Bug 427961

Summary:	Allow selecting a desktop file with the keyboard (AKA "type-ahead" support), as in Dolphin and other file managers
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Luca Allulli <l.allulli>
Component:	Desktop icons & Folder View widget	Assignee:	Eike Hein <hein>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	alexander.lohnau, bugseforuns, eduardo.cruz, nate, plasma-bugs-null
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	5.20.1
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	unspecified
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Luca Allulli 2020-10-19 07:23:14 UTC

SUMMARY
In any Dolphin Window of file selection dialog, it is possible to select a file using the keyboard, i.e. typing a prefix of its name.

Instead, when the Desktop has focus, if you type any letters, KRunner kicks in.

I think that Desktop should behave like any folder: when you type a letter, a matching file (if any) should be selected. KRunner should be opened using its ALT + SpaceBar shortcut.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Minimize all the windows
2. Select any file on the desktop
3. Type the first letter of another file

OBSERVED RESULT

KRunner opens

EXPECTED RESULT

The file whose name starts with the typed letter should gain selection


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Manjaro Lunux
KDE Plasma Version: 5.19.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.74.0
Qt Version: 5.15.1

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2020-10-21 03:31:00 UTC

This has annoyed me as well from time to time.

However I imagine if we change it, we're bound to annoy the people who like the current behavior.

Comment 2 Alexander Lohnau 2020-10-21 05:55:27 UTC

Maybe make this configurable, but leave the default as it is? I have seen a request here and there to disable this feature and quite a few people who actually use it.

Comment 3 Luca Allulli 2020-10-21 06:39:05 UTC

+1 for making this configurable.

Please also consider that, in the mainstream operating system, the desktop has the "file selection" behavior... thus many people are accustomed to it.

Furthermore, right now there is no way to select a Desktop file using the keyboard , or to look for a file in a crowded Desktop (which are common use cases, at least for me) other that firing up Dolphin, selecting the Desktop folder, and looking for the file... which is quite lengthy.

Thank you so much for your astonishing work!

Comment 4 Nate Graham 2023-04-27 16:49:53 UTC

*** Bug 446044 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***