Sidebar opens on each new search

[kapitainsky]

After I have installed the latest v5.3.1 every time I use context search I have empty side bar opened. Below picture shows very well how ugly it is. For aesthetic and many other reasons I do not want it:)

Of course I can close it. But next time I search something using this wonderful add-on it pops up again...

Definitely not something I wish. I have spent long time trying to find an option to turn it off - to no avail. Maybe I am just blind in this case.

Here my settings:

I would like my searches to open in new tab - like always before. They do now too but with addition of this side bar appearing out of the blue.

All is happening on macOS 15.1 and Firefox 132.0

I would be grateful if somebody can shed a light on how to get rid this side bar.

I have been using contextSearch for ages (many many years) and never had such issue before.

[odebroqueville]

I know why this is happening: the makers of Firefox only allow us to open the sidebar following an action, e.g. a click on an item in the context menu. Unfortunately, for details you may not understand, it's not possible to only open the sidebar when the sidebar option is selected in the options. It's all or nothing: either I always open the sidebar or I always keep it closed. You're happy in the latter case and others will complain or think that the extension isn't working! What to do?!

[kapitainsky]

I do not understand something here. What's the purpose of this side bar? In my case it is always empty. Like on picture above.

I do understand limitations imposed by Firefox but maybe it would make sense to have in such case two versions of this extension? With and without sidebar?

[odebroqueville]

Instead of opening search results "In a new tab" as you selected above, you can choose to open them "In the sidebar". Give it a try.

[kapitainsky]

Thank for your suggestion but it is pointless in the way how I use (and used for years) this add-on. I want to open be it Wikipedia, Amazon or Google maps. How you think you can work with maps in sidebar? or continue shopping on Amazon?

To be 100% clear what is happening now:

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/80ea2c69-b00b-4b3e-9042-70b760cb8434

It is disaster:)

[kapitainsky]

I have tried to use side bar. For example when using Google maps search it even does not open maps (new tab does) but text results of geographical term search (it is Google maps side bar content:)).

It is of course your add-on and you decide how it works. But I can not believe that I will be only one complaining. It break mine and many others workflows.

Maybe two versions of add-on are really an option?

[Vingolf]

Off topic: Hi Olivier 😃 my main interest here is to say thank you that your addon is back online 👍

A short comment on this issue, althoug I am not too much in to it:

It's all or nothing: either I always open the sidebar or I always keep it closed. You're happy in the latter case and others will complain or think that the extension isn't working! What to do?!

I always use context search in an new tab, so I would be happy, if the sidebar will always be closed 😉

kapitainsky wrote:

Maybe two versions of add-on are really an option?

In a earlier Version Context Search v.5.2.1 in FF 130esr on Windows 10 I have not encountered this issue. The search result appears in a new tab without opening the sidebar.

Perhaps an option for you is to use a previous version 🤔

Vingolf

[kapitainsky]

Perhaps an option for you is to use a previous version 🤔

If nothing can be done than 100% this is what I will do. Any idea how to install older versions?

EDIT - I can actually restore (thank you Time Machine) all Firefox profile from before latest contextSearch side bar fiasco. We will see how long old version will last.

[odebroqueville]

I think I have found a solution for the sidebar to only open when it's been selected in the options page. Please bare with me until I finish testing things. It'll take a couple of days. Thanks.

[odebroqueville]

Please update to version 5.3.2 (just released). It should fix things. Let me know.

[kapitainsky]

Now it does not display any side bar for me. Definitely some steps forward. Thank you very much for looking into it. Unfortunately there is some step back too. It does not pass any search term.... I select a word, right click and contextSearch using Google. With my setting I land on Google site in another tab - but it is Google Home:) The same with other search engines.

Now it can be maybe related to my imported search engines maybe? Or things changed how search engines are defined? Here are mine:

They used to work until today. I am ok to start from the scratch and create all config again. This is actually what I will do later today (this add-on is worth of little work) and report back.

EDIT - all works now. I started again fresh. Maybe my exported data got corrupted? not worth to investigate if all works.

I will test (actually use it all the time) for the next days or two and then happily this issue can be closed.

[kapitainsky]

Update on my testing. When 5.3.2 works then all is perfect... but after few hours right click contextual menu to trigger search disappears.... gone.. just like that. No fiddling with options nor any browser settings. Only way to restore it is to remove add-on and install it again. But then after few hours the same happens.

I have no idea what the culprit is. All started with Firefox update to v132.0 and coincidently at the same time contextSearch update to 5.3.1 (5.3.2 now). Before I used always updated contextSearch add-on for years on always kept up to date Firefox. Never had slightest issues but some glitch once I think (fixed in days).

[kapitainsky]

And it is not all. Looks like for some bizarre reasons (when everything works) very often add-on triggers searches not for selected word but for some word which was searched much earlier...

[odebroqueville]

Oh dear, what a nightmare! There's something strange in your screenshot: the keyboard shortcuts shouldn't be "undefined". Are you on Windows? (I haven't experienced this on Mac) Another Windows user reported that Context Search wouldn't show up in the context menu, so there definitely is an issue. What bothers me is that I can't test on Windows. Maybe I shouldn't have brought the extension back on AMO!

[kapitainsky]

There's something strange in your screenshot: the keyboard shortcuts shouldn't be "undefined". Are you on Windows?

It was from my old json import. Suspecting that it might be an issue I now started fresh - unfortunately the saga of weird behaviours continue. I am not sure if issue is with your add-on or there is something else in play here. But again I never had any issues - all started now with new Firefox and new add-on. Maybe now contextSearch functionality is impacted by some other add-on I have? But nothing changed here for long. I use few add-ons - the same ones for very long.

I am not on Windows. I use Firefox on macOS.

Real bizarre is that problems are random and happen only sometimes. For example right now all works like in manual:) But few minutes before every search was deja-vu style - some other term I searched before. It does not help with troubleshooting as there is some randomness involved.

[odebroqueville]

I was able to reproduce a bug: restarting Firefox removes CS from the context menu. I'm really sorry for the trouble. I'll investigate further tomorrow as it's getting late on my end.

[kapitainsky]

I was able to reproduce a bug: restarting Firefox removes CS from the context menu. I'm really sorry for the trouble. I'll investigate further tomorrow as it's getting late on my end.

No worries. I do understand that It always takes time to iron rough edges. Not only in programming.

I appreciate your work on this add-on.