FEATURE: find as you type

[mragtronx8]

is it possible to add this feature:

search/find as you type OPTION from anywhere/desktop/file manager/etc.
"find-as-you-type" search utility similar to the option in LISTARY application.

please advise if possible.

[NotNull]

My opinion:

Everything and Listary have a different approach to files.

Everything is file-focussed and Listary is application-focussed.
A bit more in detail: In Everything you can search for files and "push" them to a program (using the context menu or by double-clicking it.
Using Listary, you type a filename in a program and "pull" this file into that program.

Different philosophy, although they have a lot of similarities (especially in the "engine room").
I use both (I like Listary a lot) and even attempted to write something that adds Listary functionality to Everything (can be found here), but that is still in beta (way too little time to rewrite and extend it)

[horst.epp]

I use Everything and also have a Life time Pro license of Listary.
The function of using Listary or Everything in file open/save dialogs can be managed
by simple Autohotkey macros or QuickAccessPupup for Total commander.
I stopped using Listary because the interface of version 6 (beta) is worse than the old version 5
and also there is no ongoing development of Listary beta since a long time.
Rumors in the Listary forum even say that the author is dead.

[mragtronx8]

thank you for your replies.

i understand the difference between Everything and Listary.
my opinion is that this feature "find as you type" in Everything will be very useful.

[NotNull]

my opinion is that this feature "find as you type" in Everything will be very useful.

And I agree with that.

In the thread I linked, @void wrote "I'm not a fan of hooking into all windows to catch the open/save dialog"
And unfortunately, a keyboard hook is needed or this "find as you type" functionality. So it is unsure if this feature will be implemented any time soon.


@horst.epp
IIRC, QuickAccesspopup is also written in AHK (I vaguely remember having a conversation with it's author on the AHK forum when writing "Jump2Folder").
Hopefully Listary's author will return soon. I really like that program (but don't use it all the time).

[codenation]

Is it possible to create such a hook with AHK?
Thanks in advance.

[NotNull]

Yes.
This one came up during research of something else I was working on.
(Just an example)

FWIW: Listary is limiting hooks in some places as it caused issues. Somnething to keep in mind.

[meteorquake]

It sounds interesting but perhaps someone could outline the logic of the case usage of this for me so I understand it.

I know I sometimes am typing in a box in another application and want to see it in everything, and a few keystrokes do that (ctrl-a (selects all) ctrl-c (copies) shift-alt-x (brings up everything) ctrl-v (pastes)) Given the low frequency of needing this the 4 keystrokes are not a problem, or sometimes I just drag the highlighted typing directly into everything to achieve it, so I'm curious about the details of how it or something similar is being needed frequently, if I understand the matter correctly

[NotNull]

It sounds interesting but perhaps someone could outline the logic of the case usage of this for me so I understand it.

I know I sometimes am typing in a box in another application and want to see it in everything, and a few keystrokes do that (ctrl-a (selects all) ctrl-c (copies) shift-alt-x (brings up everything) ctrl-v (pastes)) Given the low frequency of needing this the 4 keystrokes are not a problem, or sometimes I just drag the highlighted typing directly into everything to achieve it, so I'm curious about the details of how it or something similar is being needed frequently, if I understand the matter correctly

Did you post this in the wrong topic, @meteorquake?
If so, please tell where it should go so we can move it there.

[meteorquake]

The right topic but presumably I misunderstand it which is why I was hoping for an outline of the usage so I could see what is being thought of

[NotNull]

What I got from @mragtronx8's suggestion is a way to integrate Everything in file dialogs. the desktop, file managers and possibly other applications ina way that typing part of a filename will show a list of matching items (coming from Everything, without opening the regular Everything GUI).
The list of files will be shown in the application itself.

Some launchers like Listary have this feature. See screenshot below as an example






To speed up your 4 keystrokes method, there are several ways, described here (Textify is not only for browsers, but for any program) and here (will require some adaptation) for example.

[meteorquake]

So if I understand correctly this would be the process where I'm in an application dialog and nowhere near the file tree I want to be at, so I do -

Code: Select all

Ctrl-Alt-X (shows Everything window)
type what I need
arrow-down (selects the result, or can just click it)
Ctrl-Shift-C (copies result)
Alt-Tab (back to app)
Ctrl-V (pastes file)

which is a few keystrokes (ignoring the typing of the file which always has to be done) whose burden depends how often it is needed
what I suspect you'll have is that everything automatically shows or shows on demand (then equivalent to the Ctrl-Alt-X) then you type (as other) then double-click the file in the result (equivalent to the arrow down/result click) which saves say 3 strokes (or 4 if Everything always automatically shows) over what I currently do.

If I'm in the app dialog around the right place, I'll do a right-click of a file in the dialog to Explore to it, then do the finding etc.

It would certainly be helpful for apps to properly integrate Everything or Everything could generically fully replace the standard open/save dialogs entirely.

David