How to get rid of search engines?

[PietB]

Used to use FF52 and PaleMoon. Now trying FF78esr. Unfortunately all
modern browsers appear to *enforce* the url bar doubling as search
bar of, if there is a separate search bar, the default search engine
unavoidably acting as search engine in the url bar too.

But I don't want the search bar nor any search engine in the url bar.
I have my own solution for search engines: a folder with bookmarked
search engines. That not only works very convenient, but in that way
I can also use parametrized search engines, like startpage.com with
my preferred settings encoded in the url.

In FF52 and PM I could get rid of a search engine in the url bar via
about:config, by leaving browser.search.defaultenginename empty. But
in FF78esr there is no such entry.

So, how do I get rid of search engines in the url bar?

-p

[frank_n]

On 12/02/2021 21:07, PietB wrote:
> I have my own solution for search engines: a folder with bookmarked
> search engines.

Interesting, would you kindly provide more details?

Thanks a lot...

frank

[EnDeeGee]

I have those 2 entries in Firefox 85.0.2 about:config set to 0 (zero)
which cancels the search in url bar.

browser.urlbar.maxHistoricalSearchSuggestions
browser.urlbar.maxRichResults

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 12/02/2021 21:07, PietB wrote:

Going into the about:config should be the last thing to do for simple things like what you are asking here.  I hope you remember what changes you made and so please reset the original settings before doing what I am going to suggest here.

Go to Tools >> Options >> Search

You will see that the top items is where you disable address bar for search.  Instead choose the second item and then restart FF to see if this is what you want.

--

With over 1.2 billion devices now running Windows 10, customer satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

[WaltS48]

A folder with bookmarked search engines.

1. Create a folder.
2. Go to <https://duckduckgo.com/>
3. Bookmark it and add it to the folder
4. Go to <https://www.startpage.com/>
5. Repeat step 3.
6. Repeat until you have all the search sites you want bookmarked.

--
OS: Fedora 33 Workstation - Gnome Desktop
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/get-involved/

[Jeff Layman]

That won't work, as it appears to only select whether or not you search
via the address bar or a dedicated search bar. What is required is to go
about halfway down that page to "Search suggestions", then click on
"Change preferences for other address bar suggestions". That takes you
to "Address bar" (in the "Privacy and security" section). The OP then
needs to uncheck "Search engines". It doesn't stop the words "Search
with (choice of search engine) or enter address" appearing in the
address bar, but doesn't act on the search engine choice.

--

Jeff

[PietB]

EnDeeGee wrote:
> PietB wrote:
>> Used to use FF52 and PaleMoon. Now trying FF78esr. Unfortunately all
>> modern browsers appear to *enforce* the url bar doubling as search
>> bar of, if there is a separate search bar, the default search engine
>> unavoidably acting as search engine in the url bar too.
>>
>> But I don't want the search bar nor any search engine in the url bar.
>> I have my own solution for search engines: a folder with bookmarked
>> search engines. That not only works very convenient, but in that way
>> I can also use parametrized search engines, like startpage.com with
>> my preferred settings encoded in the url.
>>
>> In FF52 and PM I could get rid of a search engine in the url bar via
>> about:config, by leaving browser.search.defaultenginename empty. But
>> in FF78esr there is no such entry.
>>
>> So, how do I get rid of search engines in the url bar?
>

> I have those 2 entries in Firefox 85.0.2 about:config set to 0 (zero)
> which cancels the search in url bar.
>
> browser.urlbar.maxHistoricalSearchSuggestions
> browser.urlbar.maxRichResults

Thanks. Interesting suggestion. Tried it, but it worked counterproductive,
and then I realized my wording was imcomplete: instead of "search engine"
I should have said "external search engine". That's a subtle but crucial
difference, because under Privacy & Security / Address Bar (might have a
different name in EN/US, but back-translating from another language ain't
always easy) I selected [give suggestions from] Navigation history, and I
don't want to loose that. But your suggested solution also disables those
local suggestions. Pity.

-p

[Ken Blake]

On 2/12/2021 2:07 PM, PietB wrote:
> Used to use FF52 and PaleMoon. Now trying FF78esr. Unfortunately all
> modern browsers appear to *enforce* the url bar doubling as search
> bar of, if there is a separate search bar, the default search engine
> unavoidably acting as search engine in the url bar too.
>
> But I don't want the search bar

Just curious--why don't you want it? Personally I want it and I'm happy
to have it.

> nor any search engine in the url bar.

But I don't want that. I want to do all my search from a songle
place--the search bar.

[Jeremy Nicoll]

On Sat, 13 Feb 2021, at 16:29, Ken Blake wrote:
> On 2/12/2021 2:07 PM, PietB wrote:

> > But I don't want the search bar

Nor me. I keep a shortcut to Google's advanced search page on the
toolbar, and use that if I want to search for stuff. I have the same
shortcut in the same place in other browsers. It takes me to

https://www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?hl=en

> Just curious--why don't you want it? Personally I want it and I'm
> happy to have it.

Because the advanced search page has a list of all the options needed
to code a very specific search whereas the ordinary search page (and
probably the search bar) only do basic searches. I know that there's
keywords one can type on a searech oneself to set up a search in a
more-specific way but it's easier just to open a page with all the
available options laid out on it.

Also if you do a search in the URL/search field, a quick experiment
shows that the results displace the page I was previously reading.
Why would I want to do that?

--
Jeremy Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

[Ken Blake]

On 2/13/2021 9:58 AM, Jeremy Nicoll wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Feb 2021, at 16:29, Ken Blake wrote:
>> On 2/12/2021 2:07 PM, PietB wrote:
>
>> > But I don't want the search bar
>
> Nor me. I keep a shortcut to Google's advanced search page on the
> toolbar, and use that if I want to search for stuff.

Thanks. How do you add it to the toolbar? I must have once know how to
do that, since I have a bunch of icons there that I added, but I can't
remember how I did it.

I assume you mean the FireFox toolbar. Am I right? I also tried to drag
a shortcut of it to the Windows taskbar, and that gives me the message
"Pin to FireFox (3)," which creates a sub-taskbar item (sorry, I can't
remember its real name) for the FireFox icon already there, rather than
a separate icon which is what I wanted.

I have the same
> shortcut in the same place in other browsers. It takes me to
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?hl=en
>
>
>> Just curious--why don't you want it? Personally I want it and I'm
>> happy to have it.
>
> Because the advanced search page has a list of all the options needed
> to code a very specific search whereas the ordinary search page (and
> probably the search bar) only do basic searches. I know that there's
> keywords one can type on a searech oneself to set up a search in a
> more-specific way but it's easier just to open a page with all the
> available options laid out on it.

That's a good reason, thanks. I wasn't familiar with the advanced search
page, but it looks great. I just added it to my list of home pages.

> Also if you do a search in the URL/search field, a quick experiment
> shows that the results displace the page I was previously reading.
> Why would I want to do that?

Not here it doesn't. I have it set to not to do that, but I don't
remember how I did it.

Even though you convinced me to have the Google advanced search page, I
still want to have the Search bar, since it will often meet my needs and
it's easy to use.

[PietB]

Ken Blake wrote:
> PietB wrote:
>> Used to use FF52 and PaleMoon. Now trying FF78esr. Unfortunately all
>> modern browsers appear to *enforce* the url bar doubling as search
>> bar of, if there is a separate search bar, the default search engine
>> unavoidably acting as search engine in the url bar too.
>>
>> But I don't want the search bar
>
> Just curious--why don't you want it?

Because I want to call upon third parties, like search engines,
when I feel a need for it. And then I want to call upon a third
party that I prefer, trust most, is best suited for the job, or
that I can configure beforehand to my preferences. Search engines
forced upon me don't meet such requirements, the construction I
described does.

> Personally I want it and I'm happy to have it.

Be happy, stay happy, but I'm not.

-p

[Jeremy Nicoll]

On Sat, 13 Feb 2021, at 17:33, Ken Blake wrote:
> On 2/13/2021 9:58 AM, Jeremy Nicoll wrote:

> > Nor me. I keep a shortcut to Google's advanced search page
> > on the toolbar, and use that if I want to search for stuff.

> Thanks. How do you add it to the toolbar?

Click the "star" icon to bookmark a page, then in the dialog that comes
up choose as the "folder" the "Bookmarks Toolbar".

I also have View - Toolbars - Bookmarks Toolbar - Always Show
turned on.

[Ken Blake]

On 2/13/2021 11:19 AM, Jeremy Nicoll wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Feb 2021, at 17:33, Ken Blake wrote:
>> On 2/13/2021 9:58 AM, Jeremy Nicoll wrote:
>
>> > Nor me. I keep a shortcut to Google's advanced search page
>> > on the toolbar, and use that if I want to search for stuff.
>
>> Thanks. How do you add it to the toolbar?
>
> Click the "star" icon to bookmark a page, then in the dialog that comes
> up choose as the "folder" the "Bookmarks Toolbar".

Ah, you're talking about the *bookmarks* toolbar. That wasn't clear and
I didn't realize that since I never use the bookmarks toolbar. I use the
bookmarks Sidebar which I prefer since it provides room for many more
bookmarks.


But it doesn't matter. I'm happy with the way I just set it up, with an
always-open tab that I added to my list of home pages.

Ken

[Ken Blake]

OK, then turn off the search bar. Hamburger menu / Options / Search

[Gabor]

In about:config set keyword.enabled to false. Then the URL bar will not
do any searching.

[PietB]

Gabor wrote:
> PietB wrote:
>> ...

>> So, how do I get rid of search engines in the url bar?
>

> In about:config set keyword.enabled to false. Then the URL bar will not
> do any searching.

Wow, that works, without loosing history matching. Thanks!

-p