Telescope-style search box

[SalamanderXing]

Check for existing issues

• Completed

Describe the feature

In (neo)vim I'm able to search for file names and contents using telescope. This has the following advantages:

• runs search as I type
• I don't have to leave the current tab so it's faster
• Since the preview of a file and the list of files are separated I can just very quickly scroll through the list of files only using my keyboard

If applicable, add mockups / screenshots to help present your vision of the feature

[ryanwinchester]

It's the main thing I'll miss from neovim

Screen.Recording.2024-04-19.at.7.53.25.PM.mov

[ryanwinchester]

And the grep version

Screen.Recording.2024-04-19.at.8.00.28.PM.mov

[NachoNievaG]

Agree completely.
Also, the live grep requires ripgrep (rust based) as a dependency, which using it in Zed sounds suitable. (talking as an outsider regarding integrations tho)

[lungarella-raffaele]

Would be the feature that makes me move from vs-code

[martincartledge]

Please make this happen!

[joachimhorshauge]

This would be amazing

[ElhamAryanpur]

absolutely, I'm on board too

[zaevimn]

I also want this to happen, It'll speed the coding.

[costinsin]

This would be very nice!

[vjdhanota]

In case it helps anyone else, I was able to set up a task that uses rg, fzf and bat for a better find in files experience:

  {
    "label": "search:project",
    "command": "QUERY=${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}; FILE=$(rg --column --hidden --line-number --no-heading --color=always --smart-case --colors match:fg:green --colors path:fg:white --colors path:style:nobold --glob '!**/.git/' '--glob' '!**/node_modules'  \"$QUERY\" . | fzf --ansi --delimiter : --preview 'bat --style=numbers,changes,header --color=always --highlight-line {2} {1}' --preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' --layout=reverse --query \"$QUERY\" --print-query | tail -1); if [ -n \"$FILE\" ]; then LINE=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f2); COL=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f3); FILE=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f1); zed $FILE:$LINE:$COL; fi",
    "env": {},
    "cwd": "${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT}",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": false,
    "use_new_terminal": false,
    "reveal": "always",
    "hide": "on_success"
  },

The preview window is specific to my layout but should be pretty easy to update (--preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' --layout=reverse). There is probably a cleaner way to set this up but it has worked for me so far.

Something built-in like telescope would be amazing

[j-o-sh]

This 🙌

I'm soooo in favor. This is the main (and atm. basically the only) missing feature that keeps me from switching to Zed from Neovim. - I don't care for tabs or clunky file trees that much but am totally content using Telescope for this.

Things I'd need from that:

• Fuzzy find files in the root dir (basic Telescope)
• Grep over files in root dir
• Find files in the open buffers

Bonus:

• Grep over files in the open buffers
• Find (and Grep in) files that have been modified in the current branch of the repo

[Koshkaj]

If this gets added to the editor along with errorlens. consider me as a loyal lifelong Zed user.

[eduDorus]

This would be a very nice addition! Keep up the good work

[dkuku]

Every time I try to switch from nvim I end up just running nvim in the editor terminal to edit files this way :D
For me this is a killer feature.

[calebeaires]

This is the final piece to make me migrate from webstorm to zed

[Rits1272]

Planning to move from neo vim to zed. Wish this gets implemented in zed

[bauffman]

I've been trying Zed for a few weeks now and the only feature that keeps me from making the switch is Telescope. Hope this gets released and keep up the good work!

[GengCen-Qin]

In case it helps anyone else, I was able to set up a task that uses rg, fzf and bat for a better find in files experience:

  {
    "label": "search:project",
    "command": "QUERY=${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}; FILE=$(rg --column --hidden --line-number --no-heading --color=always --smart-case --colors match:fg:green --colors path:fg:white --colors path:style:nobold --glob '!**/.git/' '--glob' '!**/node_modules'  \"$QUERY\" . | fzf --ansi --delimiter : --preview 'bat --style=numbers,changes,header --color=always --highlight-line {2} {1}' --preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' --layout=reverse --query \"$QUERY\" --print-query | tail -1); if [ -n \"$FILE\" ]; then LINE=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f2); COL=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f3); FILE=$(echo $FILE | cut -d':' -f1); zed $FILE:$LINE:$COL; fi",
    "env": {},
    "cwd": "${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT}",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": false,
    "use_new_terminal": false,
    "reveal": "always",
    "hide": "on_success"
  },

The preview window is specific to my layout but should be pretty easy to update (--preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' --layout=reverse). There is probably a cleaner way to set this up but it has worked for me so far.

Something built-in like telescope would be amazing

Thank you for providing the code solution. I have adjusted it to make it look even better. Everyone is welcome to give it a try.

2024-11-23.12.59.50.mp4

my fish config:

function search_and_edit
    set -l selected_file (rg --column --hidden --line-number --no-heading --color=always --smart-case --glob '!**/.git/' --glob '!**/node_modules/' . | fzf --ansi --delimiter : --preview 'bat --style=numbers,changes,header --color=always --highlight-line {2} {1}' --preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' --layout=reverse)

    if test -n "$selected_file"
        set -l file (echo $selected_file | cut -d':' -f1)
        set -l line (echo $selected_file | cut -d':' -f2)
        set -l col (echo $selected_file | cut -d':' -f3)

        zed $file:$line:$col
    end
end

my keymap

{
    "context": "Editor && vim_mode == normal && !VimWaiting && !menu",
    "bindings": {
      "space f": [
        "workspace::SendKeystrokes",
        ": new center terminal enter search_and_edit space && space exit enter"
      ]
    }
  }

[JaLnYn]

Hey guys, I was looking at this issue too. I have an implementation of this search style in rust on my websocket ide project here on line 177. I use the crate nucleo.

I will spend some time looking into the code to see if I can easily move the coded over.

If someone can point to a starting point, that would be great.

[JaLnYn]

I submitted a pr for realtime search

#21348

but it's kinda slow because their current search seems to lack optimizations. Waiting on their advice on how to proceed.

[LogicKahanHai]

Hey @GengCen-Qin Can you please help me out.. I configured fish and added the function as well and it works in the terminal when I put it manually. I have also added the keymap as you provided. But, when i press space-f it just opens the full-screen terminal tab for me and then stops there. I am unable to find any solution to this. Would appreciate your help. Thanks :)

[vjdhanota]

The "workspace::SendKeystrokes" workaround keybinding to open a center terminal no longer works as of a recent release. Luckily, the latest preview release added support for running tasks in a center pane (Zed Preview 0.167.1).

I've updated and enhanced my config since my last post. I've added file search and historical search support. Sharing it here for others:

In my ~/.zshrc

function zed_file_search() {
  local FILE
  FILE=$(
    rg --files --hidden --color=always \
      --glob '!**/.git/' \
      --glob '!**/node_modules' \
    | fzf --ansi --preview 'bat --decorations=always --color=always {} --style=full --line-range :50' \
          --preview-window 'up:60%:wrap' \
          --layout=reverse
  )

  if [ -n "$FILE" ]; then
    zed "$FILE"
  fi
}

function zed_search() {
  local query="${1:-}"
  local OUT

  # Run fzf in multi-selection mode with dynamic reload based on the query.
  # The first line of output is the final query, followed by one or more selected results.
  OUT=$(
    fzf --ansi --cycle --exact --delimiter ':' --nth 4.. \
      --preview 'bat --decorations=always --color=always {1} --highlight-line {2} --style=full' \
      --preview-window 'up:60%:+{2}+3/3' \
      --layout=reverse \
      --query "$query" \
      --phony \
      --print-query \
      --multi \
      --bind 'start:reload:rg --column --hidden --line-number --no-heading --color=always --smart-case \
        --colors match:fg:green --colors path:fg:white --colors path:style:nobold \
        --glob "!**/.git/" --glob "!**/node_modules" {q} .' \
      --bind 'change:reload:rg --column --hidden --line-number --no-heading --color=always --smart-case \
        --colors match:fg:green --colors path:fg:white --colors path:style:nobold \
        --glob "!**/.git/" --glob "!**/node_modules" {q} .'
  )

  # If nothing was selected, do nothing
  if [ -z "$OUT" ]; then
    return
  fi

  # The first line of OUT is the query used, append it to history
  local FINAL_QUERY
  FINAL_QUERY=$(echo "$OUT" | head -n1)

  if [ -n "$FINAL_QUERY" ]; then
    echo "$FINAL_QUERY" >> ~/.zed_search_history
  fi

  # Now extract the selected file lines (everything after the first line)
  # Each line is in the format: filepath:line:col:...
  echo "$OUT" | tail -n +2 | while IFS= read -r FILE_LINE; do
    if [ -n "$FILE_LINE" ]; then
      local LINE COL PATH
      # Not sure why, but I have to use absolute paths to `cut` and `zed` here
      LINE=$(echo "$FILE_LINE" | /usr/bin/cut -d':' -f2)
      COL=$(echo "$FILE_LINE" | /usr/bin/cut -d':' -f3)
      PATH=$(echo "$FILE_LINE" | /usr/bin/cut -d':' -f1)
      /usr/local/bin/zed "$PATH:$LINE:$COL"
    fi
  done
}

function zed_search_history() {
  # FZF to choose a past query
  local HIST_QUERY=$(fzf --prompt="History> " < ~/.zed_search_history)
  if [ -n "$HIST_QUERY" ]; then
    # Run zed_search again with the chosen query
    zed_search "$HIST_QUERY"
  fi
}

My global tasks.json:

  {
    "label": "search:files",
    "command": "zed_file_search",
    "env": {},
    "cwd": "${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT}",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": false,
    "use_new_terminal": false,
    "reveal": "always",
    "hide": "always",
    "show_command": true,
    "show_summary": true,
    "reveal_target": "center"
  },
  {
    "label": "search:project",
    "command": "zed_search ${ZED_SELECTED_TEXT:-}",
    "env": {},
    "cwd": "${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT}",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": false,
    "use_new_terminal": false,
    "reveal": "always",
    "hide": "always",
    "show_command": true,
    "show_summary": true,
    "reveal_target": "center"
  },
  {
    "label": "search:history",
    "command": "zed_search_history",
    "env": {},
    "cwd": "${ZED_WORKTREE_ROOT}",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": false,
    "use_new_terminal": false,
    "reveal": "always",
    "hide": "always",
    "show_command": true,
    "show_summary": true,
    "reveal_target": "center"
  },

I then have some keybindings that fire these tasks. Here is a quick demo of how it works/looks:

Kapture.2024-12-23.at.09.41.53.mp4

I recently came across this TUI tool for general-purpose fuzzy finding inspired by Telescope - https://github.com/alexpasmantier/television. Integrating this as a center terminal task might be a better approach but I haven't gotten around to it yet

[baldwindavid]

@vjdhanota - Nice work on that and good find for television. Just a naive setup leveraging television works well enough for me. I'm sure this could be improved, but doesn't get much simpler.

tasks.json

  {
    "label": "File Finder",
    "command": "zed \"$(tv files)\"",
    "hide": "always",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
    "use_new_terminal": true
  },
  {
    "label": "Find in Files",
    "command": "zed \"$(tv text)\"",
    "hide": "always",
    "allow_concurrent_runs": true,
    "use_new_terminal": true
  },

keymap.json

"cmd-p": [
  "task::Spawn",
  { "task_name": "File Finder", "reveal_target": "center" }
],
"cmd-f": [
  "task::Spawn",
  { "task_name": "Find in Files", "reveal_target": "center" }
],

[LogicKahanHai]

Hi @baldwindavid
I tried your method. Amazing! Thank you so much for this! Just one small question, how does the reveal_target: center part of it work (or affect the whole thing)? I took a look at #9445 and #22004 and from there what I understood was that adding this would run the task in the center terminal (like the one that opens when you run : new center terminal) but it does not do that in my system. Did I miss something in between? I really want it to run in the center terminal.

Thanks for your help! Merry Christmas!

[baldwindavid]

@LogicKahanHai The feature to run a task in the center terminal is currently only in the preview release. The next stable release will include it.

[baldwindavid]

Posted a discussion of the drop-in replacement leveraging television with a video in #22581. This is effectively a solved issue for me at this point though I know popping into a TUI is not everyone's bag.