[TxMt] i-search in TextMate

[Josh DiMauro]

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 12:12:48 +0100, Allan Odgaard <allan at macromates.com> wrote:

> While I have yet to try out i-search, I do think you guys are wrong. To
> maximize your workflow you need to make the process rely as little as
> possible on external input (e.g. the need to visually recognize
> something throughout the process) and remove as many conscious
> decisions from the process as possible (i.e. the need to decide next
> "action" based on present non-predictable (by the mind) context).

The problem with your argument is that the issue here is not whether
the "context" is predictable. There is little difference between the
context of a search dialog box and the floating window of i-search.
What is different is that error correction and feedback occur as you
type, which allows search to be used as a navigation aid.

Allow me to give a common example: I have a very large text file (my
todo.txt list) which has subsections with headers that I often
navigate through. It's just simply faster to hit:

^-S## @HO[DEL][DEL]IN[DEL][DEL]TO[ESC] 

in order to browse my list, than it is to issue repeated search
commands and repeat the "## @" portion that designates the beginning
of each section. Searching for that string and using [CMD]-G is a poor
substitute, as I am not interested in the order these segments appear
in, in the textfile. I'm interested in getting to them in the order I
think of them.

Search as navigation is a function that is poorly served by the
standard search dialog box.

As to the command key: please, let's keep it ^-s. It's consistent
across multiple applications, and I'm already having to learn too many
new commands as it is, thanks.
-- 
Josh
http://del.icio.us/jazzmasterson/