487095 - typing an application name in the location bar doesn't launch the app

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Address Bar, enhancement)

Description

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

I tried typing "telephone" in the location bar and expected the app to launch, but instead, it just did a google search for telephone.

Steps to reproduce:

1: Launch Firefox
2. Type an application name in the Location Bar (aka The Awesomebar)
3. hit enter

Expected results:
The application should launch

Actual results:
I got a google search results page. Depending on the search and the contents of the awesomebar, you might get taken to a webpage.

Comment 1

[Nochum Sossonko [:Natch]]

Uhm, since when is the location bar supposed to launch applications for users? I think that would be unexpected behavior.

Comment 2

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Uhm, since when is the location bar supposed to launch applications for users?
> I think that would be unexpected behavior.

Since I tried typing an application in the location bar thinking I was in Spotlight, I guess.

http://twitter.com/robcee/status/1464918061

Comment 3

[Jo Hermans]

Spotlight didn't launch a google search either ...  Some webbrowsesr really want to take over the enite operating system, but we're not there yet.

Comment 4

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

can we file bugs on spotlight here? If so, I'd like webpages I type in Spotlight to show up in Firefox. Also, it'd be nice if I could search my bookmarks from spotlight. These should probably be in a separate bug(s).

Comment 5

[Jo Hermans]

I should have added a <sarcasm> tag ...

But if you insists, see bug 293323.

Comment 6

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

voted up. It goes nicely with the keychain bug 106400.

I'll confess, I meant this bug to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek. I won't be sad if this gets resolved wontfix.

Comment 7

[Kev Needham [:kev]]

I wanted a pony, so I typed "pony" in the awesomebar. I did not get a pony, just some links to some athletic clothing company and some _pictures_ of ponies.

I still want a pony, but I don't want a bug.

Help?

Comment 8

[Nochum Sossonko [:Natch]]

This probably belongs in Shell Integration...

Comment 9

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

Not blocking. Still.

Comment 10

[Dietrich Ayala (:dietrich)]

made a proof-of-concept extension that does this: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11378

Comment 11

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

should add ~/Applications as well if it exists.

This works surprisingly well. Nice!

Comment 12

[Rob Campbell [:rc] (:robcee)]

also, doesn't work for apps inside folders. e.g., Photoshop\ CS3/Photoshop.app

Comment 13

[Dietrich Ayala (:dietrich)]

This is WONTFIX in core. Definitely should be in an extension, or as a feature in FirefoxOS a1.