Search using keywords
Quite a few people keep asking why mozilla does not support "keyword search" like Opera or Konqueror do.
In fact keyword search is supported, it's just that it's not configured by default!
All you have to do is to add the appropriate link to your bookmarks and assign a shortcut to it. I've listed some 'bookmark entries' here:
| Engine | Shortcut / Keyword *1 | URL |
| gg | http://www.google.com/search?q=%s&sourceid=mozilla-search | |
| Astalavista | av | http://astalavista.box.sk/cgi-bin/robot?srch=%s&submit=+search+ |
| LEO Dictionary | dic | http://dict.leo.org/?search=%s |
| Merriam Webster Dictionary | mwd | http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=%s |
| Merriam Webster Thesaurus | mwt | http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/thesaurus?va=%s |
*1: These are suggestions, feel free to use whatever shortcut you like
Installation: (Helper-Link)
- copy one of the desired URLs above to your clipboard (windows: highlight / CTRL-C)
- right-click any hyperlink and select 'Bookmark this link' from the context menu (use the "helper-link" above)
- choose "Bookmarks" / "Manage Bookmarks" (windows: CTRL-B)
- scroll down to the bookmark you just added
- choose a place to store those link (I created a special 'Shortcut URLs' Folder)
- open the properties for that bookmark (right click / properties or use the button in the top row)
- edit the line where it says "Name" (use the search engines name, for pete's sake!)
- edit the line where it says "Location" and paste the URL from the clipboard there (windows: CTRL-V)
- assign a keyword (there are suggestions for keywords in the table above)
- confirm this with "OK" and close the bookmark manager
Now you're done! Typing "gg <keyword>" in the addressbar now searches google for <keyword> and so on.
It's easy to create your own: Just look at your favorite search engine and figure out where the search-string goes. Replace that with "%s".
Make sure you add all variables, otherwise it might not be working (like "submit=+search+" at astalavista's). Done. :-)
If you know of an easier way to create keyword-bookmarks from scratch, drop me a line, I'd really like to see the process simplified somehow!
Feel free to send in your own creations and I'll put them up here!