Incremental search - ECB - the Emacs Code Browser
Description: ECB - the Emacs Code Browser

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#### 6.2.2 Incremental search for a node in current tree-buffer

Each display-able key (e.g. all keys normally bound to `self-insert-command`) is appended to the current search-pattern. The tree-buffer tries to jump to the first node which matching the current search-pattern either as substring or as prefix (see below). If no match is found then nothing is done. There are some special keys:

- `backspace` and `delete`: Delete the last character from the search-pattern.
- `home`: Delete the complete search-pattern
- `end`: Expand either to a complete node if current search-pattern is already unique or expands to the greatest common substring or prefix of the nodes. If there are at least two nodes with the same greatest common-prefix than every hit of `end` jumps to the next node with this common prefix.

For better overlooking the current search-pattern is shown in the echo area. After selecting a node with RET the search-pattern is cleared out. With `ecb-tree-incremental-search` you can specify if the current search-pattern must be a real prefix of the node (default) or if any substring is matched.

For faster and easier finding the right node in a ecb-window the incremental search ignores the following non interesting stuff:

- any leading spaces
- expand/collapse-buttons: [+] rsp. [-]
- protection-signs (+, -, #) in the method-window if uml-notation is used
- variables types or return-types in front of variable- or method-names.
- const specifier for variables

This means: Just type in the prefix (rsp. a substring) of a class-, variable-, method-, directory- or filename and ECB will bring you as fast as possible to the node you want. Incremental node-search uses the value of `case-fold-search`.

Tip: The `ecb-minor-mode` offers you in the `ecb-mode-map` (customizable via `ecb-key-map`) some keys for selecting every window of the ecb-frame. This makes window-selection a childﾴs play. For example you can jump into the method-window by hitting `C-c . gm`.