Vscode: "Normal" filtering input for trees

[usernamehw]

Issue Type: Feature Request

https://code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_31#_new-tree-widget

Is it possible to replace current filtering feature with an ordinary input element?

| normal input | filter on type |
|---|:---:|
| ✅ standard element | ❌ |
| ✅ being able to have simple navigation and still filter items | ❌ |
| ✅ no clash with extension contributed keybindings | ✅❌ can be mitigated with workbench.list.automaticKeyboardNavigation & list.toggleKeyboardNavigation
| ✅ can paste text | ❌ |
| ✅ can undo | ❌ |
| ✅ can select text| ❌ |
| ✅ good discoverability | ❌ |
| ✅ preverve text on reload | ❌ |
| ❌ takes one row of space | ✅ only visible while typing |

---

filter disappeared on outline view #70095
Performing a search on Outline #70640
Filter box in Outline has dissapeared in Release 1.32.3 #70605
Search field in structure side panel #70575
Search input field missing in new outline in Code 1.32.1 #70038

Yeah, you can tell those people where to find the "filter on type" feature, but all the new users potentially would never even know that it exists.

[MgSam]

To add my 2 cents- you really need to restore the search boxes. The filtering ability you guys added for trees is a nice idea but is absolutely horrible from a UX perspective. It has zero discoverability. And even once you know it exists, it still sucks because you have to give the tree focus by clicking somewhere random inside of it before typing. You can't possibly expect all your users to dig through documentation to learn how to perform a basic search.

A good rule of thumb for UX design is that if you're doing something no other application does, there's probably a reason why that is (and not because it's a great idea- people have been building GUIs for decades- there are precious few "undiscovered" UI paradigms left).

[martbean]

I agree. Added to which, for whatever reason 'Filter on Type' doesn't seem to work for me at all. Possibly one of my extensions is interfering with it but regardless, the old search box was much more user-friendly. Can it at least be an option?

[futurekill]

+1 From me...I had to search through github tickets to find out that 1. it was removed and 2. how to access that functionality. As it is now it's completely intuitive.

[JasonZough]

desperate for a filter box in outline when writting Vue.

[1vasari]

+1 - VS Code's Vim seems to eat my keyboard input, rendering this feature unusable. Please bring back a text box so that this works again. :heart:

[vscodebot[bot]]

This issue is being closed to keep the number of issues in our inbox on a manageable level, we are closing issues that are not going to be addressed in the foreseeable future: We look at the number of votes the issue has received and the number of duplicate issues filed. More details here. If you disagree and feel that this issue is crucial: We are happy to listen and to reconsider.

If you wonder what we are up to, please see our roadmap and issue reporting guidelines.

Thanks for your understanding and happy coding!

[AlekSi]

I.e. has it gathered more than 10 up-votes

Yes. Please re-open.

[Mingliang2018]

Looking forward this feature in the next release:)

[usernamehw]

The issue is closed not because it was fixed. It won't happen in the next release.

[Mingliang2018]

Hi Alex,
How you said "It won't happen in the next release." but not fixed yet. Does it mean the input box for outline view will come back in VS Code 1.40.1?

I think many people are waiting for the return back of this feature.

[kh]

This is a must for me, filter on type feels so clumsy, the behaviour is unpredictable as you have to guess when you have the focus (sometimes you don't and you're editing the file instead of searching), you can't edit a character in the middle if you mistyped.

Along with #66971 this issue would bring a big boost in productivity.

[vscodebot[bot]]

:slightly_smiling_face: This feature request received a sufficient number of community upvotes and we moved it to our backlog. To learn more about how we handle feature requests, please see our documentation.

Happy Coding!

[sketchbuch]

A filter field is badly needed, I don't want to just filter what is already in the view - like the already existing but completely hidden functionality. I want to be able to alter what tree items are rendered in the list based on user input. Like the search in the extensions sidebar. It populates a view with search results, all tree views should have this kind of ability, not just built-in tree views.

Please don't just move the existing hidden search to a visible input and continue to only filter already existing items in the view, allow a tree view to optionally register a callback that gets called instead to re-populate the view dynamically with new tree view items.