Enable the Find text combobox in Search (Alt-F7)

[TLis]

Hi,

I use the search feature very frequently, almost always searching for files containing certain text. It is a bit annoying to have to click first the Find text checkbox to enable the combobox, so that I can enter the text to search for.

Why couldn't we have the combobox always enabled and as soon as the user starts typing in the combobox field (or selects one of previous search strings) the checkbox is checked automatically, enabling the other checkboxes. If the user decides eventually not to use the Find text feature, he could uncheck the checkbox to achieve this.

[Balderstrom]

Agree+
A cm_FindText, that just opens up the Search Dialog with [x] Find Text checked and focused, wouldn't hurt.

[ghisler(Author)]

When you click on "Find text", the combobox is focused automatically, so there isn't a big difference to when you would click on the combobox directly. Unfortunately Windows doesn't report a click on a disabled combobox, so all my tries to enable it when the user clicks on it failed...

[Balderstrom]

Couldn't the combobox be enabled, but display the text in the muted-colour until
1) The user clicks inside the combobox.
2) The user clicks "find text"

When doing #1, it auto-checks the "FindText"

And unless the FindText is checked, TC wont do a text search.

[TLis]

I would imagine the following behaviour after using the Find Files command (some of the features below are already present in the current version):
1. The Search for field is shown always cleared.
2. The Find for checkbox is shown always unchecked.
3. The Find for combobox is shown always enabled, focused, with the previously used contents fully selected.
4. The Find for combobox watches the changes in the contents and simulates the click on the Find for checkbox if a change occurs, unless the change results in the combobox field becoming empty - then the checkbox becomes unchecked.
5. The other controls in the Find for section are enabled/disabled according to the state of the Find for checkbox.

Some usability scenarios (assuming the changes described above as already implemented):

1. The user wants to find all files in the current directory containing a certain text.

Alt-F7, type the text to search for (the checkbox becomes checked automatically while typing), Enter

Currently an additional click on the checkbox is needed.

2. The user wants to find all files having a certain file name mask (e.g. A*.cs), containing a certain text

Alt-F7, type the text to search for (the checkbox becomes checked automatically while typing), click on the Search for combobox, type the file name mask, Enter

Currently a similar amount of input must be provided (although the workflow is different):
Alt-F7, type the file name mask, click on the Find text combobox, type the text to search for, Enter

3. The user wants to find all files having a certain file name mask, but does not care about using Find text feature

Alt-F7, click on the Search for combobox, type the file name mask, Enter

Currently, one LESS click is required, as the Search for combobox is readily available.

Summing up, all depends on which facilities are used most frequently. If the user searches mainly for text, my approach seems to be more ergonomic. If the user searches mainly for files having a certain file mask, then the original design is better. On the other hand, we have now the Quick search feature, which in most cases can replace this part of the Alt-F7 functionality, especially if we include the use of Ctrl-S, reducing the number of file names displayed in the panel to those matching the file mask. (especially as the wildcards can be used .

In view of the above, I think it is worthwhile implementing the new workflow, as in the average it should improve the ergonomics of TC: for some of us only a bit, for the others quite substantially

We could always have yet another configuration option (I think Christian must hate them by now!), allowing the user to chose between these two approaches.

[TLis]

When you click on "Find text", the combobox is focused automatically, so there isn't a big difference to when you would click on the combobox directly. Unfortunately Windows doesn't report a click on a disabled combobox, so all my tries to enable it when the user clicks on it failed...

What about having an additional Click handler on the form itself? If the given control is disabled (so it does not handle the event), the event propagates to the owner (the Windows form), which can check the coordinates of a click and decide whether a click occurred within the area of the disabled combobox, or not.

[MVV]

Anyway it is not so hard to click checkbox 'Find text'. After clicking text edit field will be enabled and will receive focus. So, we don't need any handlers.
About cm_FindText option: maybe useful but who will setup files mask for searching? So, if you search *.* files, you may use cm_FindText for opening search dialog with focused text edit field but if you need to setup files mask, you don't need additional command because standard one will be more convenient.

[Balderstrom]

You can use "find text" with a blank files "search for" field.
This does hilight something (for me) though, the "find text" option of internal search should have a way to only search in currently filtered files.

i.e. If you have QuickFilter(ed) the panel or applied a normal Display Filter, then the Find Text should possibly have an auto-checked option to [X] Search in Filtered Files only.

[MVV]

i.e. If you have QuickFilter(ed) the panel or applied a normal Display Filter, then the Find Text should possibly have an auto-checked option to [X] Search in Filtered Files only.

Maybe it is simpler to select files before starting search? So checkbox 'only search in selected' will be checked automatically.