Google Chrome Search Engine with multiple search strings

chromesearchmultvar.js

/** 
  * @desc this snippet will allow multiple arguments to a search query in Google Chrome
  * examples include https://www.reddit.com/r/%s/search?q=%s
  * @author Chris McCormack [email protected]
  * @required Google Chrome.  Replace all values in brackets ([]) with valid entries.
  * To add to Chrome, go to Settings > Search [Manage search engines...] > Other search engines.
  *   At the bottom of this section, there are three required fields:
  *     [Add a new search engine] [Keyword] [URL with %s in place of query]
  *     - Add a new search engine: Descriptive name of your search
  *     - Keyword: used to trigger search.
  *         Example: typing maps.google.com then hitting [tab] or [space] replaces the search bar with a Google Maps search.
  *     - URL with %s in place of query: This is where the javascript code below is entered.
*/

/** Javascript code broken out with comments: */
javascript:
var search='%s';  // '%s' is the search string provided in the Omnibox
url='[URL including at least one %s]';  // example https://www.reddit.com/r/%s/search?q=%s
query='';  // leave blank
urlsegments=url.split('%s');
searchsegments=search.split('[string separator]');  // replace with separator (ex: ';', ' ', ',')
for(i=0; i<searchsegments.length; i++) query+=urlsegments[i]+searchsegments[i];
query+=urlsegments[urlsegments.length - 1]; // appends the remaining url if any
location.replace(query);

/** Short version without comments: */
javascript: var search='%s'; url='[URL including at least one %s]';  query=''; urlsegments=url.split('%s'); searchsegments=search.split('[string separator]'); for(i=0; i<searchsegments.length; i++) query+=urlsegments[i]+searchsegments[i]; query+=urlsegments[urlsegments.length - 1]; location.replace(query);

/** Example code using a reddit search including subreddit name and search query.  
  * In this example, 'rs' was used as the keyword. Typing 'rs[space]' then 'news syria' 
  * returns the top results from the past year for 'syria' from reddit.com/r/news.
*/
javascript: var search='%s'; url='https://www.reddit.com/r/%s/search?q=%s&sort=top&restrict_sr=on&t=year';  query=''; urlsegments=url.split('%s'); searchsegments=search.split(' '); for(i=0; i<searchsegments.length; i++) query+=urlsegments[i]+searchsegments[i]; query+=urlsegments[urlsegments.length - 1]; location.replace(query);

Thanks for this script. However, it isn't working on Chrome v76.0.3809.132. I have followed all steps correctly. After entering two queries separated by a space and hitting enter, nothing happens.
Please look into it as it is a very helpful and needed script.
Thanks.

I managed to make it work but it only works when pressing 'Shift+Enter' i.e. in a new window.

@iamMG great catch! I made a few simplifications and explicitly added the window object - can you try the snippet below and let me know if it works for you? If so I'll update the code in the original gist.

javascript: const search = '%s'; const s = search.split(' '); const url = `https://www.reddit.com/r/${s[0]}/search?q=${s[1]}&sort=top&restrict_sr=on&t=year`; window.location.replace(url);

Edit: a little more research and found this may be an issue only in new tabs in chrome, if you try it from a tab the a page already loaded it should work but new tabs may not. I'll dig in a little more but not sure there is much I can do about the new tab scenario.

This simplification functions just as well. I think I know what the problem is. This script won't run normally, wherever javascript is not allowed to run. Tried it on the Chrome settings page (chrome://settings/searchEngines). Although, 'Shift-Enter' trick works everywhere.

'cmd-enter' too, if you want it in a new tab vs a new window.

'cmd-enter' too, if you want it in a new tab vs a new window.

Do you mean in Mac?

yup, for windows it should be ctrl/alt+enter?

Hi,

I found this script while searching for something like this. After some testing I got it to work. Just 1 'feature request' I guess. Would it be possible to add support for strings containing a space?

Nevermind, I realised as I was typing that I could change the separator to anything I want. So for others: I changed search.split(' ') to search.split('"'). So now I can type aaa"bbb bbb"ccc to use 3 strings.

Hi @cmccormack. Recently I have been using Microsoft Edge (based on Chromium) and found out that it supports this script very well! Don't need to shift-enter or all that stuff. I wonder how the search engine implementation in Edge is different from Chrome, Brave etc.? Can you please have a look into it if you have some free time?

Doesn't seem to work in the latest version of Chrome (126.x.x.x)-- not as written, anyway.

@jehrenzweig-captionhealth check @cmccormack 's reply above. The script doesn't work on New Tab page; you need to press shift + enter.