Live Word, Character & Reading Time Counter for Bitcointalk Posts

[Royal Cap]

Hello everyone,
What if we could see the word count, character count and how long it would take to read what we are posting? Isn't that very interesting? I also noticed one more thing in this forum that those who do signature campaigns have a rule that they have to post a minimum of 200-300 characters. But in this forum we cannot directly see how many characters or words we are posting, in that case they have to go to some other website and count the words or characters. That might seem very annoying to many. Also, if we could see how long it would take other users to read the post you are making, then it would be very convenient for us to post.

So from that thoughts, I have created a userscript through which you can see the word and character count of your post and how long it will take to read it live. In this case, you don't have to go outside the forum and use any other external website.
Features:

• Total words
• Total characters
• Estimated reading time (based on 200 words per minute)

Let's say I'm creating a topic and you can see how many words/characters I'm writing and how long it will take to read the post.

Installing this thing is very easy:

• First, you download the Tampermonkey extension from Google Chrome.
• Then click on new Script and paste the below script and save it.
• That's it.

Code:

// ==UserScript==
// @name         Bitcointalk Post & Reply Word/Char Counter
// @namespace    Royal Cap
// @version      1.1.0
// @description  Adds a live word, character, and estimated reading time counter to Bitcointalk reply boxes and posts.
// @match        https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?*
// @run-at       document-end
// @grant        none
// @license MIT
// ==/UserScript==

(function() {
    'use strict';

    // Counter for textarea (your reply)
    function createCounterBox(textarea) {
        if (textarea.dataset.counterAdded) return;
        textarea.dataset.counterAdded = "1";

        const counter = document.createElement('div');
        counter.style.fontSize = '12px';
        counter.style.marginTop = '4px';
        counter.style.color = '#333';
        counter.textContent = 'Words: 0 | Characters: 0 | Reading time: 0 min';

        textarea.parentNode.insertBefore(counter, textarea.nextSibling);

        function updateCounter() {
            const text = textarea.value.trim();
            const words = text.length ? text.split(/\s+/).length : 0;
            const chars = text.length;
            const readingTime = words ? Math.ceil(words / 200) : 0; // Avg 200 wpm
            counter.textContent = `Words: ${words} | Characters: ${chars} | Reading time: ${readingTime} min`;
        }

        textarea.addEventListener('input', updateCounter);
        updateCounter();
    }

    // Counter for forum posts (other people's posts)
    function createPostCounters() {
        document.querySelectorAll("td.post, div.post").forEach(post => {
            if (post.dataset.counterAdded) return;
            post.dataset.counterAdded = "1";

            const text = post.innerText.trim();
            const words = text.length ? text.split(/\s+/).length : 0;
            const chars = text.length;
            const readingTime = words ? Math.ceil(words / 200) : 0;

            const counter = document.createElement('div');
            counter.style.fontSize = '11px';
            counter.style.marginTop = '6px';
            counter.style.color = 'gray';
            counter.style.textAlign = 'right';
            counter.textContent = `Words: ${words} | Characters: ${chars} | Reading time: ${readingTime} min`;

            post.appendChild(counter);
        });
    }

    function init() {
        // For reply textarea
        document.querySelectorAll("textarea[name='message']").forEach(createCounterBox);

        // For existing posts
        createPostCounters();

        // Watch for dynamic changes
        const observer = new MutationObserver(() => {
            document.querySelectorAll("textarea[name='message']").forEach(createCounterBox);
            createPostCounters();
        });
        observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
    }

    init();
})();

Also here is the greasyfork link just one click install.
Bitcointalk Post Word/Char Counter


And those who want to use it on mobile can see the part below this post. (Everything is the same, just copy and paste the script above)
Mobile install steps

Although this is a very basic feature, I think it will help many people to post.

[Hazink]

Let's say I'm creating a topic and you can see how many words/characters I'm writing and how long it will take to read the post.

I did not notice the aforementioned. The script, after installing it, allows me to see how many words I have written and how long it will take for it to be read, but I can’t see that of others. I mean, if I want to read through a post, this thread of yours, unless I try to quote you, I can’t be able to see your total words and the reading time frame, just like we can see on some news sites.

Don’t get me wrong, the script is good, but it only enables the user to know his words and not the ones he’s reading or trying to reply to, like you stated.

[Royal Cap]

Don’t get me wrong, the script is good, but it only enables the user to know his words and not the ones he’s reading or trying to reply to, like you stated.

word count, character count and how long it would take to read what we are posting[/b

Yes, with this script you can only see the text count and word count of what you write in the text box. That is, you can see the word count of what you write (you cannot see what others have posted). If you want, I can also try that, that is, it will show the word count, character count and how long it will take to read each post.

[Hazink]

Yes, with this script you can only see the text count and word count of what you write in the text box. That is, you can see the word count of what you write (you cannot see what others have posted). If you want, I can also try that, that is, it will show the word count, character count and how long it will take to read each post.

I understood you well now, was only making the statement base on the part of your comment I read and quoted..

If it’s possible for that to also be added to the script, it will be nice, since your script is to help members know their writing word number. It will also be another added advantage to know how long it will take to read through a particular thread's content, although that reading duration is based on the reader's reading skill/speed.

[Findingnemo]

I don’t know if this will be any help for me, but I can say for sure JJG might need this. @JayJuanGee, you’ll be able to measure your 10,000-word novels disguised as posts. No more guessing whether it’s a short story or a trilogy, the counter will confirm it for you in real time.

@OP, if you can create one that will be able to see the word count of others, then it will be handy for the campaign managers because every eligible post needs to have a certain minimum number.

[KingsDen]

Don’t get me wrong, the script is good, but it only enables the user to know his words and not the ones he’s reading or trying to reply to, like you stated.

I understand what you meant, unlike how OP put it.
You want the post length to be at the footer of every post, whether yours or others, whether quoted or not. By this, it will be helpful to the campaign managers.
Meanwhile, I do not need the information of how long my post should take to be read, it is the reader who needs the information. So, the implementation should be the other way round.
I also do not think that managers follow the post length rule strictly, if they do, we are all going to be behaving like a robot that is programmed to make an x number of posts consistently.

Meanwhile, OP you have done a good job.

[Royal Cap]

@OP, if you can create one that will be able to see the word count of others, then it will be handy for the campaign managers because every eligible post needs to have a certain minimum number.

I have added this feature based on your feedback. This means that now you can see the word count, character count, and how long it will take to read all posts in the forum.
Cheers..

[mcdouglasx]

The idea is good, but you should consider omitting things from the count like quotes, codes, and the function of inserting links may also affect it. I tell you this in case someone wants to use it as a guide for their signature campaign since in the body of the editor you see something that is not necessarily the final result, although I immediately tell anyone who wants to use it as a guide, then they could be in an area where they are publishing nonsense just to cover a certain amount or meet a quota. Someone who reads and responds in a natural way should have no problems meeting said quotas when expressing their ideas.

[Findingnemo]

@OP, if you can create one that will be able to see the word count of others, then it will be handy for the campaign managers because every eligible post needs to have a certain minimum number.

I have added this feature based on your feedback. This means that now you can see the word count, character count, and how long it will take to read all posts in the forum.
Cheers..

I checked it and it's working so kudos for the swift action.

One more suggestion: Try to implement it if possible. The word and character count should only apply to our own post content, not the quoted text. If you can find a way to omit the words and characters inside the quote tags, it would give us a more accurate count of each individual’s posts.

For example, I wrote only 67 words and 356 characters but since I quoted your post it shows as 151 words.

[Crypto Library]

This is actually a useful tool, I myself have been using the "Count me up lite" extension for a long time, but now, due to the new update of Google Chrome, it is no longer possible to use it. There, if you select the text of any web page and click the right mouse button, the extension used to show the character count separately.
But currently I can't find any other extension like that.

Anyway, Royal Cap brother, this extension of yours will be more useful when other people's posts characters won't be count I mean including and inside the "quote".

Code: [quote]....text.....[/quote]

For example, it is already showing 1127 characters even I didn't put a single character.

[DYING_S0UL]

Hello everyone,

Hi
Interesting tool mate! You previously made another userscript! Why not merge the two somehow if possible?!
As for me, I honestly don't need such tools, I just write as I please.
If users were counting words/characters using this thing to fill their sig quote that would mean they would stop being a natural poster. There is a possibility that they would fill that 300 characters count and stop there.

Just my two cents.

Anyway, good job mate! Keep building these tools. Wishing u good luck.

Anyway, Royal Cap brother, this extension of yours will be more useful when other people's posts characters won't be count I mean including and inside the "quote".

For example, it is already showing 1127 characters even I didn't put a single character.

Isn't that the tricky part? If it were an individual comment it should work just fine. But when we are talking about multiple quote/mentions with complex bbcodes that's just one hell of a messy subject. It would be hard for the userscript to separate those two.

I don’t know if this will be any help for me, but I can say for sure JJG might need this.

He might see errors with this tool. Character limit exceeded. Please write less. I wasn't designed for 10,000 word novels, LOL 

As for CM, I agree, it would be useful. But we have to consider what Crypto Library said (see his reply).

[notocactus]

What if we could see the word count, character count and how long it would take to read what we are posting? Isn't that very interesting?

I appreciate your time spent for this userscript but about its use case, I don't find it interesting as I don't have need of knowing how many characters of my post, how many words a post has, and how long does it take me to read my post. It's all unnecessary need, at least with me.

Posts can be helpful and quality even they have only some words. Lengthy posts can be useless and they are spam as what they are.

A professional spammer can write a very long post - much longer than one or two lines - but it is still a spam post. An experiment.

• [EXPERIMENT] Testing the Limits of Shitposting.

[Crypto Library]

Anyway, Royal Cap brother, this extension of yours will be more useful when other people's posts characters won't be count I mean including and inside the "quote".

For example, it is already showing 1127 characters even I didn't put a single character.

Isn't that the tricky part? If it were an individual comment it should work just fine. But when we are talking about multiple quote/mentions with complex bbcodes that's just one hell of a messy subject. It would be hard for the userscript to separate those two.

Alright, it could be tricky part but may be not impossible.
However, I learned about nested loops a long time ago, so perhaps using something like this in the case of nested quotes can eliminate the issue of multiple quotes. Maybe we need to make the script a little more complicated for this. I messed around with this on chatgpt yesterday but couldn't solve the problem. I guess I didn't give the correct prompt. 

[LTU_btc]

If users were counting words/characters using this thing to fill their sig quote that would mean they would stop being a natural poster. There is a possibility that they would fill that 300 characters count and stop there.

Just my two cents.

Anyway, good job mate! Keep building these tools. Wishing u good luck.

My thoughts exactly. During my 10 years here, most of time I've been part of various signature campaigns and I can't remember myself counting words or symbols in my post. Why I would need it? I never thought whether my post is long enough or not to be counted by manager. But maybe for these who are looking into signature campaigns as one form of labour, it might be useful.
So, this script isn't for me, but still I think that OP have done good job. By making such thing he is gaining more experience as developper.

[joker_josue]

If users were counting words/characters using this thing to fill their sig quote that would mean they would stop being a natural poster. There is a possibility that they would fill that 300 characters count and stop there.

Just my two cents.

Anyway, good job mate! Keep building these tools. Wishing u good luck.

My thoughts exactly. During my 10 years here, most of time I've been part of various signature campaigns and I can't remember myself counting words or symbols in my post. Why I would need it? I never thought whether my post is long enough or not to be counted by manager. But maybe for these who are looking into signature campaigns as one form of labour, it might be useful.
So, this script isn't for me, but still I think that OP have done good job. By making such thing he is gaining more experience as developper.

I agree. Although the tool and information are generally useful, I don't feel the need for this type of resource.

Perhaps the aspect of predicting reading time is the most interesting, especially for the reader.

Either way, congratulations on the script and keep up the good work.

[DYING_S0UL]

snip

My thoughts exactly. During my 10 years here, most of time I've been part of various signature campaigns and I can't remember myself counting words or symbols in my post. Why I would need it? I never thought whether my post is long enough or not to be counted by manager. But maybe for these who are looking into signature campaigns as one form of labour, it might be useful.
So, this script isn't for me, but still I think that OP have done good job. By making such thing he is gaining more experience as developper.

I agree. Although the tool and information are generally useful, I don't feel the need for this type of resource.

Perhaps the aspect of predicting reading time is the most interesting, especially for the reader.

Either way, congratulations on the script and keep up the good work.

To be honest I don't wanna set certain limits/parameters to my posting habits. I believe it's fine as it is now. Sometimes I'm only postimg one single line/sentence (which is enough to express my thoughts) and sometimes ten. It totally depends on the subject or the discussion.

Yeah reading time would be useful. He also made other similar userscripts. If he were to combine them all, it would become a very powerful & useful tool.

[God Of Thunder]

For example, it is already showing 1127 characters even I didn't put a single character.

I found this thread interesting until I saw your post. This tool actually works accurately when you are not quoting anyone or when you are creating a new thread. It might be helpful for newbies who want to see how many characters they wrote. I think I myself checked a few of my posts on an online character counter to make sure I am following the signature campaign rules. But over the time, I realized that I follow the rules all the time and all my most the minimum character limit. Even though I don't need this tool, I would still appreciate the creator. I use a Chrome extension named Blaze Text for some of my work. It helps a lot. I hope someone will come up with similar tools for the desktop.