1279806 - Drop Preference "Open the Search tab in the Sidebar when a search is invoked"

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(SeaMonkey :: Preferences, defect)

Description

[Rainer Bielefeld]

Steps how to reproduce with unofficial (from <http://seamonkey.callek.net/contrib/>)  en-US SeaMonkey 2.44  Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64; rv:47.0)  Gecko/20100101 Firefox/47.0 Build 20160608085536  (Default Classic Theme)  on German WIN7 64bit:

1. Menu 'Edit → Preferences → Browser → Internet search'
2. Check  "Open the Search tab in the Sidebar when a search is invoked"
   → close dialog
3. In Sidebar select address book and do a Web Search via URL bar
   » Results appear in TAB, but nothing happens in Sidebar
4. Menu 'Edit → Preferences → Browser → Internet search'
5. Uncheck  "Open the Search tab in the Sidebar when a search is invoked"
   → close dialog
6. In Sidebar select address book and do a Web Search via URL bar
   » Results appear in TAB, but nothing happens in Sidebar

a) The preference has no function at all
b) That was different in old SM version (2.0) where we had the advanced
   sidebar search features 
c) Due to (a) my recommendation: simply drop this preference.
d) We will have to check whether there are other "hidden" preferences 
   for this (about config, ...)

Comment 1

[Isaac Schemm]

On SM 2.48a1 (comm-central, build 20160802141413), when that preference is enabled, the sidebar does open (if it's not open already) and switch to the Search tab when a search is invoked from the location bar.

On my custom build of SM 2.42 off comm-esr45, there is no change in the sidebar, regardless of the preference.

In either case, I would be OK with removing the preference. Since search results no longer appear in the sidebar, I don't see any reason to open it up when performing a search.

Comment 2

[Rainer Bielefeld]

(In reply to Isaac Schemm from comment #1)
> On SM 2.48a1 (comm-central, build 20160802141413), when that preference is
> enabled, the sidebar does open

Not for me. What OS did you test?

>  I would be OK with removing the preference.
I think that that preference lost it's right to exist when the "Advanced Search Options" were dropped.

Comment 3

[Isaac Schemm]

(In reply to Rainer Bielefeld from comment #2)
> Not for me. What OS did you test?
Windows 7 32-bit, using the installer: https://l10n.mozilla-community.org/~akalla/unofficial/seamonkey/nightly/latest-comm-central-windows32/seamonkey-2.48a1.en-US.win32.installer.exe
Same happened on Windows 10 64-bit, with the same installer.

I initiate the search by typing in the URL bar and clicking the "Search" button.
The "Search ... for ..." option at the end of the autocomplete suggestions does not trigger it, nor does pressing Enter.

Comment 4

[Rainer Bielefeld]

(In reply to Isaac Schemm from comment #3)
I managed to reproduce your observation after I had moved the [Search] button from bookmarks Toolbar to the right end from Location Bar. Afterwards click on [Search] button opened Search Panel in Sidebar with [Search] button at any place. Strange!

Comment 5

[Nuno Silva [:njsg]]

When this setting is enabled, the search sidebar will also open if a search is made using the context menu option "Search <selected search engine> for <selected text>".

But, as far as I can tell, if a search is made using the Search Bar, it will not open the sidebar.

Comment 6

[Frank-Rainer Grahl (:frg)]

Based on todays conversation the option to open the sidebar search via pref seems to have overstayed its welcome and can be removed:
https://freenode.logbot.info/seamonkey/20200508#c3829856

Comment 7

[Frank-Rainer Grahl (:frg)]

Attachment: 1279806-sidebarsearch-2533.patch

[Approval Request Comment]
Regression caused by (bug #): long ago in 1.1 search results where shown in the sidebar.
User impact if declined: mostly useless ui
Testing completed (on m-c, etc.): 2.53.3
Risk to taking this patch (and alternatives if risky): none
String changes made by this patch: 2 removals.

Comment 8

[Ian Neal]

Comment on attachment 9147067 [details] [diff] [review]
1279806-sidebarsearch-2533.patch

[Triage Comment]
LGTM r/a=me

Comment 9

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/rev/b2476d758bcb
Remove obsolete "browser.search.opensidebarsearchpanel" preference. r=IanN

Comment 10

[Frank-Rainer Grahl (:frg)]

Target 2.53.3
https://gitlab.com/seamonkey-project/seamonkey-2.53-comm/-/commit/bfe8aba7dc2b640034458a45c72b8d85700f8bb5
Remove obsolete "browser.search.opensidebarsearchpanel" preference. r=IanN a=IanN