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Re: TortoiseSVN Notification: Regex support in search boxes (steveking)

From: Simon Large <simon.tortoisesvn_at_googlemail.com>
Date: 2007-08-31 22:55:58 CEST

On 31/08/2007, Alexander Klenin <klenin@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/31/07, TortoiseSVN <issues@tortoisesvn.tigris.org> wrote:
> > The following task has a new comment added:
> >
> > FS#384 - Regex support in search boxes
> > User who did this - Stefan Küng (steveking)
>
> > While the balloon tooltip and the indication whether regex will be used or not
> >(depending on whether the string is a valid regex expression or not) is good,
> >the dropdown menu to choose regex search (or not) is something I
> don't really like:
> > Most users will simply enter some text there (e.g., "/path/to/look/for", "authorname",
> > implemented feature", ...) which is a valid regex but still searches for
> > what the user thinks it will (even if the user isn't even aware that a regex search is done).
> >So adding yet another GUI element (button, menu, or whatever) is a
> little bit overkill.
>
> I too am unsure about this exact feature, but these are (small)
> problems I wanted to address:
> 1) Although rare, there are cases when the user wanted to search a
> string which just happened to be a valid regexp matching quite
> different thing. (e.g. TMyClass.MyMethod actually searching for any
> char instead of literal dot, a+b will found aaaab but not literal a+b
> etc.)
> Even if the user is aware of quoting rules, this still constitutes
> slightly irritating 'oops' moment.

This is a very good point, and as most users are currently unaware of
the regex feature, and a good number will not even know what regex is,
let alone how to use it (TSVN is used by a lot of non-programmers
too), then I think regex should be off by default.

There is already a drop down menu for the search box in the log dialog
(search messages, authors, paths, etc.). Adding a regex option here
would not take up any more space, and give better control IMHO.

> 2) When entering simple search string, automatic refresh of search
> results is good, because it provides a nice 'narrowing' filter -- with
> each new letter, set of selected commits is either reduced or left the
> same.
> However, when trying to enter and edit regexp, continuous auto-refresh
> is distracting, because the set of commits varies widely based on the
> part you entered.

Agreed. Another good reason for controlling use of regex.

> I agree that manual regexps on/off switch is unwieldy, so maybe the
> following will be better:
> 1) Even if entered string is a valid regexp, still indicate (and
> perhaps even use, for tiny optimization) normal substring search if
> the string does not contain any special characters.
> This way users unaware of regexp feature who entered such characters
> will get visual indication that something 'unusual' happened.
> 2) If search string is 'essential' regexp, whether valid or not,
> increase auto-refresh delay.
> 3) If an (excellent IMO) suggestion by Lübbe in this task is
> implemented, add 'quote all special chars' in pattern menu, which will
> add \Q and \E around current search string.

In regex mode, use pale green background to indicate a valid regex and
pale red to indicate invalid. Use a slow timer to refresh the list, or
none at all.

In non-regex mode, have rapid refresh of the list. Background is always white.

BIG FAT WARNING: if we add background colour coding we have to provide
a way to set the colours for visually impaired users.

Maybe add a registry setting so that admins can prevent regex mode
from ever appearing on graphic artists' PCs (with apologies to all the
computer-literate artists out there).

Simon

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Received on Fri Aug 31 22:53:07 2007

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