NoClick for Firefox activates text input fields automatically

Martin Brinkmann
Dec 11, 2014
Updated • Dec 12, 2014
Firefox, Firefox add-ons
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Whenever you want to use a text input field on the Internet you have to click in the field before you can start to write. While that may not be a huge issue for some users, for instance if text fields are only used sporadically, it may be a nuisance for others.

Users who leave comments on websites regularly or use forms on other sites often for instance, or users who use a touchpad on a laptop to navigate on the Internet.

NoClick is a lightweight add-on for the Firefox web browser that adds several comfortable features to the browser that improve the handling of text fields in it.

Whenever you hover the mouse cursor over a text input field in Firefox after installation, you will notice that it is activated automatically.

What this means is that you can start to write in it right away without having to click first to do so. The mouse cursor is placed at the end of text that is already in the input field.

text input field

While that is the main feature of NoClick, it makes available additional features that users may find interesting.

If you move the mouse cursor out of the field all text in it is automatically selected. You can copy the text easily using Ctrl-c then for example or process it in other ways, for instance by right-clicking on it.

When you move the mouse cursor back over the field, it will be activated again but the cursor is placed at the beginning of the field and not the end.

This means that you can place the cursor at the end or beginning easily by using nothing but the mouse to do so.

It may also be useful in situations where you need to fill out several text fields one after the other. While it is usually possible to switch between using the Tab-key on the keyboard, users who prefer to use the mouse for that may do so easily with the add-on installed.

NoClick offers two additional features. The first remembers what you enter on a page, the second highlights boarders of input and textarea fields in Firefox. Both did not work properly during my test. Considering that they are minor features it should not be an issue for most users.

Closing Words

NoClick takes some getting used to time as it is not advised to move the mouse after you start typing. If you do, you may inadvertently move the cursor to another position or activate another text field on the same page.

Once you have used it a bit, it is improving how text fields are selected in the browser.

Summary
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Software Name
NoClick
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Comments

  1. Jared Null said on January 4, 2015 at 3:58 pm
    Reply

    NoClick Version 3.0 Out!

    New versions are not required, if a paticular version worked great for you let me know and why, if you would like to go back to a previous version 1.5 has been the most solid version thus far.

    All Versions can be downloaded here:
    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noclick/
    Or Here:
    https://github.com/Jnull/noclick

    P.S. Thank you Martin Brinkmann for posting this article!
    -Jared Null

  2. paul(us) said on December 23, 2014 at 4:44 pm
    Reply

    Thanks Null, for your swift responding to main observations!
    First off all I want to complement you with selecting the red color as the standard setting its working for me!

    I have installed your Noclick 2.7 version thru your alternative (second advice) download link, this because your first suggestion is not working for me!
    When I tried step2 (from your first download suggestion) I was not getting a possibility to “save link as”. So I those your second option and downloaded your Noclick 2.7 version add-on!
    I have worked now the same amount of time with NoClick and I am not getting the same trouble that I had with earlier releases.
    So far so good.

    The only new observation I had was in a standard setting:
    Select a cursor selection default: “who was standard set at – alternate between beginning and end.
    I have changed this to the setting: beginning to text.
    This because I noticed that when I started with typing after i hoverd over a field almost always the first typed letter was not in the field.Now with the new setting its alright maybe its something for you to look at?

    1. Paul(us) said on December 24, 2014 at 12:32 pm
      Reply

      I have to contradicted myself because I wrought that after changing the setting the program worked but even main fiddling with the settings is not working anymore. Again the first letter loss is back and the sometimes not picking up what i typed and more. I have had it with this app. I am uninstalling him.

  3. Null said on December 21, 2014 at 10:24 pm
    Reply

    Thanks Paul I appreciate your feedback and vote of confidence, i hope for noclick to help more then hinder.

    For some reason i was running into issues with upgrading from a previous add-on i was hoping it was just a fluke on my machine.

    Try to download the .xpi file from the add-on page first (Steps below), if that doesn’t work then try removing the old version and then dragging the xpi file back in the browser again.

    Steps
    Go to: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/noclick/
    Step1: Right Click on “Add to Firefox”
    Step2: Select “Save Link As”
    Step3: Save noclick-2.7-fx.xpi to a folder on your desktop
    Step4: Drag noclick-2.7-fx.xpi in to the Firefox window
    Step5: Accept and Install at the Firefox prompt

    Alternative Download: My github – https://github.com/Jnull/noclick/blob/master/noclick.xpi?raw=true

    Please let me know if any of this works for you or you are still having a problem.

    Thanks,
    Null

  4. Paul(us) said on December 19, 2014 at 12:38 pm
    Reply

    I have encountered some ferry annoying problems with the NoClick 2.1 (activates text input fields automatically) version.
    Not only it when you start typing leaves always the first letter away. So you have to start typing again.
    But another even greater problem is that it inverts the field to black so I cant see where the field is anymore and also that I cant see what I was typing. Ferry annoying.
    So I dis installed it. And the problems went away!

    1. Jared Null said on December 20, 2014 at 12:11 am
      Reply

      Paul, I apologize that you had these problems in NoClick 2.1, the new version 2.6 is just out and should fix most of these issues.

      1. Paul(us) said on December 21, 2014 at 1:40 pm
        Reply

        Jared, I am sorry to wright that the downloading of your 2.7 version (no 2.6 version available ) is not going at all.
        Main Mozilla Firefox 34.05 is only downloading your NoClick 2.7 app.for 99% and surely not installing it.
        To be absolutely sure I tried to install you app. again after I restarted main Mozilla browser but again not installing.

      2. Paul(us) said on December 21, 2014 at 1:28 pm
        Reply

        Jared, Thanks for responding to main observation and I will give the new 2.6 version a try.
        Hopefully all problems are solved because I am convinced that the concept Is a good one!

  5. Null said on December 18, 2014 at 11:12 am
    Reply

    Thanks for the review! New Version is out NoClick 2.5, fixed the problem Boris was having page-up, page down, home, and end keys now scroll how they should, color and cursor logic now available in add-on options or shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+A.

    Cheers!
    Null

  6. Boris said on December 12, 2014 at 7:07 am
    Reply

    Problem with this extension is the same as I last time I tried it. When you move mouse out of text field, focus still stays in text field. So when I accidentally move across text field, focus get captured and now I can not figure out why I can not scroll. For me it is a deal-breaker and not very practical.

  7. rickxs said on December 11, 2014 at 11:24 pm
    Reply

    ”You can copy the text easily using Ctrl-v ”

    I find Ctrl-c does a better job Martin or have I read it wrong ;)

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on December 11, 2014 at 11:33 pm
      Reply

      Right of course. Thanks!

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