**Updated with new easy way below**
Opera
Preferences > Search
Firefox
- Create .src and icon files and put it on a local server. Example of Google.src:
<search>
name = "Google search"
method = "get"
action = "http://google.com/search"
>
<input name="q" user="">
</search>
- Create HTML page to load Javascript action to add search engine. Example:
<html>
<script type="text/Javascript">
function addEngine()
{
if ((typeof window.sidebar == "object") && (typeof window.sidebar.addSearchEngine == "function"))
{
window.sidebar.addSearchEngine(
"http://localhost/google.src",
"http://localhost/google.png",
"Google Search",
"Web" );
}
else
{
alert("Mozilla M15 or later is required to add a search engine.");
}
}
addEngine();
</script>
</html>
- Load page and add accordingly
Conclusion
Is it me or is adding a custom search engine for Firefox just way too hard? It took me a good 20 minutes just to get mine to work. I tried not having to use a local server by using relative url’s for the src and icon file but that didn’t work, it just gave me an Install Error: “This search engine isn’t supported by Firefox and can’t be installed”. Yes I know there extra search engines already provided but the issue I had was that the inbuilt Google search was redirected to the Google Brunei search with text in Malay and would not recognize English words to use with the definition feature (where you can click the search word in the top right of the page to find out the definition). So with that I provide Custom Firefox Search Engine page. It’s not much but I may probably add more custom search engines that I use there and begins some what of my Firefox tweaking and stuff.
P.S. Anybody with a better, i.e. easier way of adding a custom search engine to Firefox do let me know thanks.
** Update **
Found a quicker way here: Create Search Shortcuts. Thank you revision3
Basically all you have to do is..
- Right click ANY text box with a button next to it, i.e. a search field
- Select “Add a Keyword for this Search…” (Firefox) / “Create Search…” (Opera)
- Fill in the details name and keyword (Firefox) / just keyword (Opera)
- Click Add / Ok and start using it!
The Wheat Field 
I generally use the address bar to do my search. So then for FF, you can create a bookmark with your search phrase with the %s, and add a “keyword” to that bookmark.
So for google, you can make a bookmark for http://www.google.com/search?q=%s; add the keyword “g” and then use “g ” in the addres bar to search lah.. :p
Now that what I was looking for. Thanks. Guess I kinda of over complicated it haha. Guess my unfamiliarity with the fox shows as well as teaching an old dog new tricks :p But I still think it should be easier to add your own custom search engine. I guess that was probably the trade off since they wanted to use the OpenSearch standard. I tried this but perhaps it is not compatible with my PortableFirefox or maybe I just got the wrong directory…
Thank you!!!!
this has been a dealbreaker for me for a while to use Opera, now I’ll be able to enjoy Firefox too, especially now that the new version is out and zippy.
All you have to do is go to the search engine you want to add to your search bar. Actually make a search I always use “test” without quotes. then once the results page is loaded click on the little arrow and select to add the search. It should be just above the manage search engines selection. If this does not work try the same method without searching for anything first.
I noticed that by accident when I was using isoHunt to find an alternate download of Archlord the game. Free MMO BTW. just took to long to download through sites source…
Anyways this does not work with all searches but if they are configured correctly Firefox will show the option to add them. BitTorrent Sites are not supported through the manage search engines selection but can be added relatively easily in this method…
Sorry for the double post I hit submit to quickly.
Thank you!!! It worked for me. So glad to have that search engine that I lost back!!!