Grab it here:

//
// ==UserScript==
// @name          Back and Forth
// @namespace     http://blog.bogojoker.com
// @description   Keyboard Shortcut to Jump back and forth on a page. (esc key).
// @include       *
// @version       1.0 - Initial Version - Sunday February 15, 2009
// ==/UserScript==

(function() {

  // Global States
  var x = null;
  var y = null;

  // Add a new Global Key Listener for `esc`
  document.addEventListener("keypress", function(e) {
    if(!e) e=window.event;
    var key = e.keyCode ? e.keyCode : e.which;
    if ( key == 27 ) {
      var tempx = x;
      var tempy = y;
      x = Math.max(document.documentElement.scrollLeft, document.body.scrollLeft);
      y = Math.max(document.documentElement.scrollTop, document.body.scrollTop);
      if ( tempx != null ) { // First time it should be null
        window.scrollTo(tempx, tempy);
      }
    }
  }, true);

})();

On any webpage the first time you push the `esc` key position A gets stored. The next time you push `esc` position B gets stored and the browser jumps to position A. The next time you push it, A gets stored and you jump to B. So you always jump back to wherever you pushed `esc` last. Hence the name “back and forth.”

This is useful to me when I jump between comments and the content. When I’m reading a comment and I want to check back to the article, I just just push `esc` to save my position, go back to the article, and when I’m all set I just jump back to my saved position (the comments) with `esc`.

Short, Sweet, Simple: The Back and Forth Greasemonkey Script.

Like before, the problem I had was that users were mentioning pictures in their comments. Jumping back to that picture was hard or annoying. So, I wrote a Greasemonkey script that allows you to type in a number and it will automatically jump to that picture! Click here to get the script!

Oh, and if you’re reading comments and you want to jump back and forth between images and comments that works too. Once you’ve jumped to the image, just hit ‘esc’ and you will be taken back to where you were before. Too cool!

//
// ==UserScript==
// @name          The Big Picture Keyboard Enhancements
// @namespace     http://blog.bogojoker.com
// @description   Keyboard Shortcut Enhancements
// @include       http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/*
// @version       1.1 - Added Back+Forth - Thursday February 12, 2009
//                1.0 - Initial Version - Monday February 9, 2009
//
//
//   This allows the user to type in numbers, and after about
//   a half second it will jump directly to that image.
//   For example:
//
//     Push '1'... '2'... User is taken directly to Image "12"
//     Push '9'... '9'... User is taken to the last picture.
//
//   Use 'esc' to jump back and forth between two positions.
//   For example if a comment mentions picture 4:
//
//     Push '4'...        User is taken directory to Image "4"
//     Push 'esc'         User is taken back to the comment!
//     Push 'esc'         User is taken back to Image "4"
//
// ==/UserScript==

(function() {

  // GreaseMonkey (Firefox - unsafeWindow) and GreaseKit (Safari - window)
  var w = ( /a/[-1]=='a') ? unsafeWindow : window;

  // Global States
  var x, y;
  var keypressnumber  = false;
  var builtupnumber   = '';
  var quicknumtimeout = null;
  var imgArr = document.getElementsByClassName("bpImage");

  // Keep the old and create a New Global Keypress listener on top of it
  document.addEventListener("keypress", function(e) {

    // Get the key
    if(!e) e=window.event;
    var key = e.keyCode ? e.keyCode : e.which;

    // Store the current x/y position
    function storePos() {
      x = Math.max(document.documentElement.scrollLeft, document.body.scrollLeft);
      y = Math.max(document.documentElement.scrollTop, document.body.scrollTop);
    }

    // # Character => Jump to that image, Store Position
    if ( key >= 48 && key <= 57 ) {
      if ( e.target.nodeName.match(/TEXTAREA|INPUT/) ) return;
      clearTimeout(quicknumtimeout);
      keypressnumber = true;
      builtupnumber += (key - 0x30);
      quicknumtimeout = setTimeout(function() {
        w['currImg'] = parseInt(builtupnumber,10)-1;
        if (w['currImg'] >= imgArr.length) { w['currImg'] = imgArr.length-1; }
        storePos();
        window.scrollTo(0,imgArr[ w['currImg'] ].offsetTop+174);
        keypressnumber = false;
        builtupnumber = '';
        quicknumtimeout = null;
      }, 300);
    }

    // Esc => Jump back to a Saved Position
    if ( key == 27 ) {
      var tempx = x; var tempy = y; storePos();
      window.scrollTo(tempx, tempy);
    }   

  }, true);

})();

All I do is register a new global keyboard listener to catch numeric keys and act accordingly. I tested thoroughly on Firefox and Safari to make sure it works correctly in all cases. It jumps to the correct image, it maintains the “current image” so j/k will still work, it won’t jump if you’re typing in a textfield/input, etc. It even properly handles situations that the current j/k functionality doesn’t. For instance mine allows the user to type in the comment box, click outside the box and reuse the keyboard shortcuts. When you type a j/k or even click inside the search box at the top the j/k functionality is gone. I didn’t feel like correcting that in this Greasemonkey script in case it gets fixed by the developers behind the Big Picture. (Note to those developers: reset isLoaded back to true or take a different approach.)

I’m open to New Ideas. I have some myself but I have to focus on schoolwork in these next few weeks. Let me know if you want anything.

Big Picture Keyboard Commands Greasemonkey Script!

Enjoy.

Well the suggestion was declined. I can’t blame the team. Nobody upvoted the suggestion. But I felt strongly enough about it, and knew that it was very simple to implement that I whipped up a GreaseMonkey script to do it myself. The script runs like a charm and even adds a few extra suggestions to the original three. It handles formatting and commas all automatically, so don’t worry about a thing, just click. Enjoy!

Script to Add Edit Summary Quicklinks

Script to Prevent Blank Edit Summaries

UPDATE: Fixed to use keng’s URL and added just plain old stackoverflow.com without the beta sub-domain in preparation for a launch. Thanks keng!

DOUBLE UPDATE: Sam put out a “wanted ad” for a Greasemonkey script to prevent blank edit summaries. I whipped that script up and linked to it up above. Thanks Sam! Quick Demo