Type-ahead search in tree view #1397
Description
Summary
Type-ahead search in tree-view, similar to Windows Explorer, Nautilus file manager, and most file manager applications or components. The "hackable text editor for the 21st Century" should not lack 20th century features.
Motivation
Repeatedly reading through complex file structures to locate directories and files is suboptimal, becomes visually exhausting and frustrating. Type-ahead is convention in most file explorer applications and components (Windows Explorer, Nautilus, Notepad++, etc.) and provides the optimal method of navigating the complex and lengthy file structures of software projects.
Describe alternatives you've considered
tree-view-filter, but it provides only a suboptimal and incomplete alternative:
- only filters filenames, not directory names
- context is reduced or lost when filtered view is applied
- contains incomplete shortcut key mapping
Type-ahead is the optimal method of navigating complex structures, equally navigates directories and files, and retains full context while navigating.
Additional context
I understand that there is a small number of shortcuts that a type-ahead feature would break, but I strongly believe these are worth breaking to conform tree-view with better convention. The few existing conflicting shortcut keys could be remapped with modifier keys (and arguably should be anyway). Alternatively, type-ahead could be a user-enabled feature should users wish to retain existing shortcut maps for tree-view.