Change in use of <TAB> key in results window?

[ChrisGreaves]

An advanced search in the Everything 1.5 forum revealed no obvious reports. (Except, of course, by now, this topic!)

I happily use the <TAB> key to pass between the search box and the results pane. These are normally the only two positions, so there is no need for me to use the Shift key (to Shift into reverse). Super!

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But if I have used the <F2> key to gain access to the name of a found file (edit, copy name, and so on), then the <TAB> key switches to a mode "advance the pointer AND STAY IN EDIT MODE to the next file in the results list".

Using the <TAB> key in the result list flips me into the search box, but using the <TAB> key in edit mode in the result list does something different.

Please and thank you, is there a design reason for this change of behaviour? I can't think of a use for the behaviour in edit mode, but that just means that I can't think of a use for the behaviour in edit mode

Thanks, Chris

[therube]

But if I have used the <F2> key to gain access to the name of a found file (edit, copy name, and so on), then the <TAB> key switches to a mode "advance the pointer AND STAY IN EDIT MODE to the next file in the results list".

That is a feature.
Been that way for some time now.

It allows you to F2 the next item(s) without having to purposely invoke F2 (again & again).
(There's probably an option to disable the behavior, but if so, I wouldn't know it offhand.)


You could ESC to "cancel" the F2, then TAB.
ESC TAB.

[meteorquake]

I use the tab to go from one item rename to the next all the time, I simply would die without it Its use becomes apparent when you want to rename a lot of items one by one, and if you sort them not by name but by e.g. modified date then they don't jump about as you rename one to the next.
The same feature exists in Explorer.
I do use the tab for moving panes and also arrow down, as tab in the search box goes to the folder tree whereas arrow down in the search box goes to the first result item.
As suggested the current way is to hit enter to complete the rename or esc to abort it then hit the tab. However I dare say if someone doesn't tend to use the tab-rename feature but does tab panes then there could be an option to cater for them.

[NotNull]

I simply would die without it

To improve your chances of survival, it is also possible to use cursor up/down to inline-rename the previous/next item in the resultlist.
For that, the rename_nav setting must be set to 1.

Two ways to do so:
- Type or paste

/rename_nav=1

in the search bar and press ENTER
- In Menu => Tools => Options => Advanced, select rename_nav and set its value to true


To my best of knowledge, the TAB-equivalent is hardcoded and can not be disabled.

[ChrisGreaves]

That is a feature.
It allows you to F2 the next item(s) without having to purposely invoke F2 (again & again).

TheRube, thanks to the answer to my question. I can see that this feature would be useful when doing a batch-rename operation manually (for that is what I almost ended up doing!)

You could ESC to "cancel" the F2, then TAB. ESC TAB.

And this is what I am doing now. Except since I am usually Pasting a new name in, I tap <Enter> to escape editing mode; then the <Tab> key behaves as it should>
Thanks; Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

Its use becomes apparent when you want to rename a lot of items one by one, ...

Meterorquake, thanks for this response. I can see a manual-batch-rename would make this useful. Mostly any mass-renames I do are done by a batch file or a VBA program so that they go through perfectly without my stubby fingers making a mess.

The same feature exists in Explorer.

Now I didn't know this! I tried it on this Win7 machine and it didn't seem to work; I'll try harder on my Win11 machine when I "get to work".

...the current way is to hit enter to complete the rename ...

Indeed yes; that is what I am doing now.
The majority of my file renames are one-off. I notice a name error, correct it, then get back to the job in hand.
Thanks again. Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

- Type or paste

/rename_nav=1

in the search bar and press ENTER
- In Menu => Tools => Options => Advanced, select rename_nav and set its value to true

Thank you NotNull. I can see the setting in Everything on this Win7 machine, but as reported above, cannot make the <F2><Tab> work here; that my be a fault in the Win7 Dell machine. I will try on a younger, healthier machine in a few minutes.
Cheers, Chris

[NotNull]

No, not your fault. <F2><Tab> will go to the next item to be renamed, regardless of the rename_nav setting.
rename_nav can add cursor up/down next to <tab> to go to the next item. It can't disable <tab> in inline-renaming.

[ChrisGreaves]

No, not your fault. <F2><Tab> will go to the next item to be renamed, regardless of the rename_nav setting. rename_nav can add cursor up/down next to <tab> to go to the next item. It can't disable <tab> in inline-renaming.

Thank you for the re-assurance NotNull.
I wish I knew more about Everything before I started to try to understand it (evil grin)
Cheers, Chris