this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2023
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My question is as follows: When I click a link on the main page, instead of opening a new tab in Firefox, it always takes me to the linked page in the same tab. I've tried changing settings in about:config, tried two different Firefox extensions to modify link behavior, but that resulted in a few unwanted events. I know I can override this by clicking the scroll wheel or using ctrl while clicking, but that gets annoying after a while. Is there a way to change this?

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[–] breadsmasher 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How does pressing middle instead of left mouse button get annoying?

[–] Atomdude 1 points 1 year ago

I don't know how, but it does.

[–] PaulDevonUK 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Atomdude 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Maybe it's because my middle mouse button is wonky, sometimes it scrolls when I try to click. I just don't like it.
But the main reason I ask is that I don't get what makes some pages behave different; and what if I'd like to be able to make it act just the way I want? It's just one of those things.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's the actual link itself that decides if it should open in a tab or redirect the current one. If a link ( tag) has the target: '_BLANK' attribute, it opens in a new tab. Otherwise it usually opens in the same tab.

[–] Atomdude 2 points 1 year ago

Good to know. Thanks for the insight!

[–] kuneho 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

IIRC Ctrl + Click also opens stuff on new tab, or at least, it did.

But you should utilize the middle click more. It's a really handy stuff for opening in new instances or closing.

[–] Atomdude 1 points 1 year ago

I use the middle mouse button a lot, it's just that I'm not used to a site not working 'like it should' (which is just my preference, I know). I mean, if Lemmy is a bulletin board or aggregate, I'm sort of expecting a certain type of behavior.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If I wanted to do this, I would use grease monkey and write some JavaScript just listen to clicks on everything with an href, stop propagation, and then force it open in a new tab

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This used to be an option in Firefox itself where all links open in a new tab (I'm sure it's still there somewhere). Though it would be universal; if you only wanted it for Lemmy specially, you might need a script/extension for it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

there's a userscript to force all links to open in a new tab - i'll see if i can find it


edit: here ye go. but i haven't used it, so caveat emptor

original comment

[–] Atomdude 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thank you very much.
I also started using Alexandrite, thanks to that post!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

oh by the way, your instance has alexandrite built in

i think it's at a.lemmy.world? but there are also other frontends at old.lemmy.world and new.lemmy.world and possibly phtn.lemmy.world or something?

there's a list somewhere on the meta lemmysphere (~~[email protected]?~~ [email protected])

https://lemmy.world/post/2878694