[Feature Request]: Add drop-down list for previous Find & Replace entries in the dialog

[yunkot]

Describe your idea in details

Currently, Find & Replace dialog features two edit boxes, where you can type entries to search and replace.

It would be convenient if CodeLite would remember entries that were previously used in find or replace actions (for instance, last 10 entries), whereas edit boxes could be extended to feature a drop-down list of previous entries. Similarly, typing a portion of previous entry in the edit box should provide a suggestion for a previously used entry, if there is a match. Basically, like a standard Windows drop-down edit box combo works.

I am not sure, but if my memory serves well, previous Find & Replace dialog that was integrated into CodeLite already had this feature.

[UffeJakobsen]

Try to press the UP or DOWN keys when your cursor is focused in the search field.

if you hoover your mouse over the search field - you should be shown a tooltip hinting....

I really would like to praise this current approach over the classic drop down approach - this is a much better approach if you wish to go for full keyboard-only operation of CodeLite

[yunkot]

You are right, I didn't know it had such functionality.

There are 3 weaknesses in the current approach, however:

1. Typing a few letters of the desired search text does not suggest (or "auto-complete") the required match, even if you previously searched for it. If that entry happens to be the last of the list, you'll end up pressing "Down" keyboard arrow many times, defeating the whole purpose. This gets especially bad on today's modern laptops, where arrow keys are poorly designed (e.g. Dell XPS) and uncomfortable to use. In contrast, with the approach I am asking, you would type e.g. "MyV" and see "MyVeryComplicatedVariableName", type "Enter" and it would immediately appear as a search (or replace) term; arrow keys aren't needed.
2. There is no way to perform these actions using purely mouse, e.g. click on drop-down arrow, select item, click "Find", all without keyboard. I would agree that this is a rare use case, but it does exist (e.g. one hand is using mouse, another one is holding a cup of coffee :) )
3. Unless you happen to hover the mouse over edit box, there is no way to know it has this feature. With a combo-box, it is pretty much obvious, and yes, up/down arrow keys should still work as they do now.