Incremental find

In computing, incremental find is a user interface interaction method to progressively search for and filter through text. As the user types text, one or more possible matches for the text are found and immediately presented to the user. This immediate feedback often allows the user to stop short of typing the entire word or phrase they were looking for.

The method of incremental find is sometimes distinguished from user interfaces that employ a modal window, such as a dialog box, to enter searches. For some applications, a separate user interface mode may be used instead of a dialog box.

Critique

Interface expert Jef Raskin was a strong advocate of incremental find. In his 2000 book "The Humane Interface", he wrote, "From the point of view of interface engineering, the advantages of incremental searching are so numerous and the advantages of delimited searches so few that I can see almost no occasions when a delimited search would be preferred." This was followed by a footnote reading, "A search is either incremental or excremental." [Jef Raskin, "The Humane Interface", 2000, pg. 126 (paperback)]

Variants

This feature, or variations thereof, has also been referred to as search as you type, filter as you type (FAYT), incremental search, typeahead search, inline search, instant search, word wheeling, and other names as well.

Some common keyboard shortcuts for incremental find are ⌘F (like for traditional find), the GNU-style /, or Emacs-style C-s .

Searches for files and media

This user interface method is also employed in varying contexts. For example, a user may encounter this feature while searching for files whose names match a string in an operating system's file explorer shell. The feature may also be used during searches for songs whose name or artist match a string in a media player.

Searches for user interface elements

Another variation is to filter through long lists of options or menu items that may appear within the user interface itself. Examples of this variation can be found in the about:config interface section of Mozilla Firefox version 2.0.0.14 and later versions; and in the bundle editor section of TextMate 1.5.7. This feature is also employed in application launchers such as Quicksilver 1.0.

Typically a list of matches is generated as the search query is typed, and the list is progressively narrowed to match the filter text.

Specific applications

Non-modal incremental find is found in:

Modern web browsers:
* Firefox;
* Konqueror;
* Opera;
* Safari; and
* Internet Explorer 8;

Modern operating systems:
* Apple Computer's Spotlight (which searches the entire computer);
* Microsoft's Windows Vista;

Editors and development environments:
* Archy;
* Eclipse
* Emacs;
* NetBeans IDE;
* Vim
* Visual Studio;

Other applications:
* Apple Computer's iTunes;
* less;
* Windows Live Messenger;
* Windows Media Player;
* Quicksilver (software)

References

External links

* [http://www.mozilla.org/access/type-ahead/ Keyboard Feature: Find As You Type] — Mozilla.
* [http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Incremental-Search.html Incremental Search] — Emacs.
* [http://help.eclipse.org/help32/index.jsp?topic=/org.eclipse.platform.doc.user/tips/platform_tips.html Using Incremental Find] — Eclipse.
* [http://www.ookii.org/software/findasyoutype/ Find As You Type Add-on] — Internet Explorer
* [http://www.ieforge.com/InlineSearch/HomePage Inline Search Add-on] — Internet Explorer
* [http://www.vim.org/tips/tip.php?tip_id=13 Tip #13 - Incremental search] — Vim