Chrome Westlaw Enhancements - Chrome Extension

A Chrome extension that enhances the Westlaw experience with customizable typography, layout controls, and navigation shortcuts.

Quick Installation

For easy installation instructions, see INSTALL.md

Advanced Installation

Option 1: Load as Developer Extension (Recommended)

1. Open Chrome Extensions: Go to chrome://extensions/
2. Enable Developer Mode: Toggle the "Developer mode" switch in the top right
3. Load Extension: Click "Load unpacked" and select the chrome-westlaw-extension folder
4. Pin Extension: Click the puzzle piece icon in Chrome toolbar and pin "Chrome Westlaw Enhancements"

Option 2: Package and Install

1. Package Extension: In Chrome extensions page, click "Pack extension"
2. Select Directory: Choose the chrome-westlaw-extension folder
3. Install: Drag the generated .crx file to Chrome extensions page

Usage

Extension Popup

Click the extension icon (orange square with blue "W") in your toolbar while on any Westlaw page to access all controls:

• Font Size: Increase/Decrease/Reset (10-36px range)
• Line Height: Increase/Decrease/Reset (1.0-3.0 range, 0.1 increments)
• Margins: Increase/Decrease/Reset symmetrical margins
• Move Left/Right: Shift content left or right independently
• Toggle Sidebar: Hide/show right sidebar
• Toggle Focus Mode: Hide header/footer elements
• Copy & Notes: Copy document with reference and download notes file
• Navigation: Next/Previous search terms, scroll to top

Smart Page Detection

• On Westlaw Pages: Shows all controls and functionality
• On Other Pages: Displays helpful message directing users to Westlaw

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigation shortcuts work when not typing in input fields:

Key	Action
N or →	Next search term
←	Previous search term
↑	Scroll to top
Enter	Copy document & download notes

Features

Typography Controls

• Font Size: Adjust document font size with proper scaling for headings and footnotes
• Line Height: Fine-tune line spacing for optimal readability

Layout Controls

• Margins: Symmetrical margin adjustment for comfortable reading width
• Content Positioning: Move content left or right independently
• Sidebar Toggle: Hide distracting sidebar elements
• Focus Mode: Remove header/footer clutter while keeping navigation

Copy & Notes Integration

• Smart Copy: Automatically finds and clicks Westlaw's copy button
• Notes File: Downloads structured notes file with sections for research, citations, and key points
• File Naming: Auto-names files with current date (westlaw-notes-YYYY-MM-DD.txt)

Smart Persistence

• All settings are saved per domain
• Settings automatically restored when returning to Westlaw
• Real-time status display in popup

User Experience

• Visual Icon: Orange background with blue "W" for easy identification
• Page Detection: Shows helpful message when not on Westlaw pages
• Clean Interface: Organized popup with clear section divisions

Dynamic Content Support

• Automatically applies settings to dynamically loaded content
• Works with all Westlaw document types and interfaces

Advantages Over Userscript

• No Userscript Manager Required: Works directly in Chrome
• Better Integration: Native Chrome extension popup interface
• Easier Distribution: Can be packaged and shared as .crx file
• More Reliable: Uses Chrome's native storage and messaging APIs
• Better Security: Chrome's extension security model

Compatibility

• Browser: Chrome (Manifest V3)
• Westlaw: All document types and interfaces
• Permissions: Only requests storage and activeTab permissions

Development

The extension consists of:

• manifest.json: Extension configuration
• content.js: Main functionality injected into Westlaw pages
• popup.html/js: User interface for controls
• icons/: Extension icons

Version

Current version: 1.4

Recent Updates

• v1.4: Enhanced notes system, content highlighting, and UI improvements
• v1.3.1: Refined icon design - Comic Sans font, optimized size, positioned at y=85%
• v1.3: Made W larger and positioned at bottom - increased font sizes significantly and moved to y=90%
• v1.2.2: Further adjusted W positioning - moved to y=70% for optimal centering in PNG output
• v1.2.1: Fixed W positioning in PNG icons - moved from y=50% to y=60% for better centering
• v1.2: Made icon "W" taller and more prominent with increased font sizes
• v1.1: Improved copy/paste reliability with better timing, fallback mechanisms, and enhanced user feedback
• v1.0: Initial release with full typography controls, layout adjustments, and copy/notes functionality

Support

This extension enhances the Westlaw experience without modifying underlying functionality. All changes are cosmetic and reversible.