see the destination URL is not visible there (I have to contact their server to get it).... Also, there URL is too generic to add it to the manifest. I.e., I don't want to handle all links to slickdeals.net... just the ones that mask redirection links.
http://slickdeals.net/click?whatever (good, I can match the /click prefix)
http://slickdeals.ne/?whatever (bad, too generic, would catch urls that arent redirections)

Julian.

Thanks for looking into this for me. I just upgraded the app to the latest version.

And it turns out...It uses 2 redirects.

First when you click on a link from the app.. It uses this http://slickdeals.net/?sdtrk=android&api_key_id=1779234&pno=112588&lno=1 just like what you mentioned above.

And then that above link redirects like this... http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-122526...20Product%2520Catalog&quantity=1&str_nbr=2659

As you can see clicking on both of the above links redirects you to the same page...But the second redirection "www.jdoqocy.com" happens really fast..so that's why its hard to see. I hope this helps.

Basically whenever I click a link from the app... the first redirection "slickdeals.net/?..." to "www.jdoqocy.com" happens automatically but the second redirection doesn't happen because of the Adblock. I tried adding "jdoqocy.com" to Whitelist on Adblock but that messes up app itself.

Looks like www.jdoqocy.com is owned by Commission Junction, so I guess its pay per click or something.

P.S. Fuerteventura looks like an awesome island. I hope to check it out someday.

ykumar00 · Jan 26, 2014

Could you add a small feature to Just remove the adf(dot)ly part from urls? Some forums use ONLY adf urls, and it's annoying, they're in the format adf(dot)ly/ActualURL Thanks!

julianjm · Jan 26, 2014

ykumar00 said:
Could you add a small feature to Just remove the adf(dot)ly part from urls? Skew forums use ONLY adf urls, and it's annoying, they're in the format adf(dot)ly/ActualURL Thanks!

Can you provide some sample URLs? I just tried to shorten a url with their service, and I don't see the original URL anywhere

http://*******/IFOc0 <= this will get you to www.google.es after the spam.

UPDATE: It seems that site is forbiden here. Anyway, you can see that the URL path is just IF0c0...

Julian.

Netuser · Jan 26, 2014

Realy nice app

thanks so much

Is it posdible to ebay link so that they get open in ebay instead of browser ?
Thanks

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4

ykumar00 · Jan 26, 2014

julianjm said:
Can you provide some sample URLs? I just tried to shorten a url with their service, and I don't see the original URL anywhere

http://*******/IFOc0 <= this will get you to www.google.es after the spam.

UPDATE: It seems that site is forbiden here. Anyway, you can see that the URL path is just IF0c0...

Julian.

The shortened urls have no relation to the actual url whatsoever, but some forums use scripts to convert all links to this format:
Examples:

http://*******/1474226/http://lukemovement.wordpress.com

http://*******/1474226/http://newsplus.co/features/

The destination url is in the Long url itself.

The asterisks are adf (dot) ly, as this these links cannot be posted on xda.

For the shortened url however, this service can be used to bypass the Ad, maybe it will be useful: de-ads.net
you can paste links on this page to go directly to the destination page....

Thanks a lot for considering this man!

julianjm · Jan 26, 2014

Netuser said:
Realy nice app thanks so much

Is it posdible to ebay link so that they get open in ebay instead of browser ?
Thanks

That's something up to the Ebay app developers. Currently their app is registered to handle only these urls patterns, according to the AndroidManifest.xml file:
http://pages.ebay.com/android/item/view/
http://pages.ebay.com/android/item/query/
http://www.ebay.com/motors/garage/pub/vehicle/
http://www.ebay.com/mtr/garage/pub/vehicle/

Unless the URL is in that format, the ebay app won't do anything to open it.

Julian.

julianjm · Jan 26, 2014

I'm about to release next version. If anyone wants to beta test, here is the beta apk:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7646923/Android/ShortURLResolver_1016Beta2.apk

New in 1.0.16:

Add Arabic Language, thanks to Sulaiman Alhotan.
New services: v.ht, slickdeals.net, jdogocy.com, v0v.in
Partial support for adf(dot)ly. Only urls not obfuscated.
You can copy the resolved URL by clicking on it.

Thanks!

ykumar00 · Jan 27, 2014

julianjm said:
I'm about to release next version. If anyone wants to beta test, here is the beta apk:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7646923/Android/ShortURLResolver_1016Beta2.apk

New in 1.0.16:

Add Arabic Language, thanks to Sulaiman Alhotan.

New services: v.ht, slickdeals.net, jdogocy.com, v0v.in

Partial support for adf(dot)ly. Only urls not obfuscated.

You can copy the resolved URL by clicking on it.

Thanks!

Adf non shortened links working perfectly, thanks a lot!

SkUrRiEr · Jan 28, 2014

Feedly URLs

Hi,

Excellent app!

Just so you know: Feedly shortens URLs under some circumstances.

It gives a you URL like this:

feedly (dot) com/e/lTWp53yG (I'm new so no URLs for me!)

which redirects to some random Techdirt article.

Would it be possible to add support for those too?

Feedly also uses those shortened URLs when sharing articles. I have no idea how Android's sharing infrastructure works, but it'd be nice to be able to "share" them with your app so they could get de-crappified. (Yeah, this would add some steps to the sharing process, but I'd rather go through a few more steps than share obfuscated URLs.)

[App][2.2+] Short URL Resolver

Senior Member

Attachments

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Inactive Recognized Developer / Retired Forum Mod

Senior Member

Inactive Recognized Developer / Retired Forum Mod

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Similar threads

Top Liked Posts