up/down arrows in search & text field not working

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Level 1

43 points

up/down arrows in search & text field not working

Hi,

Bit of an odd one this (and probably one with a simple solution). I've just moved from a rather aged PowerMac G5 to a nice new Mac Pro. This is great. However, when I use safari, the up/down arrows don't work within the search box. What I mean by this is; let's say I've searched something and the curser is at the end of the search box text, if I then want to go to start of the search text (say to change it) I'd normally press the up arrow. This would then take me straight to the start (shift&up will select all the text). This is obviously quicker than repeatedly pressing the left arrow. But it's not working! Any thoughts?

All software updates are loaded. I'm using safari v4.0.2. It doesn't appear to be a problem in other programmes (like text edit) but I've not really checked everything else exhaustively.

Edward

Mac Pro, PowerMac G5, Intel macbook pro and (aged) Powerbook G4, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 9, 2009 10:17 AM

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Answer 1

Edward Author

Level 1

43 points

Jul 9, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Edward

Ok, well I've sort of answered the question myself. Sorry for posting a question before fully looking into it.

I can Shift&Up arrow to get to the start of the text. However, this selects all the text. If I just press the up arrow the curser moves nowhere. Obviously the shift combination means there's a workaround in that I shift&up arrow and then press another arrow to deselect. But it's a bit frustrating. Any thoughts if this can be changed?

Edward

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Answer 2

Jul 9, 2009 10:48 AM in response to Edward

The up arrow should work, as it works for me and there is no other hidden way to do it. I suspect that something is not right with your installation of Safari.

Did you Repair Disk Permissions before and after you installed it? If not, quit Safari and do that now, then restart Safari and try it again.

At the same time, it could be other things, but before we start tinkering, try creating a new user account and test Safari there, too. Post back with results.

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Answer 3

Edward Author

Level 1

43 points

Jul 10, 2009 4:36 AM in response to sitspotsit

Hi Sitspotsit,

Thanks for the reply. Ok I've done what you suggested. Firstly I repaired disk permissions. This didn't affect the problem within Safari. I then created a new user account... and using Safari in the new user account did correct the problem. I.e. within the new user account, the up arrow key did take the curser to the start of the search box.

Any thoughts? (Thanks for your help!)

Edward

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Answer 4

Edward Author

Level 1

43 points

Jul 10, 2009 5:33 AM in response to Edward

Ok, well it appears that if the 'suggestion' drop down is active (i.e. every time I make a search), the up arrow does not work. However, if I press escape (to hide the suggestions), then the up arrow does work and takes the cursor to the start of the search box. It is a bit frustrating but apparently that's the way Safari works now.

Ho hum.

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Answer 5

Jul 10, 2009 8:12 AM in response to Edward

That's not the way it works for me, and I doubt that it's supposed to work that way on 10.5. I would have to guess and say that there is something else peculiar to your user account that is causing this.

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Answer 6

Aug 1, 2009 1:03 PM in response to Edward

I'm getting the exact same behavior on two different machines: up/down arrows no longer jump to the front/end of the search box while the suggestions or recent searches drop-down is visible (it navigates through the drop-down menu instead), but work after hitting escape to hide the drop-down.

Holding down command key with the up/down arrows gives the old functionality.

This does not work, however, in the search box on Google.com pages.

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Answer 7

Oct 9, 2009 4:20 AM in response to Joe White

Also getting this. The up/down arrows work in the google search box at the top right, but now when I'm on google itself. On other text boxes it does work.

Easiest work around so far seems to be command-left arrow.

Will try repairing permissions, but everything else is working fine.

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Answer 8

maratone

Level 1

0 points

Nov 21, 2009 7:43 AM in response to Camera Dude

On Google.com, using Safari or Firefox, as you start typing a query, some suggestions will drop down in a list. For example, you start typing "ap" and the suggestions are "apple" "apple store" "applebees", etc.

You can then move through those suggestions with your up/down keys.

That's done through Javascript. It's this Javascript that is "trapping" your up/down keys and remapping their function. I find it pretty annoying.

Luckily you can turn these query suggestions off by going to "Search Settings", on the top right corner of google.com and scrolling down to "Query Suggestions" at the bottom and check "Do not provide query suggestions in the search box."

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