Quick Searches in Internet Explorer

There is a feature in TweakUI for Windows XP that allows you to create quick search handlers. I LOVE this feature and I wish Mozilla fully supported it (I have not yet gotten irritated enough to write a plug-in for Mozilla). I have been using this for a long time now. It works like this: you define a "handler" or shorthand text, and then you type that into the address bar and IE loads with your search already done.

For example, I defined the letter "g" for Google searches. If I want to find something, I enter g "Windows ipconfig" and up comes the browser with my results. If I want to search the KB for a specific article that I know the number for, I enter mskb 123456 and I go straight to the page. I also have a handler defined for Dictionary.com, so I can enter dic {word to search for} and I get the definition in two seconds or so. Below is a table that includes the handlers I have defined. I have also attached a screen shot of the TweakUI page that allows you to do this.

To discover new search strings, search your favourite site and look at the location/address bar and see where your search terms wind up. Copy the URL, and replace your search keywords with %s . After you define the handler(s), any time you use your shortcut in the Address bar or in Internet Explorer your search comes back with minimal effort.

Here are my favourite search strings: