[REQ] plugins quick search filter
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Hi,
I've got another idea for making the work in Sketchup even faster!
Especially with the plugins you don't use on an every day basis, because you can't remember their full names or where they are located... but remember more or less what they do...1. The idea is to have a plugins quick search filter that would work similarly to the windows 7 search under the start menu.
Workflow:
You click a button/a keyboard shortcut -> a menu with a search field comes up, you start typing a name of a plugin, and as you type it will narrow down your search results till you find the plugin you were searching for. Having the first result automatically highlighted, Hit Enter or Space-bar to run the plugin command, or select with a mouse or arrow keys and again enter to run the selected command. Done!The search strings it will search for are according to plugin names/different plugin commands and the folders they may be listed under. It would work exactly (if not better) like the 'shortcuts filter field' in in the shortcuts pane under 'system preferences' in sketchup.
Maybe this already exists under one of those super plugin organizers that are mostly in chinese!?
In any case it would be nice to have it as a stand alone plugin.2. Taking this a step further - like in the windows7 search filter where you get results for different programs/file types/folders/, you could search for 'in model' component/group names that you would like to select and highlight, or for layer names that you would like to turn on and off immediately.
Having a search filter under the layers window, as an integral part of sketchup, would be nicer and more convenient logically... but this too, would be nice.Good Sketchupping!
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(And my try isn't even the first. And not the last. It seems searchable interfaces are en vogue.)
I imagine that idea could do much more than just searching which plugin to start/load, but also for executing actions, maybe for "speeking" to SketchUp. Of course this would be better implemented on system-level(see below) or like Android's Majel or Apple's Siri.
[flash 512,350:2u38h6cb]http://www.youtube.com/v/EHjEiTSHvqc?version=3&start=10[/flash:2u38h6cb]
For now we are waiting for Trimble to fix/complete their API (
UI::Command.proc), this plugin is otherwise not possible without the risk of breaking your plugins.
The UI::Command is a nice abstraction of a feature, it should contain as much metadata of a function as possible (icon, keywords, description), and then it can be easily accessible via menus/toolbars/webdialogs/voice/screen readers/keyboard search...
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