Navigate through explorer by typing start of file/folder name

[MarkPieszak]

• VSCode Version: Any
• OS Version: Any

Feature Proposal When opening a folder containing hundreds of items (for example: node_modules) There is no easy way to get to a child folder/file without scrolling around.

Would it be possible to allow the file viewer to navigate down to let's say the first file of the next letter keypressed?

node_modules (folder is highlighted)
    ( letter L is hit )
    ---- automatically scrolls down within node_modules to folders beginning with "L"
       +++ Folders shown:
       +  Lodash / etc

Just an idea, would help navigating large filesystems a bit easier.

[Tyriar]

I'd also love to have this, anything that makes it easier to navigate the explorer using only the keyboard would be awesome.

This is how Ubuntu handles it in its "Files" program:

Type 's' and you get a filter box that pops up at the bottom of the file explorer:

At this point down and up only allow navigation between files starting with an 's'. Pressing escape will clear the filter and allow free navigation again.

I believe Windows on the other hand maintains a search string and keeps a timeout for when the search expires. As such, typing "sr" in quick succession will focus the src directory, pressing "c" before the timeout expires will keep focus on src, if it's after the timeout expires then CONTRIBUTING.md will be focused. up/down are not restricted on Windows.

[MarkPieszak]

Oh well that'd be an even better implementation! If it narrowed down and only showed folders/files with the letter(s) you typed that'd be incredible. :+1:

[bpasero]

Related: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/9373

[Tyriar]

Haha, of course I already reported this in #4763 :stuck_out_tongue:

[dougrosenfeld]

This is a great request. We too are working with thousands of files in hundreds of folders on multiple network shares. Finding and navigating with a mouse and scrolling through a large folder structure to find the file and manually selecting the file is burdensome - especially when the Explorer jumps around when clicking on a file in the Open Editors pane.

We kindly request that finding files in the Explorer be easier. The standard Windows Explorer is a good example.

For example, provide a box where you can start typing in the file name and the folders/files displayed in the Explorer are limited to names that match - even if the folders are "closed". Please support wild cards. This search needs to be very fast.

Another example, a simple goto file would be helpful.

Another example, allow typing in the Explorer to jump to a file. But don't limit it to the current folder.

[ConstantineK]

Agreed with @dougrosenfeld, as soon as I opened my first folder in the Explorer menu I intuitively looked for the bar that I could click to filter the items within the window, mainly because it is available in many code editors.

I have had multiple people ask me this same question when I introduced Code to them, and when working with larger directories with many files this would simplify the mental overhead of dealing with all of the folders.

[Tyriar]

It would make sense to tackle this when we look at adding multi-select in https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/1023

[bpasero]

Updated this summary: this feature asks for filtering the explorer while typing whereas https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/10839 would cover the request of selecting the next element in the tree that matches a specific key that was pressed.

[thekalinga]

@bpasero Is there a plan on which release this will be included in (feb/march/e.t.c)?

[bpasero]

Backlog means it is not planned for any iteration.

[thekalinga]

Wanted to check if the item is in the potential items that you might consider in this/next release?

[bpasero]

I think it is.

[gulshan]

Isn't ctrl+p and ctrl+e kind of doing this already?

[Tyriar]

@gulshan my main need:

1. Open ./node_modules/, which is excluded by default
2. Click on the explorer and start typing the name

Right now you need to scroll down and find it, which can be a pain with hundreds of modules.

[Tyriar]

@bpasero FYI I rolled https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/10839 into this one as it's confusing to switch the issue purpose (especially when people have voted for it). Hiding items that didn't match could potentially be a settings on this.

[metasong]

@bpasero what's the current status of this feature request, we need it!!!! what's the current status of this feature request, we need it!!!! what's the current status of this feature request, we need it!!!!

[msafi]

Alternatively, provide Explorer API for extension authors to achieve the same thing

[mostr]

Are there any time plans for this one, or is there any extension for that? I'm missing it a lot :(

[quasarea]

I manage to replace this functionality by using ctrl +p and typing name. It's not the same but in some ways more convinient even as you don't have to start from beginning of filename and you don't need mouse to switch.

[mmayors]

I'm so glad I found this feature request. For someone who works exclusively on Mac which gives you this for free in the Finder this would be a huge improvement.

[Skura23]

It's still not a feature now, sad.

[rossjs]

Would love for this to also be included into the workbench.action.quickOpen command (⌘ + P / Ctrl + P) as well!

[sandos]

I would love the feature as in Visual Studio, where a keypress both focuses on the "solution explorer" and then filters if you type more. I believe the "focusing" bits are already in code. There is some overlap in functionality with ctrl+P. Still a useful feature.

[ivanvoznyakovsky]

that would be awesome to have this feature implemented. no idea why this is still On Deck, hence under consideration. found a quick hack for it https://github.com/karabaja4/vscode-explorer-search

[lousyd]

"Me too". I would like to be able to search the vertical list of filenames by just pushing a key when the pane is in focus. But instead of just the first letter, it'd be nicer if it visually filtered the list in realtime, and searched for the string I typed anywhere in the filename. So if my list includes "Get-MyFunction", "Set-MyFunction", and "Do-TheFunThing", typing "Func" would filter out the last one and show just the first two. (I forget sometimes what verb I used for my personal scripts collection.) The command palette sort of works this way. Having it in the Explorer pane, and limited to the string typed, would be really useful.

[vsizov]

This is the only feature I miss to call VScode the greatest editor of all time :)

[wongjiahau]

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hiredgun]

omg, why is it still not implemented :(

[hoegge]

Yes it is really painful to navigate a medium sized node_modules folder without a way to search by entering text, It should just work like this:

1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+E to set focus to the explorer
2. Start typing and it searches - jumping to the next folder that match the typed letters - just like searching a folder in Outlook

[jasonslyvia]

one whole year passed since last member responded 🤔 just curious what's the current status and what can we do to help out

[hiredgun]

@hoegge I have exactly the same use case, it's really annoying. I really like VS Code despite so many missing features and probably I'm the only person using it in my company :D Sometimes I try to convince my colleagues to try it but when I realize that you can't even select multiple files and move it to another directory or delete them then I just give up and start to think that maybe it's time to move to another IDE :(

[ivanvoznyakovsky]

@hiredgun I think multi select is already in insider and is coming in w/ next release (see #1023). what is more annoying is that usages are not updated when you move files around. you have to go and search for usages of every single file moved and fix path.

[wongjiahau]

@hiredgun The select multiple file feature is already rolled out. https://code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_20?source=techstories.org#_multi-select-in-the-explorer

[rakeshpmali]

If you have used Source Insight, it has a search bar just above file explorer window where we can type filename and it instantly shows the file below. I would request something like this in the vscode explorer pane.

Thanks for this wonderful IDE ! Cheers ! and Keep up the Good Work !

[gulshan]

Does this issue relate to accessibility in some way?

[sgon00]

+1

[sgon00]

I just figured out Ctrl-p is not only a list of recently opened files, but also I can search through all files in the project even if it's not in the list. Just for reference. I am not sure if I am the only one who don't know this.

[elektronik2k5]

@sgon00, that excludes files, which are ignored by version control. The original issue explicitly states the need to search through node_modules, which is typically ignored by version control. What you're describing doesn't work for such files/directories.

[Legends]

When?

[Legends]

What about?

[lopugit]

when's this gonna be implemented?

Could you give some direction to what code needs to be added where to get this working?

I will have a look, it's crucial

[neighthan]

Just trying Code, coming from Atom, and this is one of a few larger frustrations I have. In Atom, I use a package that makes it easy to navigate to any file on my computer without needing to resort to my mouse, filtering the contents of the current directory as I type, and creating the file(/directories leading to it) I request if they don't exist. Having to deal with the Windows Explorer (which isn't great for use without a mouse, though perhaps I just need to learn some keyboard shortcuts) is a pain every time.

[Corps-Yan]

Still not implemented!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ambichetan]

Eagerly waiting for this feature!!!

[katapneuma]

If you are used to maintaining a large codebase, this could easily be at the top of your must-have feature list. One use case for me is to be able to scan or delete dozens of "*-tmp" suffixed filenames (for example) without having to wade through dozens of folders.

[levani]

Webstorm handles this really well...

[prashantpalikhe]

Also in desperate need of this feature.

[zersiax]

Bump. Not having this is seriously killing my productivity. I can't scroll with a mouse as I'm a screen reader user, I have to go file by file by file by file by file by ...you get the idea. Imagine finding a file in the resources/views/auth/login/ folder all the way from the top of the file tree just by pressing arrow down and arrow right, feel my pain.

[crazyxhz]

this is the only missing feature that kept me from switching to vscode from webstorm

[hiredgun]

If you want temporary solution then check this extension