Feature: Support multiple searches

[KalitaAlexey]

Hi everybody.

Currently VSCode supports only one active search: I cannot look for multiple things at a time.
I often have need in this feature.
I can implement it myself if someone will guide me.
I suggest to add new tab "Searches", which looks like this:

And it expands to:

Unfortunately, I haven't made a close button. Imagine there is a close button to the right of a search entry.
When a user starts a search, then an entry in the searches is created.
When a user clicks on a search entry, then the entry's search becomes active.
When a user clicks on the close button of a search entry, then the entry is deleted.

I am waiting for your opinions to this feature.

[sandy081]

@KalitaAlexey Very much appreciated with your thoughts and ideas. I see that your base requirement is that you wanted to look multiple things at a time. Can you please explain in little more details how do you want to see above results at the end. Possibly with an example would be good.

Thanks

[KalitaAlexey]

Hi @sandy081,
Only one search is active at a time.
Results of the search is shown under the configuration of a search. As it is made now.
I will include screenshots.

[KalitaAlexey]

Hi @sandy081,
I try to implement it myself.

[sandy081]

@KalitaAlexey We are always welcome to receive PRs for VS Code. But I would suggest before starting, it would be good to discuss in detail.

• What is the problem?
• What is the proposed solution?
• Are there any other current ways to overcome the problem

Hence, I asked to know how the end result looks like and is it going to fix the problem? It would be helpful if you can explain me with an example.

Thanks

[KalitaAlexey]

Hi @sandy081,
I am downloading source code. I am changing the source code just to prepare an example.
I am sending pictures then.

[KalitaAlexey]

Hi @sandy081 and everyone,

I have thought about this feature and have prepared some screenshots explaining the design.
I'm sorry for the close button on the screenshots below.
Let's assume we open a project.
We navigate to the "Search" tab.
It is empty:

We enter A to the "Search" field and press the Enter button.
It starts a new search.
When the search is ended, the "Searches" panel appears:

We enter B to the "Search" field and press the Enter button again.
It starts a new search.
When the search is ended, in the "Searches" panel the new search appears:

I click on the "A" search in the "Searches" panel.
The "A" search becomes active:

If the close button of a search is clicked, then the associated search is removed.
If all searches are removed, the "Searches" panel is hidden.

Unresolved questions

Should a new search be added to the "Searches" panel either when the search started or ended?

If it would be added when it is started, then we should think about whether a running search may be cancelled.

Is an active search customizable?

If it would be, then there should be a way to start a new search.

Regards,
Alexey

[sandy081]

@KalitaAlexey Thanks for the details. I am wondering why not using the following flow with current design (Single Search)

-> Search for value1 you see results
-> Search for value2 you see results
-> If you want to see previous results, navigate history in Search input using alt+up and enter and you see results.
-> if you want to see results matching value1 or value2 at a time why not use Reg ex `(value1)|(value2)

I am not getting the use case that needs to show results for two search terms at a time. May be I am not sure, but I have not seen in any editor that shows multiple search results at a time.

Sorry, but I am trying to get the need to build this functionality and how everybody can gain by this.

Thanks

[KalitaAlexey]

@sandy081,
I didn't know about alt+up, but anyway it doesn't preserve search results. I must start search again.
Think about it if a project very very big.

[leup]

Being able to keep search results would be very nice. Sometimes it's useful to be able to switch between search results without relaunching the search everytime.
So, may be a checkbox "Open results in a new pane", or something.
Netbeans, for example, keep results in different panes.

Here, for instance, I searched for "grdf" and "test", and each result set is kept in a different pane.

[theclapp]

You can use regular expressions to search for multiple items at once, though it's obviously still all the same single search. E.g. from your example above, "A|B" would search for A and B at the same time. (Make sure you enable regular expressions for that search; on a Mac, Opt-Cmd-R.)

[KalitaAlexey]

@theclapp,
I'd rather open a new window and search there.
What if I already use regex for something ugly and complex?

[leup]

@KalitaAlexey 👍
@theclapp I agree that it could be a solution for some simple searches, but this is not what I am looking for.

[theclapp]

Use parentheses: (ugly-complex-expression)|(some-other-expression)

Don't get me wrong: You can ask for this (or implement it!), that's fine with me. I'm not saying you shouldn't. I'm just saying there are alternatives or workarounds out there.

If someone does do this, might I suggest highlighting the different finds in different colors.