zed/crates/settings_ui
Andrew Goode f5e87e5343
settings_ui: Add Clear button to the search field (#56033)
This PR adds a 'clear' button to the search field in the Settings
window. The button becomes visible only when the field contains text.
Clicking the button clears the search field, which also resets the
navigation list.

Empty:
<img width="213" height="41" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/03f97367-1036-453f-816a-5cbad219951c"
/>

With a search term:
<img width="213" height="38" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/518047f4-c397-4a34-bb2f-147fcf37dc69"
/>


There are similar UIs, like the macOS and Windows System Settings
windows, and even Zed's 'Help' menu filter (on macOS), where the field
acts as a 'live filter', updating results on each keystroke, and the
'clear' action is more convenient than backspacing.

The first commit adds the button and the 'on click' functionality. If
the Zed team approves this change, I would also like to use the `escape`
key to clear the field. I have done some work on this, but there are
several issues and I would like some feedback before committing the
appropriate changes:
1. The `escape` binding to clear the field could arguably be built-in
(not user-configurable) since it's the standard key for this type of
action, and it may not make sense to allow other key combinations since
this field accepts keyboard input. Would the team approve a built-in key
binding, or must it be bound to a user-configurable `Action`?
2. For the Settings Window, `escape` is currently bound to the
`CloseWindow` Action by default. If the search field is focused,
pressing the `escape` key should clear the field, but not close the
window.
- If a new `Action` is used to clear the field (containing text), the
binding to that `Action` can have a more specific context
(`SettingsWindow > NavigationMenu && search`) than the `Action` on the
window (`SettingsWindow > NavigationMenu`), so the window won't close …
but if the field is *already empty*, should `escape` close the window
(and is there a way to re-enable the `CloseWindow` action in that case)?
- If a `KeyDownEvent` listener for `escape` is used to clear the field,
the `CloseWindow` Action still closes the window – is there a way to
cancel the `CloseWindow` Action in this case?
3. There is at least one other location with a similar 'live filter'
field, namely the Filter field in the Keymap Editor, where this same
functionality could be implemented. (I could update that too if this PR
is approved). Are there other similar instances in Zed? This 'clear
filter' UX should be consistent in all those locations.

Self-Review Checklist:

- [x] I've reviewed my own diff for quality, security, and reliability
- [x] Unsafe blocks (if any) have justifying comments
- [x] The content is consistent with the [UI/UX
checklist](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#uiux-checklist)
- [ ] Tests cover the new/changed behavior
- [x] Performance impact has been considered and is acceptable

(I could not find an existing issue or discussion about this feature.)

Release Notes:

- Added a 'clear' button to the search field in the Settings window,
which clears the field and resets the navigation list.

---------

Co-authored-by: MrSubidubi <finn@zed.dev>
2026-08-20 21:30:49 +00:00
..
src settings_ui: Add Clear button to the search field (#56033) 2026-08-20 21:30:49 +00:00
Cargo.toml Switch from cargo-machete to cargo-shear (#62643) 2026-08-20 10:08:48 +00:00
LICENSE-GPL