RegEx possible in search tool?

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gi_jimbo
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RegEx possible in search tool?

Unread post by gi_jimbo » 2023-02-07, 14:42

Is it possible, through some special identifier syntax or possibly using a Pale Moon extension, to use regular expressions in the page search tool? ("Find in page" initiated by Ctrl + f)
It would be awesome if there were a checkbox along with the "Match Case" and "Whole Words" checkboxes to enable RegEx syntax.

Thanks!
- James

Why I love Pale Moon: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11079#p77697

Blacklab
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Re: RegEx possible in search tool?

Unread post by Blacklab » 2023-02-07, 16:09

FWIW - A quick online search finds these topics on the subject with several suggestions e.g in top link's SuperUser Q&A: https://superuser.com/questions/208652/ ... in-firefox

The 'Fastest Search' Firefox extension suggested in the first StackExchange reply (link above) is, as noted in the answers, no longer current. However, if interested, you can still find copies of that Addon by using WayBackMachine (WBM) to search for old versions of that particular Firefox Addons page: https://web.archive.org/web/20160601000 ... st-search/

Select a year... pick a WBM snapshot... and with luck the page snapshot taken by WBM will also allow you to download the Addon .xpi too: https://web.archive.org/web/20161008172 ... st-search/

Note 1: To download the Addon's .xpi file to desktop... hover on the green '+ Add to Firefox' button > Right Click > Save Link As...
Note 2: Not all WBM snapshots will have 'onward links' saved so you may have to try several different snapshots... and then be aware that WBM will sometimes automatically 'link' you to another 'onward link' page with the same address that WBM has saved... but from a different date... so, you may find you get a different version of the .xpi downloaded than the one you were expecting!

Fastest Search v3.39.2 does load correctly into Pale Moon AFAICS, not tested further, looks pretty complex! Maybe worth a try... but do try it on a clean profile first... just in case! :)

PS. Another SuperUser topic 'How to run a regex search on Google Chrome or Firefox?' similarly discusses the subject and one suggestion is a much simpler Addon 'Regex Find'... also saved on WBM: https://web.archive.org/web/20170901121 ... egex-find/
Finding a working .xpi file is more of a struggle... but a copy of Regex Find v1.1.3 from WBM in early 2017 loads into Pale Moon correctly... and just adds a 'Regex' checkbox to the Ctrl-F findbar. Test with care on a clean profile... might do the trick? :)
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