Implement in-editor search-and-replace (Cmd-F/Cmd-H) for text editors

[hernanmd]

Problem Description

Glamorous Toolkit's text editors (used for methods, playgrounds, etc.) lack a standard in-editor search-and-replace function. Cmd-F (find) and Cmd-H (replace) shortcuts do not work within the editor widget, unlike in conventional IDEs like VS Code or traditional Smalltalk browsers. Spotter provides a global search, but it does not address local in-editor text-editing needs.

Use Case Where Spotter/Refactorings Fail

Consider editing a large Pillar markup file (e.g., a GT book chapter with 500+ lines of mixed prose, code snippets, and @references). I need to perform a bulk text replacement: change all instances of oldMethodName to newMethodName only within inline code blocks (e.g., `oldMethodName` to `newMethodName`), without affecting similar text in prose or headings.

• Why Spotter fails: Spotter is global and semantic (methods, senders, etc.), so it cannot target literal text spans in a single editor buffer. It jumps to method definitions but ignores non-semantic markup.
• Why refactorings fail: RB refactorings (rename method/class) operate on AST-level symbols, not raw text. Pillar's inline code is treated as plain text, not executable Pharo code, so no symbol resolution occurs. Regex-based global renames (via Spotter or external tools) risk over-matching across files.
• Current workflow: Manual selection/copy-paste or external editor switching disrupts GT's live environment flow. For 50+ occurrences, this takes 10-20 minutes per file.

Expected Behavior

• Cmd-F: Open a floating search bar at the editor top with regex support, next/prev buttons, and case sensitivity toggle.
• Cmd-H: Extend to find-replace pane (search + replace fields, replace/replace-all).
• Match VS Code-style: Incremental highlighting, multi-line regex, selection preservation.
• Integrate with GT styling: Search results as text attributes (e.g., yellow background).

Proposed Implementation Sketch

Extend BrEditor:

BrEditor >> gtSpotterSearchFor: aStep 
	"Wire Cmd-F to local Spotter-like search"
	^ GtSearchTextEditorElement forTextEditor: self

• Add GtInEditorSearchElement as a layout overlay.
• Bind via BrTextEditorKeymap (macOS: Cmd-F/H, Win/Linux: Ctrl-F/H).
• Use a BrTextFindReplacer for logic (extend from existing text ops).

Priority

High for users editing docs/markdown/large texts (Pillar, JSON configs, shaders). Complements Spotter/refactorings without overlap.

[girba]

There is support for search in coder. Not for replace. How do you instantiate the editor?

[hernanmd]

There is support for search in coder. Not for replace. How do you instantiate the editor?

The request is for a replace feature in the code editors. I don't understand what you mean by "instantiate the editor"; I just use the standard editors already provided by the GT image.

[girba]

I asked about what editor you refer to because you said that cmd+f is not supported, but it should actually work in Coder editors :).

We did not install the search in most other editors (for example, the editor for a file in the inspector). An editor element has to add a dedicated aptitude to support the search.

Take a look at this example:
BrEditorSearchTextWithScripterExamples>>#editorElementWithSearchTextAptitude

[hernanmd]

I asked about what editor you refer to because you said that cmd+f is not supported, but it should actually work in Coder editors :).

My issue description states that Cmd+F and Cmd+H for replace are not supported in Glamorous Toolkit's text editors. There are no mentions of Cmd+F alone. Please note I'm talking about the combination of keys Cmd+F AND Cmd+H

We did not install the search in most other editors (for example, the editor for a file in the inspector). An editor element has to add a dedicated aptitude to support the search.

Take a look at this example: BrEditorSearchTextWithScripterExamples>>#editorElementWithSearchTextAptitude

If the text issue is too long to read, you can paste it into an AI, and it will confirm that I'm not talking about Cmd+F but Cmd+F with Cmd+H, the standard combination to replace text in most editors. The title of the issue is "in-editor search-and-replace", not "search".

[girba]

Thanks for the clarification. My confusion is due to the fact that in the editors I use, replace is achieved through Cmd+Shift+f :).

So, that is not implemented in GT yet, but the path to implement it would be similar to the search support.