Adding A Custom Search Engine To Firefox [closed]

Question

I need to add a custom search engine to Firefox. I have a name and a search url.

1. What options should I change in %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\XXXXXXXX.default\prefs.js file?

2. Do I need to create a distinct xml file for new search engine in one of these folders?

   • %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\XXXXXXXX.default\searchplugins

   • %PROGRAM_FILES%\Mozilla Firefox\searchplugins

3. Should I modify %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\XXXXXXXX.default\search.sqlite sqlite database file?

Answer 1

If you are just trying to search a certain site from the address bar, you do not have to create any OpenSearch XML.

You can add a bookmark with %s as a placeholder, and give it a keyword. The subsequent search terms will fill into the placeholder. For an example that searches Stack Overflow, put these fields into a "New Bookmark"

Name Search Stack Overflow
Location https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=%s
Tags development (your relevant tags)
Keyword so
Description

To perform a search, type so How to exit Vim into the address bar and hit return.

_{If you have also added search engines in Chrome, you will recognize the same %s placeholder that is used in chrome://settings/searchEngines. I do not know, but it may be that Chrome also uses bookmarks like Firefox under the hood.}

Answer 2

You can also use this opensearch Mycroft Project

It has everything already created just enter the values into textbox and and you have the XML code; and you can install the search engine directly in the browser from there.

You can also submit your website search engine, and search for (and use) a search engine submitted by another user.

Answer 3

The easiest way to add new search engines is via the "Add to Search Bar" add-on, simply right click on the search form on the webpage you want to add, then "Add to Search Bar" and it will show up in the Search Bar:

• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3682

Answer 4

I came here to add tldr-pages as a custom search, looking for a way how to do that.

Turns out, that there was a very simple way: In Firefox, next to the URL-bar, there is a search-bar with a magnifying-glass. If that magnifying-glass has a PLUS on it, the page you are looking at offers its own openSearch.xml-file.

• hit the search-box
• a pop-up opens
• find the line that says "Add" at the bottom and
• click it

That is how I solved my initial problem and maybe it solves yours, too.

Answer 5

Make sure that your & is escaped as &
Firefox will NOT activate the search engine that are broken in format
Check https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/Creating_OpenSearch_plugins_for_Firefox#Troubleshooting_Tips

Just put a right xml file in right place,it will take effect after restarting firefox

Answer 6

Give this a try.

http://www.investintech.com/resources/blog/archives/5263-address-bar-search-engine.html

Using Iceweasel (Linux), should work for Firefox too. Tried it for about 30 sites that i had with Chrome/Chromium.

Pro:

Works!

Cons:

Too much manual work.

Answer 7

It helped for me. (Firefox v50)

1. Close Firefox;
2. Delete in profile of Firefox: search.json, search.json.mozlz4
3. Copy your OpenSearch in searchplugins folder;

4. Add an entry in search-metadata.json;

   "[profile]/your-opensearch.xml": {
     "alias": "your-opensearch",
     "order": 25
   }