Quick search/filter

[philalethia]

The "Quick Search" bar, is not a search. It is a filter.
For example, if I go to www.xnview.com, and search for "image", I get a result, as in an attached image. One can sometimes, as in the other attached screenshot, get the option of highlighting results, but more importantly, you get to the matching result, and are able to then get to the next/previous match.
That is a search.

If one were to instead filter, then all that would be seen in that screenshot, would be
"Image Image image Image Image image Image image image image image image image image image image Image Image image image image image image image image"
which would be fairly useless, with text.
Now with image viewers/browsers, there certainly is great use for filters
...but there is also a very great use, for searches.

Quick Search needs to be called Quick Filter.
But also: but why is there no Quick Search?

I often want to search for an image, whilst staying within the set of images (be it a folder, or a category/categories, or whatever it may be), but that is largely impossible. If I press the first letter of the filename, I get to the first image that starts with that letter, but that may not be the one I'm looking for. I can try to quickly enter more than just the first letter, but that doesn't always work.

[xnview]

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'
And currently when you press keys, only the last is used to select filename (Qt API behavior)

[user0]

Quick Search needs to be called Quick Filter.

make sense
+1

I often want to search for an image, whilst staying within the set of images (be it a folder, or a category/categories, or whatever it may be), but that is largely impossible.

i doubt any 'Quick search' is required as search sequence is pretty straight forward:
1. CTRL+F to open Search tool
current path will be inserted
2. type query
3. press Enter/Return *
3. click Search button
4. press Enter/Return **
4. click Browse... button
search results (if any) will be opened in Filelist as <Search results>

*, ** split into separate suggestion:
Search - controls focus - improve search sequence

[philalethia]

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'

It would be nice, to have the ability to either search, or filter, using that field, using either different buttons for search or filter, or be able to easily switch the buttons function from filter to search, similarly to the "sort by" and "filter by" buttons.

i doubt any 'Quick search' is required as search sequence is pretty straight forward:

Straight forward?
Perhaps.
Quick? Absolutely not
...and, quite significantly, it will create a completely new/different browsed image set, rather than to guide you to images within those you are browsing, at the moment.
You might argue that you can set the same path/categories/whatever, for the search ...but that makes it all the more slow.
Also, it means the place you were, in the set of images, is erased, and that the search therefore starts from the start of the list, rather than from where you were.

[xnview]

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'

It would be nice, to have the ability to either search, or filter, using that field, using either different buttons for search or filter, or be able to easily switch the buttons function from filter to search, similarly to the "sort by" and "filter by" buttons.

So for example, you enter a text in 'search' field, and all corresponding files will be selected?

[user0]

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'

need to be changed in Batch convert as well
maybe also rename it just "Filter"

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'

It would be nice, to have the ability to either search, or filter, using that field, using either different buttons for search or filter, or be able to easily switch the buttons function from filter to search, similarly to the "sort by" and "filter by" buttons.

So for example, you enter a text in 'search' field, and all corresponding files will be selected?

tbh, I still see no benefit of having "Quick search", as what is the reason to have matching files selected instead of filtering out not matching.

[philalethia]

right 'Quick search' should be 'Quick filter'

It would be nice, to have the ability to either search, or filter, using that field, using either different buttons for search or filter, or be able to easily switch the buttons function from filter to search, similarly to the "sort by" and "filter by" buttons.

So for example, you enter a text in 'search' field, and all corresponding files will be selected?

No, just the first one ...with a further click (or some other method), taking you to the next one.
An option of having all corresponding files highlighted would be nice.
Though now you mention it, an option of selecting them all, could also be useful.

[philalethia]

tbh, I still see no benefit of having "Quick search", as what is the reason to have matching files selected instead of filtering out not matching.

I can assure you, that most people do find great/frequent use for it.