Comment 37 for bug 306017

Although I supported this bug originally (search box should be tab-specific (content should not persist when switching tabs) I can see that there are enough valid reasons for keeping the current behaviour. So why not follow up the suggestion to add simple mechanism to clear the current search *without first selecting its contents* because that selection will overwrite something the user wants to paste into the box.

Typical scenario: I am reading something and find I want more information about XXXXX mentioned in the document. I select XXXXX (which is often an extended phrase, not just a word) then go to firefox and open a new tab. However I then find the search box includes old contents. I can delete the old contents by clicking in the box and repeatedly hitting a delete key, but that's just another contributor to RSI. I need a quick way to delete current contents leaving me free to paste in the new search string.

Currently I have to go to firefox, open new tab, select and delete current search string, go back to document, select new search string, come back to firefox, paste in new search string. I can't believe I am the only user who has wasted much effort over several years doing this!

So I would again endorse the suggestion in comment #12 "Rather than adding a menu option to clear the search bar, it would be easy to add a small X on the right side of it, that could be clicked on to clear the search bar."

Failing that, a context menu option to clear the (unselected) text from search box would suffice. This would leave current behaviour for those who want it and save much time for people whose work or other activities often require the scenario I have described.