Independent search box toolbar no longer lets you hit enter to go to your default search provider

[shin0bi272]

I just noticed in firefox 128.0 that I can no longer click in the search box and hit enter to go to my default search provider's homepage.  That was the way I got to that page for years and now all of a sudden it doesnt work.  While sure I can just search using that search provider in that box, that box also keeps a record of my searches while going to the search provider homepage doesnt. 

[Brianb253]

So you keep replying with links. How about answering a question. Why do we need this? What will it do for us? Does it solve the blank searchbar issue? And so on, and so forth. Rule: never download or clink on a link without some assurance that it is safe. Not trying to be an a**hole, but we are trying to get Firefox to fix this issue, not a workaround.

[2SS2]

The result is the same if you add files to portable 126.0 Beta 1, then update to the current version. The method does not work. Switched to waterfox.

[Agentvirtuel]

Feedback https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Uhf1MuZ8ME but “hacks” are not what users want.

Note : my userChrome.css it has nothing to do with the original subject.

About JavaScript (.js)
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-troubleshooting-information-page-fix-firefox try
Try clearing the startup cache, if you wish

[2SS2]

Waterfox allows you to go to the search provider page by clicking instead of Shift+Click. This is what I use a lot and what I need. Works in the latest version 6.5.2.
"Note : my userChrome.css" - you mean userChromeJS folder?

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

About userChrome.css https://www.userchrome.org
By way of illustration https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=3114663

About userChrome.js
Under Firefox Release https://www.youtube.com/embed/b4r_zBlyUtE i've tested and apparently it works

[Brianb253]

I have watched the videos that are attached to this thread. There is very little info as to how they claim to work. I saw the JS file and duplicated the file, put it in the created directory, it does not work. Now WHY is unknown. That is why I said there is little info why it works. No discussion, no nothing. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Maybe it is because I am using the wrong FF? I don't know.

Here is what I copied. The  error I get is searchbar = null or something like that.

// ==UsrScript==
// @name patchForBug1894910_allow_search_with_empty_text/uc.js
// @description undoing Bug 1894910 - Remove function to open search page
// @include chrome://browser/content/browser.xhtml
// @@compatibility 12
// @version 2024/06/4
// ==/UserScript==
(function() {
let searchbar = document.getElementById('searchbar');
let func = searchbar.textbox.handleEnter.toString();

func = func.replace(
'if (!this.textbox.value) {',
'if (false) {'
);
func = func.replace(
'!this.textbox.value &&',
'false &&'
);
searchbar.textbox.handleEnter = (new Function(
'event',
func.replace(/[^{]*\{/, '').replace(/}\s*$/, '')
)).bind(searchbar);
})();

[HikesinRain]

Hmm.  I'm still trying to figure out how any of this is relevant to the main topic.  How does this restore something that Mozilla has eliminated and refuses to reinstall?

[skizlock]

These people are exploring alternatives as Mozilla has refused to include the function.

Those alternatives do have that function working.

[HikesinRain]

Ah, I see.  Thanks for explaining it;  I didn't recognize what was going on.  I'll stay out of it!  I upgraded to 127, back to when it worked.

[Brianb253]

Still cannot get the JS file to work. The individual that posted the videos did not respond. The individual who created the JS did not respond. I have no comments regarding the JS from individuals who are knowledgeable in JS did not respond. So as far as I can tell, the only resolution is to downgrade to FF127. Any comments regarding the JS would be helpful. Thanks

[2SS2]

Yes, I finally got it right, the method works with ENTER. But, unfortunately, it doesn't work with a MOUSE CLICK.

[Brianb253]

@2SS2  you got what right? Your comment, unless you mention specifics, is meaningless. State WHAT you go right and how you did it.

[2SS2]

Re: Firefox Search rant

Post by Agent virtuel » August 11th, 2024, 10:31 pm

https://github.com/alice0775/userChrome ... text.uc.js
Copy/paste the code (for example) into Notepad
Save
Type: All files
patchForBug1894910_allow_search_with_empty_text.uc.js
Take a look at
https://mozhelp.ddnss.de/dateien/forum/ ... kripte.mp4
https://github.com/Endor8/userChrome.js ... me#hinweis download and unpack the ZIP file
Demonstration with Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition
https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

[Brianb253]

Thank you. I had to rummage through two languages, Japanese and German. It did work, however, when clicking in the searchbox and pressing enter, whichever search engine I am using will open. But, if I click in the searchbox, click on the magnifying glass and click on a search link, it does not work. But this is still better than nothing.

Again, thanks.

[yanyu]

FIX it.

[Brianb253]

Seeing how Firefox is not too interested in fixing this issue, I have read through many posts here trying to figure out what to do. Some of these posts were cryptic, some pointed to videos, some pointed to links in French, or German, or Japanese. After watching and mimicking what they were doing, I finally got the searchbar to work. So KUDOS to the many who posted and to those who used cryptic text. It was a good exercise for my old brain.

But now I find that it was already completely written out. The problem was using the right search terms to find the solution. Had I found this earlier I guess I wouldn't be so bummed out about the searchbar issues. So here is the link. Follow the instruction exactly. But first practice by going to the directories where the files will be stored. This is important else you will make a mistake and get frustrated.

The link: https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1f7lmr6/comment/lla54gz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x...

Note, if you do not see Mozilla Firefox in //Windows/Program Files/ then you are dealing with a 32-bit system. Look instead in //Windows/Program Files (x86). You will find Mozilla Firefox in that directory.

Again, follow the instructions. Practice going to the directories first before moving files. Take your time and if you did it correctly, your searchbar will be back to FF127.

Good luck!

[FairMaven]

Well, I downgraded back to 127 when it became clear that Mozilla intended to do nothing to restore this functionality and have not upgraded or thought about the issue until this week ... when I suddenly got EOL prompts because they're disabling the root certificate for 127 and previous. Shocking that that's the cutoff point. Came on here to check to see if there's been any updates in the 9 months since this happened and no fix or positive change of any kind. Check the rest of the forums to see if the promised "new address bar functionality" that required removing this extremely useful feature for many people ever materialized ... and the most commented post on the front page is about how Mozilla is so excited to implement new AI features throughout the browsing experience.

The odds of me updating to fix this root certificate issue instead of switching to another browser just went way down.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Under Firefox 136, i've tested patchForBug1894910_allow_search_with_empty_text.uc.js, and it works

[HikesinRain]

And once again, Mozilla has "upgraded" Firefox against my settings, thus losing the ability to hit enter in the independent search box and access the search provider.  I've been using Mozilla software for what seams like forever, but now that they're ignoring our wishes, it's time to move on.  Anyone have any ideas to replace browser and email?  I've not looked;  never thought I would need to.

[dbunting]

I’m still using Firefox (with a toolbar bookmark to my favorite search engine 😂), but I’ve also been trying out Vivaldi. It has all-in-one browser/email/feeds, so you may want to check that out 

[HikesinRain]

Thank you!  I"m checking it out now.

[Brianb253]

Go up a couple of posts (dated 12-08-2024 02:52 PM) and you will see the solution. I implemented this back in Dec and have had no issues since. There have been several upgrades and I am still able to use the black search bar to access whatever I need.

[2SS2]

For my part, I want to note that I followed these instructions after they were published (thank you for that!), and everything worked. However, recently it stopped working, at least in my case. Now in my case, right-clicking on the icon and "search in new tab" works. After that, the page of the selected search engine (YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.) opens.

[Brianb253]

When FF moved to 127/128, the search bar function changed. There was a posting here that showed how to fix it so the search bar functioned normally. With the upgrade to FF139, the search bar function changed again. I tried adding the required FF127/128 fixes but this seems to be either blocked or not supported. I know nothing about how all this stuff works.

Can anyone who is super smart get the search bar working again. By this I mean clicking in the search bar, clicking on a link (with nothing in the search field) and going to the linked address. i.e. click on the magnifying glass, click on a link icon, and off we go to that location. Now I have type something in the space to access the location. I am not looking for a work around, I have seen several, I just what it back the way it was.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Of course, it's not the answer expected.
For those who are interested, you can test, browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar
1 - Go to Configuration Editor for Firefox https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/about-config-editor-firefox
2 - Enter a search term browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar
Click on the Toggle button to set its value to false

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5-UTEIhMqW8

[Agentvirtuel]

https://github.com/alice0775/userChrome.js/blob/master/139/patchForBug1894910_allow_search_with_empt...
https://github.com/alice0775/userChrome.js/blob/master/139/patchForBug1904014_allow_search_oneoff_wi...

https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1kx1gl9/comment/mv1vfvc
If you wish to test about:config security.allow_unsafe_dangerous_privileged_evil_eval
Restart firefox

According to https://www.camp-firefox.de/forum/thema/122615-änderungen-am-firefox-durch-skripte

---

Hinweise:

Ab Firefox Version 139 muss der neue Eintrag in about:config:

security.allow_unsafe_dangerous_privileged_evil_eval

auf true umgestellt werden, damit manche Skripte wieder funktionieren.