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Are mouse and keyboard focusing shortcuts consistent?

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  • Nzaghachi ikpeazụ nke cedv37

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Is there any specific reason or feature what I might not be aware of, why when I use SHIFT key for opening a new link (SHIFT + MWB) in order to the new tab being focused behaves oppositely when I'm using for "Go back one page" button (the previous page on the new tab is NOT being focused if I use in the same way the SHIFT key)?

Furthermore, I can't use any focusing on the context menu of selected text in order to search with the default search engine.

Is there any specific reason or feature what I might not be aware of, why when I use SHIFT key for opening a new link (SHIFT + MWB) in order to the new tab being focused behaves oppositely when I'm using for "Go back one page" button (the previous page on the new tab is NOT being focused if I use in the same way the SHIFT key)? Furthermore, I can't use any focusing on the context menu of selected text in order to search with the default search engine.

Asịsa ahọpụtara

There is also browser.search.context.loadInBackground (default = false).

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Is there any specific reason or feature what I might not be aware of, why when I use SHIFT key for opening a new link (SHIFT + MWB) in order to the new tab being focused behaves oppositely when I'm using for "Go back one page" button (the previous page on the new tab is NOT being focused if I use in the same way the SHIFT key and vice versa)?

Furthermore, I can't use any focusing on the context menu of the selected text in order to search with the default search engine.

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Holding Shift and middle-click a link should reverse the default action as set in "Tools > Options > General" (When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately).

Does it work for you if you middle-click an item in the drop-down list that opens if you hold down the left mouse button on the Back button?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window
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Thank you for answering me.

OK, I've tried the Safe Mode as you suggested. I've been experimenting the options a bit.

I've intentionally unchecked the "When I open a link a new tab, switch to it immediately" checkbox earlier because it suited better for my browsing habits. I expected from this to change all objects which focus's can be altered will work in the opposite way.

It seems that the checkbox only affects the links and does not other things. It neither affect that drop-down quick menu that you mentioned, nor the context-menu search.

It's probably my fault I've envisioned more from that little option than it actually states.

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There are a couple other internal settings you could experiment with to see whether they help:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste tabs and pause while the list is filtered

You should see three preferences that are related to whether a new tab is activated:

  • browser.tabs.loadInBackground => when you open a regular link in a new tab using Ctrl+click (or right-click > Open in a New Tab)
    • default = true, do not make the new tab active
    • In the Options dialog/page, this is controlled by the "When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it immediately" setting.
  • browser.tabs.loadDivertedInBackground => when you divert a script-generated new window to a new tab using Ctrl+click
    • default = false, make the new tab active
  • browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground => when you load a bookmark in a new tab using Ctrl+click (or right-click > Open in a New Tab)
    • default = false, make the new tab active

I don't know whether any of these relate to the Back and Forward buttons.

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cedv37 said

Furthermore, I can't use any focusing on the context menu of selected text in order to search with the default search engine.

If I understand this question: If I select text and right click, I can use the down arrow to select items, even though there is no initial focused item on the menu. Pressing s also activates search (but that wouldn't work if an add-on adds an item with the same "accelerator" key). Those do not work for you?

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jscher2000 said

If I understand this question:

Not exactly.

I meant the same thing with the context menu's default search as with the links or buttons earlier, that I would like send the "resulting tab" to the background, while the active tab is remaining the same.

Originally I thought it could similarly carried out by: Select text -> RMB -> (Some MouseButton) + (Some Modifier key) on "to Search DuckDuckGo for "exampleText". But it can't.


For example, I'm reading a page that contains some words and expressions that I would like to look up later, but currently don't want to my attention being diverged by those details, so I like as quickly as possible to select it and search it in the background. Almost the same that you said with pressing 's' but putting into the background, it would be so fast even my eyes would stay in the same position.

The only possibilities I can see now are the following:

(1) Select text -> RMB -> LMB on Search DuckDuckGo for "exampleText". It will search it in a new tab and set it to be the active one so I'll have to navigate back to the original tab. Still slow.

(2) Select text -> Drag it to the Tab bar It will actually open a new background tab* in arbitrary position between tabs where I drag it which is kind of cool. (*this is working consistently with SHIFT modifier & that specific checkbox)

But I can easily mess up the selection and scrolling away while selecting accidentally everything. It needs dexterity and precise positioning.

(3) Select & Copy text -> Create new tab -> Paste into the search bar & enter -> navigate back to the original tab. It is possible the slowest method.

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Asịsa Ahọpụtara

There is also browser.search.context.loadInBackground (default = false).

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cor-el said

There is also browser.search.context.loadInBackground (default = false).

Thank you, it has mainly solved my searching problem.