Google search: when I try to edit in search box; cursor jumps to the end

My problem is with using google.

1) do a search, e.g. http://www.google.com/search?q=THIS+IS+VERY+UNIQUE+SEARCH+QUERY
2) when you are at results page, click on search query box (the editbox with my query), at the middle
3) press a letter, e.g. "Z"
4) cursor jumps to the end of query box (this is unwanted action)

What is wrong?

My browser is Opera 11; Google Instant is turned off. Autocomplete is on. Experiment "Keyboard shortcuts" is active.

The same is for Chrome browser, but the jump is done when the autocompletion shows variants of query.

Update: There is something in Google's JS, which makes working with the search harder. So the question is: how to fix this google's bug? Should I turn something, (Experiment, Autocomplete, Suggests) or may I write a UserJS to make site working better in my browser?

In Chrome (the current version, 13.0.7xx) the experiment is turned off but bug is still there. Also, I can't find how to turn off Autocomplete/Suggest when I from Chrome.

How to reproduce with Chrome:

Go into "Anonymous mode" (ctrl-shift-n). In this mode there are no usual cookies set; google account is not logged in.
navigate to google.com, do a search.
By default the "Instant" feature is on. So, click gear at top-right; then "SearchSettings" (this will navigate you to http://www.google.com/preferences?hl=en )
Check the "Do not use Google Instant"; click "save preferences".
Enter some search, e.g "hoe to fix a linut". Press "Search".
Click on "hoe" just before 'e', press a letter "w"
Cursor will jump to end of string. No autocomplete will be shown.

OS: WinXP for chrome; linux for opera; Both x86 32 bit

== Update 2 ==

Reproduced with Firefox 6.0 on winxp32bit

osgx

Posted 2011-08-26T19:49:33.997

Reputation: 5 419

Did you try turning off keyboard shortcuts? – digitxp – 2011-08-26T20:05:25.480

1Yes, I experience the same thing in Opera 11.5 having turned off Google Instant. The cursor jumps to the end having successfully typed a 'z' (or another letter) in the middle. This only happens immediately after having done a search, when you type the first character. Subsequent characters are OK. I have Opera set with default settings AFAIK. Where is "Autocomplete" settings? I have experimented with "Enable single-key shortcuts" (is this what you are referring to?) but it made no difference whether it was enabled or not. – MrWhite – 2011-08-26T21:30:13.773

@w3d: Consider voting the question up, so it gets more attention. My down vote will be reverted once one of you tries resetting and/or reinstalling the browser. If that doesn't work you might as well report a bug at Google or Opera because it's not something we can do anything about... – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-26T21:34:33.250

@Tom Wijsman, no, we can. We can inject a userJS ;) – osgx – 2011-08-26T21:43:54.093

1@Tom: Yes, same for me in Google Chrome as well. Regardless of what state the autocompletion is in. I did reinstall Chrome 12 a few weeks ago as it happens (now on Chrome 13) and have it set to default as far as I'm aware. – MrWhite – 2011-08-26T22:12:42.610

Happens in Canary on my computer too, w/ google instant off. One thing I saw was that the first character I typed was ok (didn't move the cursor) but AS SOON AS the voice icon popped up (the microphone) the next time I typed the cursor got moved to the end. – Vervious – 2011-08-26T22:22:28.497

1So it doesn't happen with javascript off. I suspect that this is a bug. – Vervious – 2011-08-26T22:23:56.577

Not reproducible in latest Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Opera on Windows 7 x64. – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-26T22:52:45.537

Please provide us the exact version of your OS and Browser... – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-26T22:59:55.173

1Reproducible in Lion 10.7.2 beta Safari Version 5.1 (7534.48.3) and Chrome 15.0.861.0 canary and Firefox 6.0 release with Google Instant off. Probably a Google bug and off topic on SuperUser. – Vervious – 2011-08-26T23:54:00.617

1I'm on WinXP 32bit. I've observed the issue in Chrome 13.0.782.215 and Opera 11.5. OK in Firefox 3.6. – MrWhite – 2011-08-27T00:14:26.953

@w3d: Then the problem is caused by the website, someone should report this to Google. – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-27T13:10:12.930

2@Tom Wijsman agreed. – Vervious – 2011-08-27T17:00:34.107

Would this be off-topic now? It has almost nothing to do with computers themselves. – Vervious – 2011-08-27T17:18:28.520

@Nano: This would perhaps be more 'on-topic' at Web Applications ?

– MrWhite – 2011-08-28T12:11:52.280

According to the different OSes and Browsers mentioned, this surely is a bug caused by Google.com. Report this at Google Support so that they can fix the bug, there is no way we can fix it for you... – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-26T22:49:56.367

Answers

To work around the issue, you can use the parameter complete=0 in the Google address to turn off Google's autocomplete.

In Opera, for example, you can make a bookmark to http://www.google.com/?complete=0 with nickname google. You can then go to the address box, type google, and press Enter to start a Google search session with autocomplete off.

Or you can go to Tools → Preferences → Search, edit the Google entry and add &complete=0 to the end of the address. Then the Google selection in Opera's search box will use Google with autocomplete off.

Test steps

I'm using Windows XP and Opera 10.1. I went to Google → Search Settings and turned off Google Instant.

I went to http://www.google.com/search?q=THIS+IS+VERY+UNIQUE+SEARCH+QUERY. When I clicked in the search box on the page and typed a letter, I could see the progress bar quickly flash in the address box indicating something was loaded. It seems that if I'm still holding a keyboard key down when the progress bar disappears, then the text cursor moves to the end of the search box.

If I go to http://www.google.com/search?q=THIS+IS+VERY+UNIQUE+SEARCH+QUERY&complete=0 then the bug no longer happens.

Bavi_H

Posted 2011-08-26T19:49:33.997

Reputation: 6 137

1but autocomplete is gone! :) – Vervious – 2011-08-27T01:41:31.550

But autocomplete is not useful in most cases; also it will spy on user (which keys are pressed, what was entered into search field). I think, this may be the solution of problem. – osgx – 2011-08-27T06:14:08.420

1@osgx: Autocomplete is certainly useful, it allows you to determine if you still need to provide extra query words on the fly or if the current query words already provided you an useful link. It prevents that you have to Type -> Search -> Type -> Search and wait for those individual Searches, with Google Instant it's as simple as Type -> Type and you end up spending less time on the search. A work-around is just avoidance of the problem and is nowhere near a solution. Just entering google.com requires you to add ?complete=0 or you are forced to enter the search box, that's a loss of time. – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-27T13:09:19.763

"Just entering google.com requires" me to press "Down arrow" key twice to focus on bookmark. Then google.com?complete=0 will be opened. – osgx – 2011-08-27T13:14:36.953

@osgx: Now consider that you could instead enter your search terms right away... – Tamara Wijsman – 2011-08-27T17:06:11.120

Tom, you are too young and you want to get results fast. I'm not so young and I want get results only after I will press enter. If there is a typo I'll click on it, fix it and press enter. This not-so-fast path is ok for me. – osgx – 2011-08-27T17:30:32.023

@osgx: If you use Opera's bookmark nickname, you only have to type google and press Enter, and Opera will go to http://www.google.com/?complete=0. (Edited answer to emphasize this.) When I first read your question, I thought Opera was your main browser, right?

– Bavi_H – 2011-08-27T20:50:46.823

No. It is one of my main browsers. The another is Chrome. – osgx – 2011-08-27T21:02:26.280

I resolved this issue by disabling an 'auto-correct' 3rd party extension, which I had installed in Google Chrome. I haven't had this issue since I got rid of it.

Nic

Posted 2011-08-26T19:49:33.997

Reputation: 1