Search Engine Four (Mozilla Firefox Group Policy)

What it does

If this policy is enabled, you can configure a search engine to be added to Firefox. Use {searchTerms} to indicate where the search term is placed. Due to a bug, you must select the method (usually GET). Note that you must specify the search engines in order. If this policy is disabled or not configured, a new search engine is not added.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\SearchEngines\Add\4

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
NameRequired	Text	`Name`	Up to 255 characters
URL TemplateRequired	Text	`URLTemplate`	Up to 255 characters
Method	Drop-down list	`Method`	GET`GET` POST`POST`
Icon URL	Text	`IconURL`	Up to 255 characters
Alias	Text	`Alias`	Up to 255 characters
Description	Text	`Description`	Up to 255 characters
Suggest URL Template	Text	`SuggestURLTemplate`	Up to 255 characters
POST data	Text	`PostData`	Up to 255 characters
Encoding	Text	`Encoding`	Up to 255 characters

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

State Enabled Disabled Not configured

Apply to Computer User

Options used when Enabled

NameUp to 255 characters

A value is required.

URL TemplateUp to 255 characters

A value is required.

Method

Icon URLUp to 255 characters

AliasUp to 255 characters

DescriptionUp to 255 characters

Suggest URL TemplateUp to 255 characters

POST dataUp to 255 characters

EncodingUp to 255 characters

Fix the highlighted options to generate output.

History 45 retained releases

4.418 Oct 2022
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
3.18 Sep 2021
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
3.010 Aug 2021
- New option [added: Encoding (SearchEngine_Encoding)]
- Editor controls or their defaults changed.
2.1019 Apr 2021
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
2.823 Feb 2021
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.113 Dec 2019
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.1023 Oct 2019
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.93 Sep 2019
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.8.229 Jul 2019
- New option [added: POST data (SearchEngine_PostData)]
- Editor controls or their defaults changed.
1.414 Dec 2018
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.317 Oct 2018
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
1.211 Sep 2018
- Description … you must specify the search engines in order. If this policy is ~~[removed: not configured or disabled,]~~[added: disabled or not configured,] a new search engine is not added.
  Whole description, marked
  If this policy is enabled, you can configure a search engine to be added to Firefox. Use {searchTerms} to indicate where the search term is placed. Due to a bug, you must select the method (usually GET). Note that you must specify the search engines in order. If this policy is ~~[removed: not configured or disabled,]~~[added: disabled or not configured,] a new search engine is not added.
- Supported on ~~[removed: Microsoft Windows XP SP2]~~[added: Firefox 60 ESR] or later
- Supported on SUPPORTED_~~[removed: WINXPSP2]~~[added: FF60ESR]; resolved; Blank;
1.09 May 2018
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

32 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: SearchEngines_4
Namespace: Mozilla.Policies.Firefox
Template file: firefox.admx
Release: Mozilla Firefox 4.7 · file set e3837384c3b8245f…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.SearchEngines_4)" explainText="$(string.SearchEngines_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\SearchEngines\Add\4" name="SearchEngines_4" presentation="$(presentation.SearchEngine)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Search" />
      <supportedOn ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF60ESR" />
      <elements>
        <text id="SearchEngine_Name" required="true" valueName="Name" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_URLTemplate" required="true" valueName="URLTemplate" />
        <enum id="SearchEngine_Method" valueName="Method">
          <item displayName="$(string.SearchEngine_Method_GET)">
            <value>
              <string>GET</string>
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.SearchEngine_Method_POST)">
            <value>
              <string>POST</string>
            </value>
          </item>
        </enum>
        <text id="SearchEngine_IconURL" valueName="IconURL" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_Alias" valueName="Alias" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_Description" valueName="Description" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_SuggestURLTemplate" valueName="SuggestURLTemplate" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_PostData" valueName="PostData" />
        <text id="SearchEngine_Encoding" valueName="Encoding" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="SearchEngine" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_Name">
          <label>Name:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_URLTemplate">
          <label>URL Template:</label>
        </textBox>
        <text>Method:</text>
        <dropdownList refId="SearchEngine_Method" />
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_IconURL">
          <label>Icon URL:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_Alias">
          <label>Alias:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_Description">
          <label>Description:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_SuggestURLTemplate">
          <label>Suggest URL Template:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_PostData">
          <label>POST data:</label>
        </textBox>
        <textBox refId="SearchEngine_Encoding">
          <label>Encoding:</label>
        </textBox>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search_group)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF60ESR
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF60ESR)" name="SUPPORTED_FF60ESR" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search_group)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Search_group">Search</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox">Firefox</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF60ESR
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF60ESR)" name="SUPPORTED_FF60ESR" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF60ESR">Firefox 60 ESR or later</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies:mozilla">Mozilla</string></strings>