Please see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1099818#answer-819561 for the answer.

According to http://www.ghacks.net/2015/12/16/how-to-restore-classic-search-in-firefox-43/, you can use Classic Theme Restorer add-on.

Michal Stanke said

Please see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1099818#answer-819561 for the answer.

According to http://www.ghacks.net/2015/12/16/how-to-restore-classic-search-in-firefox-43/, you can use Classic Theme Restorer add-on.

Thank you, is not exactly what I looking for but I whink will be useful!

"browser.search.showOneOffButtons" was a temporary pref starting in Firefox 34. The underlying code that supported that preference is gone as of Firefox 43.

the-edmeister said

"browser.search.showOneOffButtons" was a temporary pref starting in Firefox 34. The underlying code that supported that preference is gone as of Firefox 43.

Well, Chrome it is then. That Classic Theme Restorer isn't for me, it changes too much I don't want changed. I just wanted the old Search back.

See also:

• http://www.ghacks.net/2015/09/22/mozilla-to-improve-firefoxs-search-interface-in-firefox-43/

"Improve".

See also: New Coke.

the-edmeister said

"browser.search.showOneOffButtons" was a temporary pref starting in Firefox 34. The underlying code that supported that preference is gone as of Firefox 43.

So how can the old behavior be restored in FireFox 43 and onwards then?

Hi Spooky_, the only way to get exactly the same bar is to use an add-on. So far, the only one I have seen mentioned is Classic Theme Restorer. This extension allows you to make Firefox's interface look and work like nearly any version from Firefox 4 forward. Because it has so many options, you should plan to spend 15 minutes going through and experimenting.

Are there specific aspects of the Firefox 34+ bar you dislike? Some of them might have a workaround.

Well, I'll tell you what I don't like.

I used to be able to select a search engine from a dropdown list of names AND icons. Now they're only icons. And half of mine have no icon or duplicate icons. I have to hover over each one in turn to figure out what each one is.

I used to be able to select a search engine for default status from that list, until i selected another one, by clicking it. Now I have to right click and icon and select Default status. One extra step.

Spooky_

It can't be restored with out using an extension that supplies the code that was removed. Currently only the Classic Theme Restorer extension restores the old Search Bar - at least that I am aware of.

In the past I would have "scraped" [with the permission of the CTR creator, of course] the code that CTR inserted and try creating an "Old Search Bar" extension without all the other features that are in CTR. But then I would have to deal with getting it "signed" and that's too much for me to consider doing just for my own use. And I wouldn't want to deal with users who didn't "like this or that" as I see all too often in the User Reviews at AMO. I can live with it if an extension that I 'mod' has visual imperfections, as long as it works. Hell, I am a retired auto mechanic, who studied programming in 1971 as part of an electronics curricula, but I can relate "code" to how software seems to work and I "mix and match" code until it works - at least 50% of the time anyways. But "I'd rather switch than fight" so I plan on using Firefox 38 ESR until it goes end-of-life in June - old Search Bar and no "signing", so I can continue to use the 3 extensions that I have kept compatible up to this point. And after that I'll probably use SeaMonkey. Long before the arrival of New Firefox or Firefox II, I'll be a former Firefox user.

And for those of you who didn't "catch" the reference to New Coke that RevertSearch mentioned here it is hyperlinked: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke

Guess I'll have to check out this SeaMonkey then!

Also, kudos for dropping your own old advertising reference in your post, the-edmeister! Haven't thought about that one in ages.

jscher2000 said

Hi Spooky_, the only way to get exactly the same bar is to use an add-on. So far, the only one I have seen mentioned is Classic Theme Restorer. This extension allows you to make Firefox's interface look and work like nearly any version from Firefox 4 forward. Because it has so many options, you should plan to spend 15 minutes going through and experimenting.

Using Theme Restorer just to restore this functionality is too much of an overkill to me. I am hoping that the FireFox team will reintroduce the old code and make it configurarable, or that someone reintroduces it by way of extension at least.

jscher2000 said

Are there specific aspects of the Firefox 34+ bar you dislike? Some of them might have a workaround.

imho the current behaviour is completely useless. With the old behaviour, you could choose one of the configured search engines and then do multiple searches with that search engine as often as you want. And if you need to Google something in between, you can still use the regular address bar for that instead of the search bar.

Now both the search and the address bar default to Google (or whatever you have set as your default search engine) - and searching on some other configured search site is just a one shot thing, which is incredibly inconvenient. I don't get the advantage of the new search bar.

Spooky_ said

With the old behaviour, you could choose one of the configured search engines and then do multiple searches with that search engine as often as you want. And if you need to Google something in between, you can still use the regular address bar for that instead of the search bar.

Now both the search and the address bar default to Google (or whatever you have set as your default search engine) - and searching on some other configured search site is just a one shot thing, which is incredibly inconvenient. I don't get the advantage of the new search bar.

From what I remember (this was launched a year ago in Firefox 34), the thought was that you should not need to choose a search site before typing your search, and that you may not want to change your default to do a "one off" search on a different site.

Although the operation of the new bar is different, I think the features you want are there. The main difference is that a left click on a one-off button submits your query to that site without changing your default. In order to change your default, you need to right-click the icon and choose Set As Default Search Engine. Then you can submit your search using the Enter key or Go button.

The use of the default search engine for the address bar dates back much further, to the time of Firefox 23, over two years ago. You can use the Keyword Search extension if you want to split address bar search from search bar search: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/keyword-search/ -- use its options page to configure special search types like Google's Browse By Name or Lucky search.

jscher2000 said

From what I remember (this was launched a year ago in Firefox 34), the thought was that you should not need to choose a search site before typing your search, and that you may not want to change your default to do a "one off" search on a different site.

Why is it assumed that "you may not want to change your default"? Your default search engine is (well was...) always available via the address bar, so why would you need to be forced to not be able to change the search engine in the actual search bar?

jscher2000 said

Although the operation of the new bar is different, I think the features you want are there. The main difference is that a left click on a one-off button submits your query to that site without changing your default. In order to change your default, you need to right-click the icon and choose Set As Default Search Engine. Then you can submit your search using the Enter key or Go button.

So it's more inconvenient without any benefit. As I said, the default search engine would always be available anyway (with the old address bar behaviour), so there is no point in the new behaviour.

jscher2000 said

The use of the default search engine for the address bar dates back much further, to the time of Firefox 23, over two years ago. You can use the Keyword Search extension if you want to split address bar search from search bar search: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/keyword-search/ -- use its options page to configure special search types like Google's Browse By Name or Lucky search.

That's what I use anyway, since there is no advantage to having both the address bar and the search bar locked to your default search engine.

But since browser.search.showOneOffButtons = false is gone now anyway, that extension is pretty much useless too.

Hi Spooky_, I don't make user interface decisions and I'm not defending them. There is a UX team that tests with users and this was what they decided on. Sorry if you don't like it, you already know the options. I'm sure people will chime in with new options if any are discovered or developed.

The fact that when they rolled out the One Click search a few versions ago people clamored for a rollback option, which they then deleted, shows that a small focus group of users is not the same as asking the needs of powerusers.

Firefox add-on Classic Theme Restorer > General UI (1) > 'Old search' option. This solution restores the old-style Search Bar drop-down menu. Arrange the order of the search engines in the drop-down menu: in Firefox > Preferences > Search window, select a search engine name. Press-and-hold <tab> and simultaneously click-drag-drop the search engine name to any other position in the list. Many custom search engines available to install at University of Oregon Open Source Lab Mycroft Project web site: http://mycroftproject.com/

Zondermunz said

Firefox add-on Classic Theme Restorer > General UI (1) > 'Old search' option. This solution restores the old-style Search Bar drop-down menu.

This has already been posted. It's cumbersome to install an extension of that magnitude just to change on thing.

See this add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-search1/

A lot 'lighter' than CTR as it only 'restores' the old search bar scheme.

the-edmeister said

See this add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-search1/ A lot 'lighter' than CTR as it only 'restores' the old search bar scheme.

finally :) thank you