Type part of the path name then use "Ctrl" + "T" to insert a file name, the already typed part become redundant

[ericsunplus]

Hi there,

Suppose I have the following directory structure

├─sub1
│  └─a
│      └─b
│          └─c
│                  test.txt
│
├─sub2
│  └─a
│      └─b
│          └─c
│                  test.txt
│
├─sub3
│  └─a
│      └─b
│          └─c
│                  test.txt
│
└─sub4
    └─a
        └─b
            └─c
                    test.txt

I now want to edit test.txt in sub2 directory. I first type vim sub2\ and then use Ctrl + T to list possible files

I then type test to narrow down the entries

It locate the desired path. I then press Enter. The absolute path shows on command line. However, the test I typed before is still there

Because of this redundant part the command line becomes an invalid one

I noticed that this don't happen for Alt + C subdirectory selector, the already typed part can be merged with the selection. Is it possible the file selector behavior get aligned?

[chrisant996]

As far as I can tell, the FZF project expects that the Ctrl-T command is literally "insert file name". It is intended to simply insert, not do completion. The clink-fzf script is trying to faithfully port fzf to Clink/CMD, and is not trying to change how fzf works.

• fzf_file is bound to Ctrl-T by default, and inserts a file name.
• fzf_complete is the command that does completion, and it sounds like that is what you want -- it is bound to Ctrl-Space by default, but you could bind it to Ctrl-T if desired.

If I've misunderstood how fzf works in other shells, please do let me know.

[ericsunplus]

I did try Ctrl + Space, its behavior is just match in the current directory, it won't iterate into its sub directories. So I can not go to "test.txt" directly. For example after I type sub2 and press Ctrl + Space, it only show items in current directory

[ericsunplus]

Just did a try in Ubuntu bash + fzf. The behavior is the same when I use Ctrl + T. But in bash there is another ** + Tab which also invokes fuzzy file completion, no such problem there.

[chrisant996]

Oh, I see, yes. I've added ** support now in fzf_complete. Thanks for reporting this!

[ericsunplus]

Hi @chrisant996 , it turns out not working on my side (fuzzy finder interface not show up). Also with the new commit the ALT + C stop to work. I am attaching a screen recording as below

Not sure if I am missing something here

[chrisant996]

Oh. Yes, I didn't think of the case where there is only one normal match completion. For ** to work properly it will have to work quite differently. This weekend I'll work on finishing ** to work when there's only one match in the current directory.

The Alt+C thing was a typo. I've fixed it, and also cleaned up some of the code a little.

Thanks!

[ericsunplus]

Thanks you! clink and fzf really makes life better for me. Will definitely advice them to my collegues

[chrisant996]

The ** should work recursively now even when there's only 0 or 1 file matches in the typed dir.

[ericsunplus]

@chrisant996 , thanks for the quick fix in weekend. I find it is still not working on my windows cmd (**TAB don't invoke the fzf selector, like my screen recording in earlier post). As comparison, a Ubuntu screen recording is attached

Don't figure out what might be the root cause.

• Maybe it is my local setting problem (like there is some global setting for TAB which prevents **TAB to function correctly).
• Maybe the **TAB is not functioning at windows CMD at all (in fzf repo, the title of fuzzy completion may imply it is only for bash and zsh)

So can I know what is the situation on your side on windows CMD? ( I am also attaching my experiment folder clink_fzf.zip )

[chrisant996]

Have you set up a key binding for Tab to invoke "luafunc:fzf_complete"?

As documented, the fzf.lua script sets Ctrl-Space as the key for invoking completion with fzf.

If you want another key to invoke it, then you need to set up a key binding.

In your .inputrc file:

TAB: "luafunc:fzf_complete"

[chrisant996]

For convenience, I've added a default key binding for Tab as well, for similarity with fzf in other shells.

I had avoided that originally, because it didn't seem to me that always using fzf would be very desirable. But maybe it is, and anyway at least this way it works in a more familiar manner "out of the box".

[ericsunplus]

My fault, I was thinking that the key binding is some default setting for fzf itself.

After your latest commit, the **TAB can trigger the FZF selector, but after press Enter, the selection don't goes to the command line

Another thing is now TAB will default invoke FZF selector, even there is only one choice, this is not the case in Ubuntu bash. In there only **TAB is recognized as a hotkey, not TAB itself. I tried to use .inputrc to use another hotkey like \M-k, but ** Alt+k is not recognized anymore. Maybe is_trigger function need to be revised for key combination other than TAB

[chrisant996]

My fault, I was thinking that the key binding is some default setting for fzf itself.

Ah, no. Key bindings are always part of the shell. For bash, zsh, etc the fzf package comes with shell scripts that set up key bindings. Just like fzf.lua sets up key bindings.

Bug 1

After your latest commit, the **TAB can trigger the FZF selector, but after press Enter, the selection don't goes to the command line

Ah. Yes. I might need to add a LUA API in Clink in order for this to fully work. Will investigate.

Bug 2

Another thing is now TAB will default invoke FZF selector, even there is only one choice, this is not the case in Ubuntu bash.

Yes. It's an artifact of how the filtering was originally hooked up. I've added a case to prevent fzf from activating when there's only one match.

Bug 3

In there only **TAB is recognized as a hotkey, not TAB itself.

Oh, I see, fzf doesn't replace completion in general. Interesting. I'll adjust it so TAB only invokes the fzf UI when used following ** (by the way the ** is not part of the key binding -- the command examines the text preceding the cursor to see if ** is present, but the ** is not actually part of the key binding -- not in bash, zsh, fish, or Clink).

Bug 4

I tried to use .inputrc to use another hotkey like \M-k, but ** Alt+k is not recognized anymore. Maybe is_trigger function need to be revised for key combination other than TAB

I don't understand the statement.

It works fine for me. I have several different key bindings for "luafunc:fzf_complete", and all of them work the same.

Please show the exact key binding line you added to your .inputrc file. Maybe there is a mistake in how the key binding is written?

(Also, is_trigger has nothing to do with the key binding. There's no way to revise it for specific key bindings, because it isn't related to key bindings.)

[ericsunplus]

About the duplication of Bug 4, I experiment again and as you said, it is not related to the key binding. It is just because of a corner case of ** + fzf_complete : I have to type some character before ** for fzf selector to show up.

For example currently I am in clink_fzf directory, If I type cd **TAB fzf selector is not showing up, If I type cd su**TAB the selector will show up. In my previous reporting I accidently use the former for my new key combination but use the latter for default **TAB combination, and misunderstood it as the key combination have a different length that might need the index in line_state:getline():sub(line_state:getcursor() - 2, line_state:getcursor() - 1) to adjust accordingly

[chrisant996]

About the duplication of Bug 4, I experiment again and as you said, it is not related to the key binding. It is just because of a corner case of ** + fzf_complete : I have to type some character before ** for fzf selector to show up.

For example currently I am in clink_fzf directory, If I type cd **TAB fzf selector is not showing up,

I don't have to type anything before **.

[chrisant996]

1. Fixed: Now choosing a item from the **Tab list gets inserted correctly.
2. Fixed: Now "fzf_complete" no longer shows the fzf UI if there is only 1 match.
3. Fixed: Now **Tab uses fzf, and Tab does not.
4. Cannot Reproduce: For me, cd **Tab shows the fzf UI.

[ericsunplus]

Hi @chrisant996 , I can only duplicate the #4 issue in a previous commit

Everything works fine with your latest commit. I am feeling cmd overwhelming bash now :). Thank you again for the continuous help and enhance for clink and clink-fzf.