Keep Search Window Open all the time

David B Ferguson · Jul 11, 2018, 2:40 PM

Is there any way to keep the search window open all the time? It closes every time I do a Find in Files search. Thanks

Scott Sumner · Jul 11, 2018, 3:44 PM

Well, it will stay open if your search results in 0 hits in 0 files but I sense that isn’t all you want. :-D

So there is no easy way to make it stay open in general…however, I have seen it done with a lot of scripting code.

The usual use-case is:

do a find-in-files
work with results in the Find result panel and/or editor tabs

At this point your input focus is not on the Find window, so if it were still open it would take a mouse click to go back to it (count: 1 action). Find-in-files by default is tied to the ctrl+shift+f keycombo (count: also 1 action), so pressing that gets that window open again. Results: it takes one action either way. Summary: not so bad even when the window closes on successful search, IMO. :-)

Yaron · Jul 11, 2018, 11:05 PM

Hello David and Scott,

Close NPP, open config.xml with another editor and change dlgAlwaysVisible="no" to dlgAlwaysVisible="yes".

Best regards.

Scott Sumner · Jul 12, 2018, 12:05 PM

@Yaron

I didn’t know that trick. It works. I don’t recall ever seeing that discussed before. In this case, I’m glad to be wrong. :-)

I only find keeping the Find window open useful when I’m using multiple monitors and I can move it to a different monitor than my maximized N++ window…otherwise I’m happy when it normally (without your trick in effect) decides to close itself and get itself out of the way!

Yaron · Jul 12, 2018, 9:36 PM

Scott,

I had actually never tried it before reading this thread.
I did remember the config entry and voilà…

Scott Sumner · Jul 12, 2018, 9:42 PM

@Yaron

I think that’s why I like this site…I’m always learning new stuff that can boost my own productivity by the way others do things (and discuss them). Helping out by answering questions (if I can) is rewarding, too, but it’s secondary to my main (selfish) reason for being here. :-D

Yaron · Jul 13, 2018, 2:22 PM

Scott,

Whatever the motive, your major contribution to this forum is much appreciated. :)

David B Ferguson · Sep 5, 2018, 4:20 AM

@Yaron Thanks for the reply. Sorry I took so long to follow up on it, but it works great!

Aliaksandr3by · Oct 17, 2020, 1:39 AM

@Yaron
this method does not work for me (npp v7.9 64b + win10_64)
i use “cloud backup”

Alan Kilborn · Oct 17, 2020, 10:31 AM

@Aliaksandr3by

The new way (7.9) to do this is in the Preferences on the Searching page.
See Find dialog remains open after search that outputs to results window.
Tick that box.