Ctrl+F8 doesn't work if there are search results in any of the panels

[ghisler(Author)]

I'm sure that you will be able to create situations where switching to the tree panel will then fail to update the directory.

[Fla$her]

I understand. You don't need to check the Tab press, because there is also a left click on the current folder and the execution of the commands cm_FocusTrg, cm_FocusLeft, cm_FocusRight.
Therefore, I suggest checking only the cursor position on another item of the tree. This will be the only correct solution, especially since currently a double right-click on the current folder does not reset the results.
Also, changing the tree to a different view (brief, full, etc.) shouldn't lead to a reset.

[ghisler(Author)]

Currently Total Commander reacts to any "key up" message in the tree panel to update the directory in the other panel. What you suggest is unfortunately very difficult to achieve, because there are so many different ways to navigate the tree.

In RC3, I will therefore try a different approach: When there is a search result in the other panel, then any key press in the tree except for ENTER/RETURN and any click on the tree except for a double click will NOT result in a loss of the search results. In other words, Total Commander would just behave as if the option "Tree: Press ENTER to open dir in other window" would be checked when a search result was shown.

Please let me know what you think about it when RC3 comes out.

[Fla$her]

Please let me know what you think about it when RC3 comes out.

Everything is fine. I am completely satisfied with the current behavior in both parts. The problems can be considered solved.

[petermad]

08.04.26 Fixed: Tree/Separate tree: Do not automatically change to the active directory in the tree when the other panel shows a search result (ENTER press needed). Allows to copy from search results to directory in the tree (32/64)

02.04.26 Fixed: Allow to switch to tree view when the other panel shows a search result (32/64)

Both confirmed fixed in TC 11.57rc3

Moderator message from: petermad » 2026-04-08, 14:27 UTC

Moved to "TC fixed bugs" from "TC11.x bug reports (English)"

[Fla$her]

I jumped to conclusions. Everything is fine, except for a couple of problems:
The results are reset if one execute the command cm_FocusTrg, cm_FocusLeft or cm_FocusRight from the command line when the panel with search results is active, or cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus when the panel with the tree is active. Another condition is that in the tree the cursor must be at a depth of 2 or more.

[ghisler(Author)]

That's because the tree receives a key up message for the ENTER key you pressed in the command line. You will unfortunately have to live with that, sorry.

[Fla$her]

1. How is this related to depth? Why doesn't this happen at levels 0 and 1?
2. How is this related to cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus? If I use cm_FocusButtonBar or cm_FocusMainMenu, this doesn't happen.

[ghisler(Author)]

1. Autotreechange only works in real directories, not in virtual folders
2. It's because you press ENTER in the command line! Use the mouse (double click on command line) and it won't happen. The tree receives the focus, so key up happens there.
I can't disable reacting to ENTER in the tree panel.

[Fla$her]

1. Understood.
2. Did you read the last sentence? I press Enter for any of the 4 commands, and nothing resets with the last two. That is, it's not only related to Enter.

[ghisler(Author)]

It depends on where the key up message is sent by Windows. cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus put the focus on the file list, while cm_FocusButtonBar and cm_FocusMainMenu put them elsewhere. Therefore only the first two make the key up message for the Enter key go to the list window. But I found a solution now: I need to check where the focus is when Enter is pressed in addition to where it is released.

[Fla$her]

cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus put the focus on the file list

These commands only activate the breadcrumb bar without deactivating the file list. You're confusing it with cm_FocusLeft and cm_FocusRight.

But I found a solution now: I need to check where the focus is when Enter is pressed in addition to where it is released.

Good. Hope this helps.

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes, I meant cm_FocusTrg, cm_FocusLeft or cm_FocusRight. You brought up cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus - I don't know why, they don't refresh the file list from the tree. Can you explain?

[Fla$her]

they don't refresh the file list from the tree.

In this topic, we are talking about dropping search results. There was nothing about refreshing the list in the tree.

Can you explain?

What exactly? This?

or cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus when the panel with the tree is active

Or why did I start testing the commands that come first when filtering by the word 'focus'?
I also checked cm_Focus*Tree, they don't remove the results list when any panel is active.

[ghisler(Author)]

In this topic, we are talking about dropping search results. There was nothing about refreshing the list in the tree.

That's what I was referring to. In my tests, cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus do not refresh the panel with the search results when the cursor is in the tree, so the search results don't get lost.
Maybe you mean that cm_LeftPathFocus and cm_RightPathFocus don't do anything when the tree has the focus? This is intentional, you can't change directories with these functions in a tree.
So I still don't understand your request, sorry.