GOOGLE CHROME
extension icon   FLST   extension icon
Focus Last Selected Tab



Description
FLST is an extension for Google Chrome, providing a natural / MRU style tab ordering (Most Recently Used), plus options for Tab Flipping, New Tab Select, and New Tab Location.  Some features are related to former FireFox versions.  More details:

Overview «» Limitations «» Tab Flipping «» New Tab Select «» New Tab Location
► Intro
FLST provides a more natural browsing experience with features and options missing from Google Chrome.  FLST maintains tabs with MRU ordering (Most Recently Used); when the current tab is closed, the Last-Selected-Tab is displayed (or "Focused").  To suit user choices, the other FLST features are designed as configurable options.  When this extension is first installed, options are enabled.  Click the other buttons above for option details.  Be sure to read Limitations (next button)

► Method
Chrome assigns a numeric ID for each tab (eg 111, 14, 79).  During various tab-related events, FLST updates sets of tab-IDs with MRU ordering.  Tab ordering is privately maintained for each Chrome window.  Migrating tabs between windows is also supported.

► Background
After Google Chrome was introduced, many features from Mozilla Firefox and FF extensions were desirable for Chrome.  By 2011, a new independent FLST extension was created for Chrome, partly inspired by features from a mix of now-former Firefox versions.  (also see Limitations, next button)

► Extension history, FLST Chrome
Release DateFLST RevisionChrome Manifest
Jan 2011Rev 1.0V1
Jan 2012Rev 1.1V1
Jun 2013Rev 1.2V2
Feb 2021Rev 2.1V2
Limitations:  Since 2011 / Chrome 8.x and probably earlier, when the current/displayed tab is clicked, Chrome ignores that event and does nothing.  Different methods are required to trigger Tab Flipping.  Click the next button for related details.

All extensions including FLST cannot prevent others from altering tab-related activity.  So far all issues reported here have been caused by another enabled extension.  To resolve any issues, first disable all other extensions, quit and restart Chrome, then retest.  Re-enable other extensions only 1 at a time between tests.

► ALERT!
Google announced the next major revision for extensions (MV3 / Manifest Version 3) along with drastic changes that eliminate essential Chrome services.  The bulk of Chrome extensions including FLST are all based on MV2.  The previous schedule for disabling support for MV2 extensions was Jan 2023, but is now an evolving date in 2023.  Oddly, Google has maintained their plan despite years of negative feedback from developers, including Chrome and W3C extension groups.  For related info, see this article on EFF.org (Electronic Frontier Foundation).

If you want to run this extension after the MV2 cutoff, be sure to donate to FLST in 2023 (see links below).
(Option) Tab Flipping:  When there are 2 or more tabs, clicking the Extension Icon extension icon will flip (or toggle) between the current-tab and the Last-Selected-Tab.  The same flip/toggle can be done with a keyboard shortcut  (example: Alt+N).  Chrome supports configuring shortcuts to most Ctrl+ or Alt+ combinations.  Instructions are also provided during installation.  Older extensions used a content script for shortcuts like F9 or F10, though Chrome support was always incomplete and now gone.  Click the previous button for related Limitations.

To set FLST Options
Right-click the extension icon extension icon and click Options

To set Chrome Keyboard shortcuts   (2 choices)
• Right-click the extension icon extension icon and click Keyboard shortcuts
• or type Ctrl+T and paste this URL to the omnibox / address bar   ➔   chrome://extensions/shortcuts
(Option) New Tab Select:  After a right-click on a regular link and choosing Open link in new tab, also select/display the new tab.  When a tab is opened with that method, the Chrome standard creates a new tab usually with content, but the current tab would remain selected/displayed.  This option automates selecting the new tab, eliminating the extra step where the user would also have to click the new tab.

To set FLST Options
Right-click the extension icon extension icon and click Options
(Option) New Tab Location:  After a right-click on a regular link and choosing Open link in new tab, place the new tab on the far right.  When a tab is opened with that method, the Chrome standard places the new tab on the immediate right.  The difference is apparent in the common case where the opener / current-tab is not the furthest right.

Note that Chrome places new blank tabs (Ctrl+T) and some chrome://  tabs on the far right; this extension does not alter that behavior.

To set FLST Options
Right-click the extension icon extension icon and click Options



Donations
Make any donation to FLST  
Every bit helps.  Thanks.

Questions / Requests
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Install FLST
Chrome site:  chrome.google.com


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