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How to allow web page to override a keyboard shortcut

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 362 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

How to allow web page to override a keyboard shortcut. Currently firefox picks up the shortcut instead of the webpage...

For example I have an webpage that detects ctrl-shift-h which worked fine in version 56 but now in version 96 it brings up a "Show All History" dialog

I an doing many such things so I looking for a generic way to override firefox keyboard shortcuts

How to allow web page to override a keyboard shortcut. Currently firefox picks up the shortcut instead of the webpage... For example I have an webpage that detects ctrl-shift-h which worked fine in version 56 but now in version 96 it brings up a "Show All History" dialog I an doing many such things so I looking for a generic way to override firefox keyboard shortcuts

Chosen solution

I found a way by adding two files under the Firefox directory

    • Firefox64\defaults\pref\config-prefs.js**
   pref("general.config.filename", "config.js");    
   pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);  
   pref("general.config.sandbox_enabled", false); 
    • Firefox64\config.js**
   let { classes: Cc, interfaces: Ci, manager: Cm  } = Components;
   let Services = globalThis.Services || ChromeUtils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm").Services;
   function ConfigJS() { Services.obs.addObserver(this, 'chrome-document-global-created', false); }
   ConfigJS.prototype = {
    observe: function (aSubject) { aSubject.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', this, {once: true}); },
    handleEvent: function (aEvent) {
      let document = aEvent.originalTarget; let window = document.defaultView; let location = window.location;
      if (/^(chrome:(?!\/\/(global\/content\/commonDialog|browser\/content\/webext-panels)\.x?html)|about:(?!blank))/i.test(location.href)) {
        if (window._gBrowser) {
          let keys = ["key_find", "key_findAgain", "key_findPrevious", "key_gotoHistory", "addBookmarkAsKb", "bookmarkAllTabsKb", "showAllHistoryKb", "manBookmarkKb", "viewBookmarksToolbarKb", "key_savePage", "key_search", "key_search2", "focusURLBar", "focusURLBar2", "key_openDownloads", "openFileKb", "key_reload_skip_cache", "key_viewSource", "key_viewInfo", "key_privatebrowsing", "key_quitApplication", "context-bookmarklink"];
          for (var i=0; i < keys.length; i++) {
             let keyCommand = window.document.getElementById(keys[i]);
             if (keyCommand != undefined) { 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("command"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("key"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("modifiers"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("oncommand"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("data-l10n-id"); 
             }
          }
        }
      }
    }
   };
   if (!Services.appinfo.inSafeMode) { new ConfigJS(); }

You can get a list of ids for the keys from the source by putting the following URL in your browser

   view-source:chrome://browser/content/browser.xhtml
Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

Try to ask advice at the Firefox CSS subreddit forum.


You would have to use an autoconfig.cfg file to disable a built-in keyboard shortcut.

You can use the Browser Toolbox to find the ID of the shortcut you want to disable or override.

Chosen Solution

I found a way by adding two files under the Firefox directory

    • Firefox64\defaults\pref\config-prefs.js**
   pref("general.config.filename", "config.js");    
   pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);  
   pref("general.config.sandbox_enabled", false); 
    • Firefox64\config.js**
   let { classes: Cc, interfaces: Ci, manager: Cm  } = Components;
   let Services = globalThis.Services || ChromeUtils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm").Services;
   function ConfigJS() { Services.obs.addObserver(this, 'chrome-document-global-created', false); }
   ConfigJS.prototype = {
    observe: function (aSubject) { aSubject.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', this, {once: true}); },
    handleEvent: function (aEvent) {
      let document = aEvent.originalTarget; let window = document.defaultView; let location = window.location;
      if (/^(chrome:(?!\/\/(global\/content\/commonDialog|browser\/content\/webext-panels)\.x?html)|about:(?!blank))/i.test(location.href)) {
        if (window._gBrowser) {
          let keys = ["key_find", "key_findAgain", "key_findPrevious", "key_gotoHistory", "addBookmarkAsKb", "bookmarkAllTabsKb", "showAllHistoryKb", "manBookmarkKb", "viewBookmarksToolbarKb", "key_savePage", "key_search", "key_search2", "focusURLBar", "focusURLBar2", "key_openDownloads", "openFileKb", "key_reload_skip_cache", "key_viewSource", "key_viewInfo", "key_privatebrowsing", "key_quitApplication", "context-bookmarklink"];
          for (var i=0; i < keys.length; i++) {
             let keyCommand = window.document.getElementById(keys[i]);
             if (keyCommand != undefined) { 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("command"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("key"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("modifiers"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("oncommand"); 
                keyCommand.removeAttribute("data-l10n-id"); 
             }
          }
        }
      }
    }
   };
   if (!Services.appinfo.inSafeMode) { new ConfigJS(); }

You can get a list of ids for the keys from the source by putting the following URL in your browser

   view-source:chrome://browser/content/browser.xhtml

Modified by cor-el

Note that in Firefox 117 and newer you need to remove this line:

const {Services} = Components.utils.import('resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm');

Add this line instead: const Services = globalThis.Services || ChromeUtils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm").Services;