This is not an official update. This is something that I whipped together.

Here is what this “update” does:

• Returns results from within the last 3 months (so no out dated information is returned)
• Search results will (or rather, “should”) all be in English
• PDF files are removed from search results - YAY!

Download It Here

Oh, the Google icon in Firefox’s drop down box is much larger than the others. This is because I was too lazy to resize the PNG image file, but it has the added benefit of making it easier to select “Google” from the list.

Why Did I Do This?

I made this change to Firefox’s built-in Google search box after being annoyed one too many times by sloppy results. Yes, I realize that this may shock many of you: Google can return sloppy search results.

I’ll pause here while you all gasp in horror.

What was happening? Search results from 2004 (or there abouts) were (very) frequently appearing at the top of my search results. This is old, out dated information by today’s standards.

Secondly, it irritates me something fierce when Adobe’s PDF files appear in my search results. Sure they have their uses, but not in my freaking search results!

Thirdly, though I’m studying other languages I am not yet fluent enough to speak or read those languages. As such, as a time saving feature I would also select the option to return only English search results.

While these features are useful (to me, at least) you must set those options with each new session because Google does not save your advanced search preferences. Why? Perhaps too much Mt. Dew on a late night coding session is to blame. I don’t know.

Yes, I have the “Customize Google” extension, but unfortunately this can’t save the options that I’m after. I sent an email to the folks behind the extension requesting that they add the ability to save these options and they were quick and polite in explaining why their widget can’t do that. I don’t code full fledged addons because I can’t (just being honest here), so I wasn’t aware that this would be an issue. No problem! CG is still an excellent addition to Firefox regardless.

What I can do is make search plugins. So I did. I got rid of Firefox’s default Google search plugin and replaced it with my own. Simple, efficient, and “always on”. Sweet! ;D

What you’ll need to do is:

1. Open a folder on your computer to this location: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Searchplugins\
2. Backup the google.xml file that you find in there (it should be moved out of the Searchplugins folder and maybe onto a USB device)
3. Unpack the 7zip archive into the above Searchplugins folder
4. Restart Firefox
5. Seach!

Note that if you have a 64bit version of Windows, such as Vista x64, then Firefox is located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\ .

It’s important that you back up your existing google.xml file because as useful as I find this, YOU may thin that it sucks. In that case you won’t be able to return to the default Google search plugin because you can not re-obtain it from Mozilla’s Addon website.

Download It Here

…annnd you’re done.

~Steph

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