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How to default the cursor focus to the new search bar in the new tab page in firefox 31?

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Firefox 31 has added a search field to the New Tab page. This is great, but when I open a New Tab page, the cursor focus defaults to the URL bar at the top, not this new search field. How can I get the New tab page to open with the cursor focused on this new search field ready to go?

Before Firefox 31, I had installed the 'Add Google Search To New Tab Page' plugin (which did just that) and used the 'Custom New Tab' plugin to place the cursor focus in that search field by default whenever I opened the New Tab page (instead of having it jump up to the URL bar as it had been doing).

If I continue to run these two plugins, I get a New Tab page with TWO google search fields above the grid of pinned favourite pages. I'd rather have the one Firefox 31 added because it's a true google field with search suggestions - the one I had added via plugin just sent the search terms I typed, without the suggestions pulldown appearing.

So, anyone know how to control cursor focus?

Thanks

Firefox 31 has added a search field to the New Tab page. This is great, but when I open a New Tab page, the cursor focus defaults to the URL bar at the top, not this new search field. How can I get the New tab page to open with the cursor focused on this new search field ready to go? Before Firefox 31, I had installed the 'Add Google Search To New Tab Page' plugin (which did just that) and used the 'Custom New Tab' plugin to place the cursor focus in that search field by default whenever I opened the New Tab page (instead of having it jump up to the URL bar as it had been doing). If I continue to run these two plugins, I get a New Tab page with TWO google search fields above the grid of pinned favourite pages. I'd rather have the one Firefox 31 added because it's a true google field with search suggestions - the one I had added via plugin just sent the search terms I typed, without the suggestions pulldown appearing. So, anyone know how to control cursor focus? Thanks

All Replies (2)

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The "about" pages (about:newtab and others) cannot be easily modified with Greasemonkey user scripts, so I think you will need an extension for this.

I submitted a request to the author of Custom New Tab to add this as a feature. https://github.com/deadmund/Custom-New-Tab/issues/1

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The author of Custom New Tab says this will be in the next update of the extension.

If you don't want to wait for the approval cycle on the Add-ons site, you can grab it from the Versions page:

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab/versions/

Note: I have not tested it myself.

Version 1.9 worked for me. See screenshot regarding how the Options dialog works for the updated extension.

Modified by jscher2000 - Support Volunteer