searchplugins

[WindHeight]

I am trying to upgrade to a newer version of firefox from scratch(47). The searchplugins folder does not exist. I could have just copied my .xml files and a few other files, and all would have been fine, but now it seems like search plugins are located in omni.jar. What is the best way to add my search plugins from an earlier version of firefox (that had a searchplugins folder in the profile folder) to a newer version?

Also how do you change the short cut keyword to access searchengines now? I used to be able to right click the search bar and click manage search engines and it would give the keyword option, but no matter what I seem to click/right I can't seem to change the keyword in the new config interface (even though there is a clear keyword column).

[WindHeight]

Found out how to change search keywords in the new interface, so forget that question. Still need to know how to transfer search plugins.

[the-edmeister]

The default search plugins are in the omni.ja file in Firefox program files; since Firefox 38.0.5.
Add-on search plugins are now in the 3 separate files: search.json - search.json,mozlz4 - search-metadata.json

The older scheme /searchplugins/ folder will be present in a Profile that went thru a Firefox 46 or later update, but the search.xml files aren't actually used any longer. Those new JSON files would have been created as part of the update and are what is being used now for the add-on search engines.
Placing that /searchplugins/ folder in a Profile and then opening Firefox WILL NOT work; been there, tried that - didn't work for me when I tried that with Firefox 46.

You could try 'dragging' each search.xml into the Firefox browser window and see if Firefox will install it. I didn't try that to see if it would work with search plugins as it does with extensions.


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[WindHeight]

Thanks the-edmeister.

I did try dragging the .xml files onto firefox but firefox reads them as xml files and just displays the contents. And as you tried, adding them to /searchengines/ does nothing anymore.

I am having trouble upgrading through the standard upgrade process since my profile is so old, so the autoconversion process of the searchplugins that takes place in a later version of firefox can't be reached, so I am going to have to add them manually. I don't mind doing this once, but I have to do it for many profiles, so I am trying to make this as portable as possible.

When I add a brand new search engine (not built-in) plugin in FF47, search.json, search.json.mozlz4, and search-metadata.json are not created so I cannot copy them. Looking at the list of searchengines by going to "resource:///chrome/en-US/locale/browser/searchplugins/ " doesn't show any new search engines added, even though the new search engines I am adding are working and available through the search bar.

I don't know if it matters, but I am testing all of this in a portable version of firefox.

[WindHeight]

I had an idea to download the version before the change and then upgrade so I can copy the search. files. Can you (or anyone) please confirm that the change took place in firefox 38? So I will download 37, add my search plugins, and then update to 47, take the files generated and use them in my real profiles.

[the-edmeister]

Firefox 34 and 38.0.5 were the first changes to the Searchbar in like ever. Before that is was pretty much the same since the days of Phoenix.

The big change with regards to discontinuing the use of the /searchplugins/ folder and the use of the 3 "search" json files = search.json - search.json,mozlz4 - search-metadata.json = came with Firefox 46 or maybe 45.


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[dickvl]

Only the compressed file search.json.mozlz4 is used in the current release to store all search engine data.
Previously used search.json, search-metadata.json, search.sqlite files and the searchplugins folder are no longer used.

Decompressed data of the Google no country redirect (ncr) search engine.

Code: Select all

_name: Google US;
_shortName: google-us;
_loadPath: [http]mycroftproject.com/google-us.xml;
description: Google US;
__searchForm: https://www.google.com/ncr;
_iconURL: data:image/x-icon;base64,<base64 data>;
_iconMapObj:
 {"width":16,"height":16}: data:image/x-icon;base64,<base64 data>;
_metaData:
 loadPathHash: TfxGEQ/PeJ28QNcWqEvnGZXYWtLaLh8FtgvHA5ZRcTg=;
order: 9;
updateexpir: 1467594253899;
_urls:
 0:
 template: https://www.google.com/search?name=f&hl=en&q={searchTerms};
rels:
 resultDomain: google.com;
params:
 1:
 template: https://suggestqueries.google.com/complete/search?output=firefox&client=firefox&hl=en&q={searchTerms};
rels:
 resultDomain: suggestqueries.google.com;
type: application/x-suggestions+json;
params:
 2:
 template: http://mycroftproject.com/updateos.php/id0/googleintl.xml;
rels:
 0: self;
resultDomain: mycroftproject.com;
type: application/opensearchdescription+xml;
params:
 queryCharset: UTF-8;
_readOnly: false;

[t3l0zvxqIiXuzuH0]

Close Firefox, go to the profile folder and delete these files:

Code: Select all

search.json.mozlz4
search.json
search-metadata.json
search.sqlite

copy the searchplugins folder. When you restart Firefox your custom engines will be loaded. Tested on FF46.

EDIT

Just wanted to add a couple of things.

Firefox will load the searchplugins folder only if search.json.mozlz4 is missing. When the file is created the folder becomes useless and the search engines inside it will NOT be updated.

If you use Keyconfig or Firegestures you can use this code to install a single engine from a xml file.

[WindHeight]

I deleted the search.json.mozlz4, added the searchplugins folder, restarted firefox, and it worked in FF47. I lost all of my keywords, but at least it imported the search engines.

These files were not present but apparently did not need to be (or need to be deleted):
search.json
search-metadata.json
search.sqlite

Thanks for the help, everyone.

I will try copying the new search.json.mozlz4 to various profiles and see if that works for portability.

[t3l0zvxqIiXuzuH0]

I deleted the search.json.mozlz4, added the searchplugins folder, restarted firefox, and it worked in FF47. I lost all of my keywords, but at least it imported the search engines.

I forgot about the keywords, sorry.

[dickvl]

Keywords for search engines were previously stored in search-metadata.json, but are now also stored in search.json.mozlz4