Safari Keyword Search

Question

Level 1

38 points

Safari Keyword Search

Firefox has an extremely useful shortcut that allows the user to query a search field displayed within a specified URL. Search is invoked by entering in the FF address block a user-configurable keystroke combination, followed by the search terms. For example, within FF I can enter "gi volcano" and FF will enter "volcano" in the search box at "images.google.com" and display the result; it's very quick and no intermediate screens (like the Google Images search page) are displayed. Keywords are stored by navigating to the desired search box, placing the cursor in the search box, and right-clicking to display the setup dialogue. The shortcuts are saved in a folder within FF bookmarks.

I find two Safari Extensions that approach this idea, but each isn't quite complete: CustomQuest can only use the preselected search engines; while Omnikey allows the user to specify the search site and keystrokes, some sites just don't work — one can search maps.google.com, for instance, but not images.google.com.

I'd like to use Safari regularly, but this search function is hard to give up; I have a dozen or so shortcuts set up and they're very useful. Are there other Extensions that do this? Or perhaps there's something outside the App Store. Any ideas?

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.6), null

Posted on Sep 11, 2017 8:28 PM

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Answer 1

PN2

Level 4

1,052 points

Sep 12, 2017 11:08 AM in response to r1100rsl

It's not really configurable, albeit perhaps more automatic : but Quick Website Search

may be helpful.

Type the first few (3+) letters of the website, a space, then some query; and Safari offers to pass the search to a particular website.

Omnikey appears to work as expected on google images here, using

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q={search}

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Answer 2

r1100rsl Author

Level 1

38 points

Mar 29, 2018 12:48 PM in response to PN2

Even better!

I can't get Quick Website Search to work consistently, but your search string for images.google.com does. I think it'll take me over the hump to start using Safari as my default browser.

Can you tell me how you derived or where you found the google images search string? I'm not a programmer, but I'd be delighted to be able to do the same and install them in Omnikey for the other sites I'd like to be able to search.

Thanks again for your help.

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Answer 3

PN2

Level 4

1,052 points

Sep 12, 2017 4:56 PM in response to r1100rsl

A pleasure.

I ran a google search, say for xyz clicked the images tab, then highlighted the address bar & copied it : getting something like this :

https://www.google.com/search?q=xyz&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjXwP6T66DWAhVszlQKHYLWCHEQ_AUICigB&biw=1255&bih=858&dpr=2

swapped xyz for {search} as omnisearch say to, then removed all the tracking/source bits after seeing what the difference is between a web & image search address ( tbm=isch in this case ); keeping any & symbols between parameters.

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Answer 4

r1100rsl Author

Level 1

38 points

Sep 12, 2017 5:39 PM in response to PN2

Oh my. The water level just rose sharply,

I understand running a test search, copying the information generated in the address bar, and swapping xyz for {search}. But then I get lost.

I think you ran both a web search and an image search, to compare the URLs generated in the address bar. But I don't know what "tracking/source bits" are, and I'm quite lost about what to do with the two URLs.

And while I see a number of & symbols in the image search string, and are told to keep them, but what are "parameters?" Does one leave parameters in place?

Perhaps this it too far over my head. I appreciate your help, but I surely don't want to ask you to spend time bringing this beginner up to speed.

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Answer 5

PN2

Level 4

1,052 points

Sep 12, 2017 8:01 PM in response to r1100rsl

I expect that it would work without removing all the other bits & simply swapping xyz for {search}.

I didn't want to give you a URL that might skew any results based on my location, browser, or other details.

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Answer 6

r1100rsl Author

Level 1

38 points

Sep 13, 2017 9:40 PM in response to PN2

Your replies were extremely helpful, PN2. By test searching each desired site for xyz, copying the resulting URL, and then substituting {search} for xyz, I can create a working Omnikey shortcut for any page. This is fabulous. Thanks for sticking with me here.

(Now if Apple would just introduce an iOS App Store that could be accessed on the Mac instead of on the tiny screen/no keyboard of my iPhone, I'd be really happy.)

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