On 9/1/07, Stefan Küng <tortoisesvn@gmail.com> wrote:
>Please let's not make this a bigger issue than it is.
Of course.
> >> 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.
>
> If you don't like that, press Ctrl-F to bring up the find dialog. The
> filter box is for instant filtering, and people *expect* that the filter
> gets applied while typing (that's how all other apps work who have such
> a filter box).
Well, I honestly did not know that dialog exists.
It is not documented, and is not available in any way other then
pressing hotkey.
Now that is well-hidden feature ;-)
The dialog does not help here, because it does search, not filtering.
Its existence, however, gives me another idea. I know, ideas are
cheap, but hopefully all this brainstorming of mine will finally
result in something useful.
How about:
1) Extend find dialog, by adding to it:
1a) A 'Filter' button, in addition to 'Find' which will apply the
string entered as a filter.
1b) The 'Use regular expressions' checkbox, off by default, but
remembering it's state once set.
1c) 'Search in' group box with 'Messages', 'Authors', 'Paths' and
'Revisions' checkboxes, all checked by default.
2) Remove 'search area' combobox from search input box. Instead
display extended find dialog when user clicks on 'maginfying glass'
icon.
3) Either make tooltip text dependent on 'Use regular expressions'
setting, or simply replace it with 'Press Ctrl+F for advanced search
options' or something to that effect.
4) Optionally, further improve find dialog,
4a) Add PSPad-like regex helpers as proposed by Lübbe.
4b) Add better regexp error diagnotics.
4c) Add 'recently used' searches list
etc.
All this changes will bring following benefits:
1) Slightly simplify default search interface. If user does not know
what a regexp is, he simply will not look at 'advanced options'.
2) Remove minor inconsistencies in current search area selection,
(e.g. it is not possible to search for paths and messages, but not
authors, default is to search all four areas, but menu item says
'Messages, authors and paths', omitting revisions)
3) Allow various further improvement of search capabilities without
worrying about clutter in the log dialog itself.
4) Potentially, allow to use the same extended find dialog it TMerge and TBlame.
--
Alexander S. Klenin
Insight Experts Ltd.
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Received on Sat Sep 1 06:38:42 2007