Improvement to jump to directory?

[pol098]

I suggested this a few years back and got a reply to the effect that it might be considered for a later release. I still think it's necessary.

I originally chose Windows (now Total) Commander because of the ability to jump to a directory without drilling down, using the CD-Tree function (click icon, or Alt-F10). You type letters of the bottom-level, and the first bottom-level directory matching what you type is shown; Ctlr-Up/Down displays the next/previous match. This is similar to the functionality of Norton Change Directory (NCD) in MS-DOS, or Wherever Change Directory (WCD) in Unix/Windows command line. However, if there are a lot of directories with similar names it is a nuisance to have to press Ctrl-<arrow> repeatedly many times. E.g., if you have a directory C:\Something\SomethingElse\Data, typing "DATA" will let you jump straight to the directory, but if you have lots of directories named DATA (or WINDOWS, SYSTEM, TEMP,etc., which are represented many times) it is a nuisance. It would be very useful to have an option whereby typing DATA would produce a list of matching directories, any of which can be selected by mouse, arrow, or maybe alphabetical code. E.g., instead of a complete tree like
C:\Applications\Adobe|Reader\DATA
... many many irrelevant entries
C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\Editor\Binary
C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\Editor\Data
C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\Editor\Library
C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\FileManager\Application
C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\FileManager\Data
... many many irrelevant entries
C:\Zoning\Data

you have only the matching entries:
a: C:\Applications\Adobe|Reader\DATA
b: C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\Editor\Data
c: C:\WINDOWS\ProgramInfo\ProgramFiles\FileManager\Data
d: C:\Zoning\Data

and can choose one with mouse, arrow and Enter, or letter code and Enter

This shouldn't be too difficult to implement (I did it from scratch in MS-DOS many aeons ago, and there are libraries nowadays).

What do others think?

Best wishes, pol098

[petermad]

How about:

Alt+F7 - write: "data." (note the period) - Enter

Or is that too awkward?

[solid]

Many times discussed before and the solution comes in XCD
It does everything you ask for and more.