SearchEdit Tutorial
Thursday, 27. November 2008, 08:42:23
Previously, I introduced an Editor for Opera's Search Engine. This time, I'm going to share what I learned while using this tool to create a complete search engine list. Yes, you don't need two set of search.ini in order for Opera to work properly - Opera only need one set of search.ini in the Profile folder! Here is a step-by-step guide to help you customize your search engine list with minimum effort:
Legend
search.ini = Default/standard version of Opera search engine list, located in the Installation folder.
search.ini = Modified version, only available if you added/removed/modified any search engine.
search.ini = Complete search engine list, merged both Default & Modified versions together.
Profile folder = Folder store all your personal data & settings for Opera.
Installation folder = Folder store Opera's execution files, usually located in C:\Program Files\Opera
Before we start, make sure you're using version 0.3 or later. In this tutorial, I assumed you have already added some custom search engines. If you never added/removed/modified the search engine list, then you just need to move the default search.ini from the Opera installation folder into your Profile folder to get the complete search.ini.
1. Shutdown Opera & locate the default search.ini from the Opera installation folder, we will use it as the "base" to create a complete search.ini.
2. After you opened the default search.ini with SearchEdit, go to Edit > Import > Merge search.ini's
3. From the dialog, locate & choose the search.ini from your Profile folder to be merged with the default search.ini.
4. After the merged, edit it to your heart's content, saved it when you're done! You should have a complete search.ini & a search.ini1.bak (Backup copy of default search.ini) inside Opera installation folder.
5. Finally, replace the search.ini in your Profile folder with the newly created search.ini.
NOTE: If you did it correctly, there should be only one complete search.ini left in the profile folder, & there won't be any other search.ini in the installation folder except the search.ini1.bak.
That's it! Now you can restart Opera & check the Search Engine list to make sure it's exactly the way you want it to be. You can reorder/modified the search.ini with SearchEdit again if you're not satisfy with the result.
What's the advantage of using only one complete search.ini?
1. Opera won't overwrite the complete search.ini with the default search.ini, because there is no default search.ini!
2. The order of the search engines will be in the exact order you see in SearchEdit, no need to mess with the default search.ini.
3. When you add/remove/modified any search engine in Opera, it will be merged with the complete search.ini automatically - you only need to take care of one set of list instead of two.
4. You only need to delete the default search.ini after upgrade or clean installation (need backup copy of complete search.ini) to restore your previous complete search engine list.
NOTE: Make sure you always kept a backup copy of the complete search.ini!
WIDGETIZE
darumaki # 18. February 2009, 08:48
dude09 # 20. February 2009, 15:42
Originally posted by darumaki:
http://my.opera.com/Tamil/blog/how-to-convert-the-search-field-into-a-button-in-the-opera-search-panelhundredorzero # 20. May 2009, 19:26
but after installing opera 10 alpha it seemed that there are some problems going with search.ini
initially even after using SearchEdit i was not getting the desired results. then this tutorial helped me to get the most out of SearchEdit. Merger solved all the problems.
Thank again.
hundredorzero # 20. May 2009, 19:51
for example:
ICON=http://download.cnet.com/favicon.ico
dude09 # 20. May 2009, 19:57
I should update this tutorial for Opera Link, but I'm too busy right now...
hundredorzero # 20. May 2009, 21:05
Philo007 # 3. June 2009, 21:37
Originally posted by leo_khan:
ICON-entries are shown in the detail editor.
Unfortunately the use of ICON is limited to the icons in http://redir.opera.com/favicons/ and if you're using Opera Link, Opera even remove your customized icon-entries!!
(I liked to use the old google favicon to visual distinguish from my 2nd google search and only a write-protected search.ini could stop Opera Link
As long as Opera doesn't improve ICON, there is no point to improve ICON-support in SearchEdit.
Anonymous # 12. June 2009, 23:10
Difficult to launch application.
Making the user go look for files to run after installation is not helpful. Just put the .jar, .sh, and .conf files needed to fix the Opera Search list in ~/.opera/ folder.
Why call the command to launch "start"? If I want to start SearchEdit, why not call the command "searchedit.sh", or "searchedit.bat"?
Just trying to make this app. easier to use.