Find in 2xExplorer Omega

Q & A for the old 2X Explorer file manager. For other topics, please use the corresponding forum.

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fuggly
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Post by fuggly »

A feature request I never posted here but always wanted to have: In the find result window (Ctrl+F, respectively the results window), the listview is *always* displayed in "List" style, which, to me, makes absolutely no sense, since I want to see where the file is located without having to double click on the file first. Of course, I can switch the view to "Details" but apparently this setting is not persistent, as it always defaults back to "List" whenever I use Ctrl+F again.

Could you maybe make this setting persistent?

Two issues: I'm not sure about this, as I don't have the old version anymore (unfortunately), but it looks like the default "Explorer Dumb Behaviour" that, after switching to a new folder, no folder is selected, seems to be a new feature in this build as well. Couldn't you, if you see that there is no stored selection from last time, simply highlight the first folder/item in there so that it is easier if one has to search for a folder/item with the keyboard when nothing is selected?

The other issue is about the find results window. Could it be that it simply disappears after a second when it doesn't find anything? This is a bit irritating as when someone (in other words: me) searches something on the wholle drive, then goes for a coffee, chats about this and that, returns to the computer (and of course has totally forgotten that he searched for something) and doesn't see anything and simply redoes the search (with the approximate result of going for another coffee and on and on and on..). So... couldn't you still show the window even when nothing has been found?

Another feature request (heck, since we're already posting..):
Could you make multiple search results windows that stay open, so one could use different searches (even at the same time maybe <g>) and wouldn't have to close the find results all the time? (Of course, such windows would need a button to see the original search in the Ctrl+F window, so that one could see what one searched for on those windows anyway)...

Err.. yeah.. just my two cents (Euro of course) ;-)
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BRX
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Post by BRX »

The find window is one of my favourites, too, but, uhm, the details view is persistent on my PC. Did you check the general save settings box?

BRX
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nikos
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Post by nikos »

that's my suspicion too

touching upon the remaining issues raised:

>after switching to a new folder, no folder is selected

there are a few possible explanations here:
A. you're picking a folder from the tree; unless View | Options | usability | autoshift focus to view is checked, the focus remains in the tree, that's why you don't see any selection in the active pane

B. you have sticky selection on; then when moving about just the focus is set (dotted rectangle item) but it is as much keyboard friendly as a selection.


>disappears after a second when it doesn't find anything

i think its 3 seconds but you're right. But that is for your own benefit, you've got nothing to worry about. If there was a crash you wouldn't find 2x altogether, never mind the results window!

> make multiple search results windows that stay open

is that a trick question? :)
but they do stay open -- unless they autodestruct due to lack of content as explained earlier. You can have as many of them open at a time, but chances are that they'll overlap each other so you may have to do some shifting about.

i know it's kind of lame, but that's why i ditched 2x and started from scratch in x2!
narayan
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Post by narayan »

>disappears after a second when it doesn't find anything

The search box retains the search condition. So, if the box has vanished while you were away, you can again press CTRL+F to check up the last search condition. (There is no need to remember it.)

The only point is (and this applies to x2 also)-- if you launch multiple searches simultaneously, and if a box vanishes, then you have a lot of confusion!

May be the ultimate solution would be to give a "confirm to clear an empty search-result box?" checkbox. (To each his own poison! )


Secondly, the x2 will evade answering if you don't define your search-strings precisely, just like Bill Clinton (Remember his "It depends what your definition of S*X is! :yum: "? )

So, although your directories may be full of matching entries, yet the search results will be empty if you make silly mistakes like forgetting to pad the search strings with *, or putting a * for extensions.

Some users will find this occurance fairly common (and irritating).

To avoid this, we can have a checkbox. When this box is checked, 2x (and/or x2) will do the following:
1. Pad the search string with * on both side
2. Put a * for extension.
With that, the user need not be so much careful about composing his search strings..
fuggly
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Post by fuggly »

nikos wrote:that's my suspicion too

touching upon the remaining issues raised:

>after switching to a new folder, no folder is selected

there are a few possible explanations here:
A. you're picking a folder from the tree; unless View | Options | usability | autoshift focus to view is checked, the focus remains in the tree, that's why you don't see any selection in the active pane

B. you have sticky selection on; then when moving about just the focus is set (dotted rectangle item) but it is as much keyboard friendly as a selection.


>disappears after a second when it doesn't find anything

i think its 3 seconds but you're right. But that is for your own benefit, you've got nothing to worry about. If there was a crash you wouldn't find 2x altogether, never mind the results window!

> make multiple search results windows that stay open

is that a trick question? :)
but they do stay open -- unless they autodestruct due to lack of content as explained earlier. You can have as many of them open at a time, but chances are that they'll overlap each other so you may have to do some shifting about.

i know it's kind of lame, but that's why i ditched 2x and started from scratch in x2!
Nikos

(funny.. that name seems to follow me somehow, my bass teacher was also named Nikos :-)

>> that's my suspicion too

Hell yeah. The Save State on Exit flag wasn't set. Ahemm.. I proof myself guilty on that one.. argh.. Thanks for the tip :-)

>>after switching to a new folder, no folder is selected

I neither have sticky selection nor do I ever use the tree. It is a bit difficult to say what exactly I mean with "has no selection". Yes, the *focus* is on the first entry. But there are actually two annoyances in the explorer window code that drive me nuts (in the original Windows Explorer as well, btw):

1. When the focus is on the first entry, but the entry is not selected, then typing something to find the first entry with the matching keys will, naturally, move the focus to the first entry that fits. *Except* if the first entry that fits *was* the first entry in the list (the one who had originally the focus). This seriously drives me nuts and it is not your problem, but a problem in the Windows listview code, in my opinion.

2. I'm not sure about this one, but I think (therefore I aint.. err.. no.. serious) that the former version *selected* the first entry already when no selection was set from the first time one got into that selection (now this sounds strange, what I mean is: Usually, when you browse to the Windows folder and there to the System32 and from there to the drivers folder and then twice hit Backspace, then the Windows folder is selected. Browsing into the Windows folder gets you automatically System32 selected, since that was the last selection. This feature is one of my absolutely favorite feature and I use and love it deeply. Now, for example, when one is, in the same example, in the system32 folder and gets to.. err.  another folder in there, then, since no other selected is "stored", nothing gets selected and the focus is simply on the first entry without selecting it. It would be cool if it also would select this entry to be consistant with that other featuer I love so much :-)

>> But that is for your own benefit, you've got nothing to worry about. If there was a crash you wouldn't find 2x altogether, never mind the results window!

I don't worry about it, its just irritating and costs me a lot of money to get new coffee <g>. No seriously, I simply liked the old behaviour better that simply didn't find anything but didn't close the window. Since the results window was open and empty, I could already see that it didn't find anything. With the current implementation I don't see that anymore when these three seconds are gone. Nothing to worry about.

Just one more note for the "edit" in the results window (thats in another thread). How much anchovies do you want on your pizza to have "edit" usable from there? :-)
Seriously, I don't understand why view is enabled, but edit is not, what is the reason behind that?
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nikos
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Post by nikos »

>*Except* if the first entry that fits *was* the first entry

i'm with you but in Z1 the quickest way to activate the focused item is to hit [Space]. This is a side bonus from the new sticky selection feature (there it works like a toggle). That's kind of more convenient than [Ins] since [Space] is as big as a house and right in yer face

(i still don't follow your previous selection problems, so i press on)


>why view is enabled, but edit is not

no reason really. It's just because that pane is deaf & dumb in terms of changes, view is fine but if you edit something the change e.g. in size/date won't be picked up. You'll be glad to hear that the quadratic future is looking good already

but hang on a minute! I've just discovered a cheat mode. If you have an external editor/viewer in View | Options, then F3 would get you the internal viewer but [Ctrl+F3] will launch the external "viewer" which most probably would allow you to edit fuss free. Just don't expect any autorefresh in that pane, mind!


so that only leaves us the Pad the search string with * on both side that narayan mentioned. How dim of me, i always meant to add this and i forgot. Now i promised everybody+dog that i'm not touching 2x any more, I'll look a right prat if i went back to add another feature. But if any leftover bug needs to be fixed, i'll sneak that in too  :)
narayan
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Post by narayan »

Nikos,

We can combine two ideas for search function in x2:

In an earlier thread, we had a discussion about showing the search condition with the Search-Result window, so that the user can understand what that window shows. (Very useful when a user launches several search windows simultaneously.)

Add a "Retain blank search windows?" checkbox in the search dilog-box.

Voila!

The user will be able to-
1. Launch several searches simultaneously, without losing track of which window is for which search string

2. Edit an erroneous entry and relaunch the search. (Useful if nothing comes up in the earlier iteration.)

The true worth of this feature will be apparent when the user has launched multiple search windows: For a single search-window, he may as well press CTRL+F, edit his entries and search again.


3. Attend to other tasks while some searches are going on: he does not have to bother whether some of the windows have disappeared; and if yes, which one?
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nikos
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Post by nikos »

my head is filling up fast! :crazy:
i can't keep up any more...

yes, this all makes sense but you'll need to remind me again when we reach that stage in x2's development!

i'm going home now, need to rest!
narayan
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Post by narayan »

The "To-Do list" (for x2) is coming up nicely. I will finish it by next weekend. Hope that helps. :)

BTW, I came across an excellent forum that maintains a wishlist on the site itself:
dBPowerAmp (Music Converter)

Users will avoid giving repeat suggestions if they see what's in that wishlist already.

Also, suggestions like mine will not sound premature. ;)

A read-only, sticky thread (or a separate section on this website) should do the trick! :thumbup:
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nikos
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Post by nikos »

splendid!
now we have an official Forum Secretary!

I'll have the list displayed in the website somewhere for all to see
narayan
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Post by narayan »

Yeah, but your "Not tonight, dear! I have a headache!" line surprised me like hell- I thought it was supposed to be a ladies only line!
:devil:
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