Firefox opens multiple tabs when navigating a link via keyboard
This only started happening after I downloaded and installed Ubuntu 16.04.3.
I navigate a link on a web page by tabbing along to it and pressing enter when the link I want is highlighted. When I do this, two tabs are opened - not one as has always been the behaviour up to now and as is the behaviour I would reasonably expect.
The first tab is almost blank; it seems to have a few indiscreet lines on it, but otherwise is completely useless. The second actually gives me what I expect the navigation to do. I don't want Firefox to give me two tabs. Chromium seems to have no trouble; it gives me one tab which displays the information I am expecting.
I'll send screen shots of whatever you want me to send... please just ask me - I'm firstly looking for a response so I can assess whether anyone is concerned.
All Replies (3)
Is this problem limited to links that are coded to open in a new tab or pop-up window, or does it occur even with links that open in the same page?
Do you have any add-ons modifying how links open? For example, forcing them to a new tab even if the page wasn't set up that way?
OwenThomas said
The first tab is almost blank; it seems to have a few indiscreet lines on it, but otherwise is completely useless.
What's the address of the tab? If it doesn't appear in the address bar, you could check the Page Info dialog. Either:
- right-click a blank area of the page and choose View Page Info
- (menu bar) Tools menu > Page Info
On the first panel ("General") you can triple-click the address to select it, then use Ctrl+c or right-click > Copy to copy it. Then you can paste it into a reply.
jscher2000 said
Is this problem limited to links that are coded to open in a new tab or pop-up window, or does it occur even with links that open in the same page?
The links I open are set to open in a new tab. At least, that's what they've always done. I have always had to stop the pop-up blocker from activating.
Do you have any add-ons modifying how links open? For example, forcing them to a new tab even if the page wasn't set up that way?
No.
OwenThomas saidThe first tab is almost blank; it seems to have a few indiscreet lines on it, but otherwise is completely useless.What's the address of the tab? If it doesn't appear in the address bar, you could check the Page Info dialog. Either:
- right-click a blank area of the page and choose View Page Info
- (menu bar) Tools menu > Page Info
The contents of the first tab's address bar is identical to the second.
On the first panel ("General") you can triple-click the address to select it, then use Ctrl+c or right-click > Copy to copy it. Then you can paste it into a reply.
I receive a list of candidate jobs through SEEK. This is one of the links I get: http://email.s.seek.com.au/uni/mpss/c/AgE/eOEaAA/t.2bi/prKfRvUdRA2qcY9ZREfEQA/h9/Av-2BtDVc2waXBzc-2FOXpfnFgk7TfNFmKfnGs7fzHVjnZXnLPyfwbKyU-2BideqIWos5b1Clrm8CJrWLjtklJPV4kZm7KZk9rSQ5UR7bznvtWhbhrb2QXoQTGbnwy3920y391H8PhFe1DdJ-2Bo99Tnf9rDkA-3D-3D
I think this address is tailored to my SEEK account so I think you might not be able to navigate with it.
I can click on it and a single tabbed pane opens. When I press the tab key until the link is highlighted and then press enter to follow this link, two tabs open. This problem seems only to happen in my Gmail browser window, it does not appear to manifest itself when I navigate the link in this support forum question by pressing enter after tabbing to it. I therefore tend to think it is a newly manifest compatibility problem between Gmail and Firefox.
Surprise: the problem does not manifest when I open my Gmail account in a Chrome browser session.
The link that is displayed in the address bar of both tabbed panes is: https://www.seek.com.au/job/34623393?savedSearchID=10235153&tracking=JMC-SAU-eDM-JobMail4.06-3886
I notice that the address bar of the second tabbed pane (the one that shows the information I'm looking for) has a book icon (moving the mouse pointer says "Enter Reader View") while the first tabbed pane does not have this icon.
Modified by OwenThomas
OwenThomas said
When I press the tab key until the link is highlighted and then press enter to follow this link, two tabs open. This problem seems only to happen in my Gmail browser window, it does not appear to manifest itself when I navigate the link in this support forum question by pressing enter after tabbing to it. I therefore tend to think it is a newly manifest compatibility problem between Gmail and Firefox.
I can't reproduce it in a quick test on Windows. However, my Firefox has a slightly non-standard configuration with single processing (multiprocessing disabled by add-ons). There is a bit of time waiting for Google to resolve this exit (tracking) address before the real address loads, as shown in the attached screenshot. But I don't see any reason for a duplicate tab.
