How do I get my web browser back in focus?

January 25, 2011 5:08 AM

How do I stop Google from stealing focus?

I often use the Google search bar in Firefox to make a search that I open in a new tab (Alt-Enter) then click again and make another search immediately afterwards. However, as I am typing the second query, the first search results page loads and steals focus from the Firefox search bar meaning my typed query is split between the two input boxes. I'm trying to find a way to stop Google from stealing focus from Firefox 3 when it loads.

I've already found this Greasemonkey script that I can't get to do anything at all. I've seen references to another Greasemonkey script that doesn't seem to exist at all. I've also tried editing the Firefox prefs which also doesn't seem to work.

Does anyone know how to stop Google stealing focus from search bar queries in Firefox 3? I would have thought there'd be a simple solution like a Greasemonkey script or add-on but nothing's turned up so far...

posted by turkeyphant to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

I use the tab mix plus add-on, which allows me to choose which things are allowed to steal focus. Testing what you did, the search bar does not get focus from me when it loads (I only allow the new tab command to take focus). You can set it in options/events/focus.
posted by jeather at 5:37 AM on January 25, 2011

Response by poster: jeather: "I use the tab mix plus add-on, which allows me to choose which things are allowed to steal focus. Testing what you did, the search bar does not get focus from me when it loads (I only allow the new tab command to take focus). You can set it in options/events/focus"

I already use Tab Mix Plus but that option only affects which tab is in the foreground. I'm concerned about keyboard focus which is what causes my typed query to be split across the two input boxes.
posted by turkeyphant at 6:15 AM on January 25, 2011

I could not get my new page to steal keyboard focus -- is your new tab foregrounded? Because mine is not, and it does not take focus.
posted by jeather at 6:44 AM on January 25, 2011

Response by poster: jeather: "I could not get my new page to steal keyboard focus -- is your new tab foregrounded? Because mine is not, and it does not take focus"

Yes, it's in the foreground. As far as I'm aware, background tabs cannot ever steal focus.

To clarify, I want to keep the foregrounding behaviour as it is but not have the new tab steal keyboard focus. It seems to me that these should be independent and easily separable events.
posted by turkeyphant at 6:54 AM on January 25, 2011

Try the SearchLoad Options extension.
posted by galadriel at 12:23 PM on January 25, 2011

Response by poster: galadriel: "Try the SearchLoad Options extension"

Unless I'm missing something, I don't see how that has anything to do with my problem.
posted by turkeyphant at 1:11 PM on January 25, 2011

See the "Tabs" section.
posted by galadriel at 6:03 PM on January 25, 2011

Response by poster: galadriel: "See the "Tabs" section"

Again - what has that got to do with my question?
posted by turkeyphant at 3:24 AM on January 26, 2011

You...want the searches to load in the background, right? To not steal focus? Isn't that what you want?
posted by galadriel at 10:12 AM on January 26, 2011

Response by poster: No - as I tried to clarify, I want to open new tabs in the foreground but for the search box in Google not to steal keyboard focus from the Firefox search box. That's why I said "my typed query is split between the two input boxes" and referenced the two techniques that don't seem to work.

I'm already aware of the several ways to make tabs open in the background but, as I said here, this is nothing to do with my question.
posted by turkeyphant at 10:26 AM on January 26, 2011