10.0.2 and search providers

[fmupdaterflo]

I also tried to change the xml - File after the installation on one PC.

But there it doesn't work. Did I made something wrong?

That's my XML-File:

########################

<SearchPlugin xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/">
<ShortName>Google</ShortName>
<Description>Google Search</Description>
<InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
<Image width="16" height="16">data:image/png;base64,AAABAAEAEBAAAAEAGABoAwAAFgAAACgAAAAQAAAAIAAAAAEAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADs9Pt8xetPtu9FsfFNtu%2BTzvb2%2B%2Fne4dFJeBw0egA%2FfAJAfAA8ewBBegAAAAD%2B%2FPtft98Mp%2BwWsfAVsvEbs%2FQeqvF8xO7%2F%2F%2F63yqkxdgM7gwE%2FggM%2BfQA%2BegBDeQDe7PIbotgQufcMufEPtfIPsvAbs%2FQvq%2Bfz%2Bf%2F%2B%2B%2FZKhR05hgBBhQI8hgBAgAI9ewD0%2B%2Fg3pswAtO8Cxf4Kw%2FsJvvYAqupKsNv%2B%2Fv7%2F%2FP5VkSU0iQA7jQA9hgBDgQU%2BfQH%2F%2Ff%2FQ6fM4sM4KsN8AteMCruIqqdbZ7PH8%2Fv%2Fg6Nc%2Fhg05kAA8jAM9iQI%2BhQA%2BgQDQu6b97uv%2F%2F%2F7V8Pqw3eiWz97q8%2Ff%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2FPptpkkqjQE4kwA7kAA5iwI8iAA8hQCOSSKdXjiyflbAkG7u2s%2F%2B%2F%2F39%2F%2F7r8utrqEYtjQE8lgA7kwA7kwA9jwA9igA9hACiWSekVRyeSgiYSBHx6N%2F%2B%2Fv7k7OFRmiYtlAA5lwI7lwI4lAA7kgI9jwE9iwI4iQCoVhWcTxCmb0K%2BooT8%2Fv%2F7%2F%2F%2FJ2r8fdwI1mwA3mQA3mgA8lAE8lAE4jwA9iwE%2BhwGfXifWvqz%2B%2Ff%2F58u%2Fev6Dt4tr%2B%2F%2F2ZuIUsggA7mgM6mAM3lgA5lgA6kQE%2FkwBChwHt4dv%2F%2F%2F728ei1bCi7VAC5XQ7kz7n%2F%2F%2F6bsZkgcB03lQA9lgM7kwA2iQktZToPK4r9%2F%2F%2F9%2F%2F%2FSqYK5UwDKZAS9WALIkFn%2B%2F%2F3%2F%2BP8oKccGGcIRJrERILYFEMwAAuEAAdX%2F%2Ff7%2F%2FP%2B%2BfDvGXQLIZgLEWgLOjlf7%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F9QU90EAPQAAf8DAP0AAfMAAOUDAtr%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2B%2Fu2bCTIYwDPZgDBWQDSr4P%2F%2Fv%2F%2F%2FP5GRuABAPkAA%2FwBAfkDAPAAAesAAN%2F%2F%2B%2Fz%2F%2F%2F64g1C5VwDMYwK8Yg7y5tz8%2Fv%2FV1PYKDOcAAP0DAf4AAf0AAfYEAOwAAuAAAAD%2F%2FPvi28ymXyChTATRrIb8%2F%2F3v8fk6P8MAAdUCAvoAAP0CAP0AAfYAAO4AAACAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAQAA</Image>
<Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://suggestqueries.google.com/comple ... earchTerms}"/>
<Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
<MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
</Url>
<!-- Keyword search URL is the same as the default, but with an additional parameter -->
<Url type="application/x-moz-keywordsearch" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
<MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
<Param name="channel" value="fflb"/>
</Url>
<!-- Context/Right-click search URL is the same as the default, but with an additional parameter -->
<Url type="application/x-moz-contextsearch" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">

<MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
<Param name="channel" value="rcs"/>
</Url>
<SearchForm>http://www.google.com/</SearchForm>
</SearchPlugin>


########################

[jpa]

Looks like you were a little overzealous removing params. XML from the non-CE FrontMotion Firefox:

Code: Select all

<SearchPlugin xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/">
<ShortName>Google</ShortName>
<Description>Google Search</Description>
<InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
<Image width="16" height="16">data:image/png;base64,AAABAAEAEBAAAAEAGABoAwAAFgAAACgAAAAQAAAAIAAAAAEAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADs9Pt8xetPtu9FsfFNtu%2BTzvb2%2B%2Fne4dFJeBw0egA%2FfAJAfAA8ewBBegAAAAD%2B%2FPtft98Mp%2BwWsfAVsvEbs%2FQeqvF8xO7%2F%2F%2F63yqkxdgM7gwE%2FggM%2BfQA%2BegBDeQDe7PIbotgQufcMufEPtfIPsvAbs%2FQvq%2Bfz%2Bf%2F%2B%2B%2FZKhR05hgBBhQI8hgBAgAI9ewD0%2B%2Fg3pswAtO8Cxf4Kw%2FsJvvYAqupKsNv%2B%2Fv7%2F%2FP5VkSU0iQA7jQA9hgBDgQU%2BfQH%2F%2Ff%2FQ6fM4sM4KsN8AteMCruIqqdbZ7PH8%2Fv%2Fg6Nc%2Fhg05kAA8jAM9iQI%2BhQA%2BgQDQu6b97uv%2F%2F%2F7V8Pqw3eiWz97q8%2Ff%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2FPptpkkqjQE4kwA7kAA5iwI8iAA8hQCOSSKdXjiyflbAkG7u2s%2F%2B%2F%2F39%2F%2F7r8utrqEYtjQE8lgA7kwA7kwA9jwA9igA9hACiWSekVRyeSgiYSBHx6N%2F%2B%2Fv7k7OFRmiYtlAA5lwI7lwI4lAA7kgI9jwE9iwI4iQCoVhWcTxCmb0K%2BooT8%2Fv%2F7%2F%2F%2FJ2r8fdwI1mwA3mQA3mgA8lAE8lAE4jwA9iwE%2BhwGfXifWvqz%2B%2Ff%2F58u%2Fev6Dt4tr%2B%2F%2F2ZuIUsggA7mgM6mAM3lgA5lgA6kQE%2FkwBChwHt4dv%2F%2F%2F728ei1bCi7VAC5XQ7kz7n%2F%2F%2F6bsZkgcB03lQA9lgM7kwA2iQktZToPK4r9%2F%2F%2F9%2F%2F%2FSqYK5UwDKZAS9WALIkFn%2B%2F%2F3%2F%2BP8oKccGGcIRJrERILYFEMwAAuEAAdX%2F%2Ff7%2F%2FP%2B%2BfDvGXQLIZgLEWgLOjlf7%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F9QU90EAPQAAf8DAP0AAfMAAOUDAtr%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2B%2Fu2bCTIYwDPZgDBWQDSr4P%2F%2Fv%2F%2F%2FP5GRuABAPkAA%2FwBAfkDAPAAAesAAN%2F%2F%2B%2Fz%2F%2F%2F64g1C5VwDMYwK8Yg7y5tz8%2Fv%2FV1PYKDOcAAP0DAf4AAf0AAfYEAOwAAuAAAAD%2F%2FPvi28ymXyChTATRrIb8%2F%2F3v8fk6P8MAAdUCAvoAAP0CAP0AAfYAAO4AAACAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAQAA</Image>
<Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://suggestqueries.google.com/complete/search?output=firefox&client=firefox&hl={moz:locale}&q={searchTerms}"/>
<Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
  <Param name="q" value="{searchTerms}"/><Param name="ie" value="utf-8"/><Param name="oe" value="utf-8"/><Param name="aq" value="t"/><Param name="rls" value="{moz:distributionID}:{moz:locale}:{moz:official}"/>
  <MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
</Url>
<!-- Keyword search URL is the same as the default, but with an additional parameter -->
<Url type="application/x-moz-keywordsearch" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
  <Param name="q" value="{searchTerms}"/><Param name="ie" value="utf-8"/><Param name="oe" value="utf-8"/><Param name="aq" value="t"/><Param name="rls" value="{moz:distributionID}:{moz:locale}:{moz:official}"/>
  <MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
  <Param name="channel" value="fflb"/>
</Url>
<!-- Context/Right-click search URL is the same as the default, but with an additional parameter -->
<Url type="application/x-moz-contextsearch" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
  <Param name="q" value="{searchTerms}"/><Param name="ie" value="utf-8"/><Param name="oe" value="utf-8"/><Param name="aq" value="t"/><Param name="rls" value="{moz:distributionID}:{moz:locale}:{moz:official}"/>

  <MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
  <Param name="channel" value="rcs"/>
</Url>
<SearchForm>http://www.google.com/</SearchForm>
</SearchPlugin>

[BlackBowmore]

Does not work for me. All changes in google.xml seem to be ignored. Did I forget anything?

[jpa]

Looks like you need to delete search.json from individual user Firefox Profile directories. Then on next start Firefox pulls the proper search info from the XML file. Not sure how to make this easier as it certainly is not easy.

[nec10]

We deploy this from a single MSI file, but are now getting complaints from users about this "Google Custom Search" issue.

Are there any plans to put this back to match the normal Firefox in future versions?

I'm only in the early stages of looking at this but:

I have deleted the "search.json" file and this makes no difference as far as I can see.

I have replaced the "google.xml" with one from a normal firefox install and this seems to make no difference either??

What I need is a quick way to fix this centrally for existing and future installations - we like the simplicity of rolling out from a single MSI and managing via group policy - it changes so fast now and we don't have much time available to troubleshoot, so we have to trust the MSI will work OK.

Could we have a modified admx template which toggles the search providers between "Firefox default" and "Frontmotion"?

Also, from the forum it seems that the developer asked the question about this change, and most people came back with "No", so how did it make it to the final package?

Any help appreciated.

Nick Cole
MISD
University of Cambridge

[MonkeyBoy]

For future installations you just create an administrative install point and modify the google.xml file. You may need to use a text editor like Notepad++ that honors Unix-style EOLs.

I just finished rolling out 10.0.5ESR to over 80 workstations and this is my google.xml file.

Code: Select all

<SearchPlugin xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/">
<ShortName>Google</ShortName>
<Description>Google Search</Description>
<InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
<Image width="16" height="16">data:image/png;base64,AAABAAEAEBAAAAEAGABoAwAAFgAAACgAAAAQAAAAIAAAAAEAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADs9Pt8xetPtu9FsfFNtu%2BTzvb2%2B%2Fne4dFJeBw0egA%2FfAJAfAA8ewBBegAAAAD%2B%2FPtft98Mp%2BwWsfAVsvEbs%2FQeqvF8xO7%2F%2F%2F63yqkxdgM7gwE%2FggM%2BfQA%2BegBDeQDe7PIbotgQufcMufEPtfIPsvAbs%2FQvq%2Bfz%2Bf%2F%2B%2B%2FZKhR05hgBBhQI8hgBAgAI9ewD0%2B%2Fg3pswAtO8Cxf4Kw%2FsJvvYAqupKsNv%2B%2Fv7%2F%2FP5VkSU0iQA7jQA9hgBDgQU%2BfQH%2F%2Ff%2FQ6fM4sM4KsN8AteMCruIqqdbZ7PH8%2Fv%2Fg6Nc%2Fhg05kAA8jAM9iQI%2BhQA%2BgQDQu6b97uv%2F%2F%2F7V8Pqw3eiWz97q8%2Ff%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2FPptpkkqjQE4kwA7kAA5iwI8iAA8hQCOSSKdXjiyflbAkG7u2s%2F%2B%2F%2F39%2F%2F7r8utrqEYtjQE8lgA7kwA7kwA9jwA9igA9hACiWSekVRyeSgiYSBHx6N%2F%2B%2Fv7k7OFRmiYtlAA5lwI7lwI4lAA7kgI9jwE9iwI4iQCoVhWcTxCmb0K%2BooT8%2Fv%2F7%2F%2F%2FJ2r8fdwI1mwA3mQA3mgA8lAE8lAE4jwA9iwE%2BhwGfXifWvqz%2B%2Ff%2F58u%2Fev6Dt4tr%2B%2F%2F2ZuIUsggA7mgM6mAM3lgA5lgA6kQE%2FkwBChwHt4dv%2F%2F%2F728ei1bCi7VAC5XQ7kz7n%2F%2F%2F6bsZkgcB03lQA9lgM7kwA2iQktZToPK4r9%2F%2F%2F9%2F%2F%2FSqYK5UwDKZAS9WALIkFn%2B%2F%2F3%2F%2BP8oKccGGcIRJrERILYFEMwAAuEAAdX%2F%2Ff7%2F%2FP%2B%2BfDvGXQLIZgLEWgLOjlf7%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F9QU90EAPQAAf8DAP0AAfMAAOUDAtr%2F%2F%2F%2F7%2B%2Fu2bCTIYwDPZgDBWQDSr4P%2F%2Fv%2F%2F%2FP5GRuABAPkAA%2FwBAfkDAPAAAesAAN%2F%2F%2B%2Fz%2F%2F%2F64g1C5VwDMYwK8Yg7y5tz8%2Fv%2FV1PYKDOcAAP0DAf4AAf0AAfYEAOwAAuAAAAD%2F%2FPvi28ymXyChTATRrIb8%2F%2F3v8fk6P8MAAdUCAvoAAP0CAP0AAfYAAO4AAACAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAQAA</Image>
<Url type="application/x-suggestions+json" method="GET" template="http://suggestqueries.google.com/complete/search?output=firefox&client=firefox&hl={moz:locale}&q={searchTerms}"/>
<Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/search">
  <Param name="q" value="{searchTerms}"/>
  <Param name="ie" value="utf-8"/>
  <Param name="oe" value="utf-8"/>
  <Param name="aq" value="t"/>
  <!-- Dynamic parameters -->
  <Param name="rls" value="{moz:distributionID}:{moz:locale}:{moz:official}"/>
  <MozParam name="client" condition="defaultEngine" trueValue="firefox-a" falseValue="firefox"/>
</Url>
<SearchForm>http://www.google.com/</SearchForm>
</SearchPlugin>

For existing installs you need to modify some part of their profile. I don't know how google.xml fits into it, sorry.

This is why you should always run test installs before rolling things out, to catch gotchas before they become massive headaches. I rolled out a new profile, distributed to desktops at the same time, thanks to testing.

[feniks]

what Admin install points are you talking about?

We are using MSI package distribution through GPO (installed before user logon). I am trying to create a Transform template (MST), but I cannot find the Google Custom Search Property in ORCA editor while browsing the FrontMotion Firefox 14.0.1 MSI. where is it, anybody know?

[jpa]

msiexec /a FM.msi

[char0n]

Honestly, (and please excuse my language) this change sucks hard. Why do I have to find and spent time for a way around this "issue" and am not able to simply decide if I (or the user) wants it? I would not care that much if that's just preset and changeable via GPO or inside FF... but that anyone who already received it has to delete search.json in the own profile (or create new profile) is a bit overdone in my eyes. So now my testing group had to receive new profiles (it's not just some people) and I needed to hack the MSI, so I can deploy the normal searchplugin. What's next? Changing default seachprovider to Yahoo, 'cause their partner-program pays 0.3 cents more per click than the Google one?
No offense, but such big changes (or changes that can have such consequences) should in my eyes be a little more discussed here. And... reading the thread... if they're unwanted, they shouldn't come then, at least in ESR.

Just my 2 cents.

And, to contribute at least a little to the fixing-side of this topic: deleting search.json after changing google.xml does the trick for some of my testers. I repacked the MSI with the default Mozilla-version's FF google.xml. Installations that are done with that work fine now.
So: still no easy solution for fixing "old" installations, but I would be happy to hear if anyone would be able to fix that after install. Maybe that's easier than repacking the MSI for future versions.

Cheers.

[kennethdammyr]

char0n has my support on this topic. So far, it has taken me about 4 hours of learning a way around and fixing this issue for different users. If FrontMotion is in need of money, I'm sure it would be possible to spend the value of 4 working hours for a paid solution.

[MonkeyBoy]

I took you 4 hours to msiexec /a and modify an xml file? Despite having a recent threads in the forum about this very topic?

Did you test the installation before rolling it out and discover this ahead of time? It took me under 45 minutes to discover the situation and find/implement the solution, thanks to testing and the resources available in this forum.

He already has donation links up, and I would guess that not enough people are donating. Since you're asking him to accept donations does that mean that you haven't already donated? The links are at the bottom of each of the product pages:
http://www.frontmotion.com/Firefox/
http://www.frontmotion.com/FMFirefoxCE/

Personally I've donated twice, and since I work for an educational institution the donations came out of my own pocket, which I'm happy to do because FMFCE makes my job a hell of a lot easier than it otherwise would be.

[feniks]

all right. I don't like the extra loops I have to jump through to get Frontmotion Firefox to behave like it used to.
decided to build my own MSI packages based on generic Mozilla releases. bye Frontmotion!

[MonkeyBoy]

msiexec /a fm.msi
edit xml (text) file
install from administrative install point

vs.

build, test, maintain your own msi using tools that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars

Personally I want to modify the default install anyway so making an administrative install point was already being done. But the cost to purchase the tools plus the hours I won't have free to work on other projects? That'd cost me my job. Must be nice...

[feniks]

I use a free tool to build my simple MSI package, tutorial here:
http://www.klaus-hartnegg.de/gpo/msi_firefox.html

free tool here:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/

it works fine, I already successfully deployed my first Mozilla Firefox MSI package through Active Directory GPO, all configured to my liking based on generic Firefox.

[MonkeyBoy]

I tried using that to build an MSI before and had nothing but trouble, but glad it worked for you with the current build of Firefox. It still took you far longer to walk through that process than creating an administrative install point and editing a text file.

Keep in mind you're effectively comparing an application that offers no configurability over GP to an application that does. Personally I need the ability to control browser settings, so losing all ability to force those settings enabled and block the user's ability to change them is unacceptable.

Also, since you're off making your own builds, let me save you some grief... never deploy a profile with any of your MSIs. Some of the files in Firefox profiles contain absolute (C:\Users\Username\Blahblahblah) rather than relative (within the Firefox profile folder) paths, so a profile built on one username will not work on another unless you strip out the files that contain absolute paths, at which point you're basically creating a profile from scratch. Just want to save you some head scratching because everything will seem to basically work until you actually push it out to users and then you'll find the entire add-on/extension/plug-in system is broken (which causes Firefox to hang when browsing some - but not all - sites).