Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

Is there a shortcut for "go back" or "close tab", depending?

  • 4 uphendule
  • 1 inale nkinga
  • 12 views
  • Igcine ukuphendulwa ngu GilDawson

GilDawson
GilDawson
more options

When browsing a topic, I often Google it, then command-click on links to open them in new tabs. While they're loading, I can continue to browse the Google page for more links.

Then, when I start to visit the newly created tabs, I click on links in them, sometimes with, and sometimes without, the command key. This generates a tree of webpages, some on one tab, and some on different tabs, but all on the same topic.

When I want to collapse a branch of the tree, I can use the shortcut "command-[" (Back) if the arrow is dark, or "command-W" (Close Tab) if the arrow is grey. Very handy, but maybe there's a modification which would make it even handier... 

          Is there a single shortcut which will do either, depending on the darkness of the arrow?

I've browsed the documentation and it's likely not there. But I've found a few things that aren't there (Command-click to open a link in a new tab and in the background is a very handy one), so I thought I'd ask.

--Gil

When browsing a topic, I often Google it, then command-click on links to open them in new tabs. While they're loading, I can continue to browse the Google page for more links. Then, when I start to visit the newly created tabs, I click on links in them, sometimes with, and sometimes without, the command key. This generates a tree of webpages, some on one tab, and some on different tabs, but all on the same topic. When I want to collapse a branch of the tree, I can use the shortcut "command-[" (Back) if the arrow is dark, or "command-W" (Close Tab) if the arrow is grey. Very handy, but maybe there's a modification which would make it even handier... Is there a single shortcut which will do either, depending on the darkness of the arrow? I've browsed the documentation and it's likely not there. But I've found a few things that aren't there (Command-click to open a link in a new tab and in the background is a very handy one), so I thought I'd ask. --Gil

Isisombululo esikhethiwe

I'm not aware of an extension to achieve this behavior.

You could open all links in a new tab. Then you only need to close tabs and not use the Back button.

You could open links in new windows. Then closing the last tab in a window will close that window if you haven't changed that setting.

Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 1

All Replies (4)

crislevin
crislevin
more options

I don't know how to change Shortcuts, but I do have a handy way:

I installed firegestures add-on, I set it up so I can close a tab by dragging mice downward a bit. Very handy.

GilDawson
GilDawson Umnikazi wombuzo
more options

Thanks, Cris, for the reference. I'll check it out.

No, FireGestures doesn't seem to be quite the answer I'm looking for, although it looks worth trying out anyway.

The key point in what I'm looking for is "depending". If I wrote an AppleScript to do this (which is not a bad idea), the big hurdle would be finding out how the Script could tell whether the current window's current tab's "back" arrow is grey or dark, then do different things depending on the answer.

I still think I'd prefer a keyboard shortcut.

--Gil

Okulungisiwe ngu GilDawson

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Isisombululo Esikhethiwe

I'm not aware of an extension to achieve this behavior.

You could open all links in a new tab. Then you only need to close tabs and not use the Back button.

You could open links in new windows. Then closing the last tab in a window will close that window if you haven't changed that setting.

GilDawson
GilDawson Umnikazi wombuzo
more options

Thanks for the clarity, Cor-el. And I like your workarounds. Either one is a small change in habit.

Thanks,

--Gil