11.10

There is a key that is referred to in the gnome-shell search code that allows you to specify which search providers should not be displayed...

By changing the logic you can change that to be a search order list - for example

gsettings set org.gnome.shell disabled-open-search-providers "['duckduckgo.xml', 'google.xml', 'wikipedia.xml']"

gsettings set org.gnome.shell disabled-open-search-providers "['wikipedia.xml', 'duckduckgo.xml', 'google.xml']"

how to

First make a backup copy of the search script:

sudo cp /usr/share/gnome-shell/js/ui/search.js /usr/share/gnome-shell/js/ui/search.js.backup

Now edit the search script:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/gnome-shell/js/ui/search.js

Look for the function containing the following code (it probably starts on line 325):

 _refresh: function() {

        this._providers = []; 

        let names = global.settings.get_strv(DISABLED_OPEN_SEARCH_PROVIDERS_KEY);

        let file = Gio.file_new_for_path(global.datadir + '/search_providers');

        FileUtils.listDirAsync(file, Lang.bind(this, function(files) {

            for (let i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {

                let enabled = true; 

                let name = files[i].get_name();

                for (let k = 0; k < names.length; k++)

                    if (names[k] == name)

                        enabled = false;

                if (enabled)

                    this._addProvider(name);

            }           

        }));    

    }

Change this function to be:

_refresh: function() {

        this._providers = [];

        let names = global.settings.get_strv(DISABLED_OPEN_SEARCH_PROVIDERS_KEY);

        let file = Gio.file_new_for_path(global.datadir + '/search_providers');

        FileUtils.listDirAsync(file, Lang.bind(this, function(files) {

            for (let i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {

                for (let k = 0; k < files.length; k++) 

                    if (names[i] == files[k].get_name())

                        this._addProvider(names[i])

            }               

        }));    

    }

Press Alt+F2, type 'r' and press enter. This should restart Gnome-shell). Alternatively, logout and login.

_credit

Linked Questions:

1. Is it possible to customise the search engine buttons in GNOME Shell?


2. Is it possible to remove or replace Google search in GNOME Shell's dash?