sandip chitale's blog

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Saturday November 25, 2006

UPDATE: Firefox(TM) style Incremental Search Sidebar module

About 10 days ago I blogged about the Incremental Search Toolbar. Based on the feedback I received, I modified the module to create Firefox (TM) style popular Incremental Search Sidebar.

I have uploaded the Incremental Search Sidebar module to my Netbeans update center described here. This replaces the Incremental Search Toolbar.

The Incremental Search Sidebar mostly works the same way as the Incremental Search Toolbar. The only difference is that each editor has its own Incremental Search Sidebar. I removed the Search Backwards check box also.

The Incremental Search Sidebar is not implemented as an action registered through a layer file. Therefore the standard mechanism i.e. Tools:Options:Keymap cannot be used to modify the key binding. Hence I have updated the module to let you configure the keybinding - Tools:Options:Miscellaneous:Incremental Search.

Firefox (TM) style Incremental Search Sidebar

Sources

DISCLAIMER: This module is experimental. So no guarantees. Use the module at your own risk.

Posted by sandipchitale ( Nov 25 2006, 04:45:54 PM PST ) Permalink Comments [20]

Trackback URL: http://blogs.sun.com/scblog/entry/update%3A_firefox%28tm%29_style_incremental_search

Comments:

Sandip, that's great! Thank you very much! I'll think about using it on Ctrl+F shortcut :-)

Posted by Vladimir Voskresensky on November 25, 2006 at 11:44 PM PST #

Sandip, from sources I see, that shortcuts are hardcoded and not registered through layers... doesn't matter Ctrl+/ and Ctrl+Shift+/ are fine as well.

Posted by 85.249.72.66 on November 26, 2006 at 12:02 AM PST #

Hmm, should this be working with 6.0dev as well? Or may this be a problem with my german keyboard layout???

Posted by Sven Reimers on November 26, 2006 at 03:21 AM PST #

Would it be possible to merge the new incremental search capability with the old regexp highlighter into a single side-bar control? They should fit well together, and free up some space in an overloaded toolbar.

Posted by Amotz Anner on November 26, 2006 at 09:33 AM PST #

85.249.72.66, you are correct. The incremental search toolbar is no longer an action that is registered through a layer like standard Netbeans actions. Therefore the keybindings cannot be set using Tools:Options.

Sven, you are correct. Ctrl+/ keybinding may cause problems for some keyboards.

I will be soon update the module so that the user can configure the keystroke using Tools:Options.

Amotz, that is an interesting idea. However the implementations of RegExpHighlighter and Incremental Search Sidebar are completely different. Instead of mearging the two what could be done is to use the sidebar like mechanism for RegExpHighlighter module.

Posted by Sandip on November 26, 2006 at 12:13 PM PST #

What I meant is to place both controls on the same side-bar, side by side, and have both available on Ctrl+/ (or whatever). If you do it, kindly make sure that both use the same L&F, as your development preferences seem to have evolved over time. TIA

Posted by Amotz Anner on November 27, 2006 at 12:27 AM PST #

Amotz, I understand. I guess the question is whether all users want both modules or not. I guess one can imagine a scenario where there is a third module that provides the sidebar(s) and RegExpHighlighter, Incremental Search and any other module that wishes to use that(those) sidebar(s). I will look into it.

In terms of L&F, the L&F & icons of the Incremental Search Sidebar were inspired by the Firefox(TM)'s find bar. I agree and will follow your advise and try to maintain a uniform L&F for my modules.

Posted by Sandip on November 27, 2006 at 08:08 AM PST #

Yeah, this works for me - but it becomes more and more complex to find a suiting keyboard-shortcut. Thanks for your effort - this is really a great tool!

Posted by Sven Reimers on November 27, 2006 at 03:26 PM PST #

I cannot find a suitable keyboard shortcut. Nothing works :( I've tried "control released M" for "Ctrl+M" and tons of others, but nothing. Is it hard to add a menu item for the Incremental Search?

Posted by Kovica on November 28, 2006 at 12:52 AM PST #

I found that pressed works somehow better for me - in comparison to released - give it a try.

Posted by Sven Reimers on November 28, 2006 at 03:25 AM PST #

Thanks, Sven Reimers. It works now. Finally :))

Posted by Kovica on November 28, 2006 at 04:15 AM PST #

Wow...the web 2.0 effect is happening. Sven, thanks for answering Kovica's question.

"control released M" should have worked though. It works for me on Windows XP/English keyboard.

Kovica, a silly question - you did not type the "s in the text field, right?

Posted by Sandip on November 28, 2006 at 08:20 AM PST #

Sandip, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean by "s.

Posted by Kovica on November 28, 2006 at 11:01 PM PST #

Kovica,

Sorry I may not have been very clear. What I meant to say was - did you type "control released M" in the Options text field? If so that may cause the problem. You need to type control released M i.e. without quote. As I said this is a silly question.

Posted by Sandip on November 29, 2006 at 07:39 AM PST #

Sandip, yes I've typed without the quotes. :)) I've been working with computers for a looong time and I do know when I have to use quotes and when no :))

Posted by Kovi on November 29, 2006 at 11:01 AM PST #

Kovi,

Alright. I was asking just in case....we all do silly mistakes sometimes. Anyhow looks like it is working for you now. Did it work for you with released ?

Posted by Sandip on November 29, 2006 at 02:30 PM PST #

It doesnt work for me on Netbeans 6 Windows XP Portuguese keyboard

Posted by Porfirio on March 16, 2007 at 02:03 PM PDT #

Porfirio

Make sure you have configured the key bindings in Tools:Options:Miscellaneous:Incremental Search

Posted by Sandip on March 16, 2007 at 02:14 PM PDT #

Yeah, thank you! I just removed all my NetBeans 6 ( it was giving some problems ) and installed latest Nightly, and it work like a charm. Firefox have the highlite all checkbox, it would be a good addiction to this Maybe integrate this search with the Regular NB search?

Posted by Porfirio on March 17, 2007 at 04:07 AM PDT #

Porfirio

Thanks for your suggestions. Actaully at the code level I already tried turning on highlite all but probably due to some bug it does not work. Haven't looked into in detail.

I have already sent the patch to the NetBeans editor folks. Incremental Search is going to be part of NB6.0. It will be integrated with NB search.

Posted by Sandip on March 17, 2007 at 09:46 AM PDT #