Proposal: Search Pre-sets

[XuaXua]

While anyone can ctrl-f whatever in the game using the search function, I think it would help newer players to have some pre-set searches available (besides the last search conducted) after hitting ctrl-f.

If any of the online servers have such a thing, I'd do a search on the most common ctrl-f calls (distinct) by player and see what might be called the most and provide a "quick menu".

"artef" (for artefacts, not quARTErstaves)
"gold" (for shops)
"brand" (for branded weaponry/armour)

Suggestions from others welcome if this is considered a viable ease-of-use concept to implement.

[jejorda2]

So maybe ctr-f. then ctrl-1 through ctrl-0 for common searches? Put in reasonable defaults based on data and let the .rc file override them? If ctrl-# put in a string, and then you could edit it for the current situation, that might be even better.

I often search for corpses.

I often search for something like "ego && armour && Orc" after completing a branch.

I often search for resistances or sources of flight before facing a particular branch or sometimes a unique.

I wish there were a symbol that stood for "the current branch" in the same way that "." stands for "the current floor". Would "~" work for that, or is it already assigned?

[Siegurt]

I like:
Body && (artifact|ego)
Or
Weapon && (artifact|ego)
Also
Ring of (so I don't catch ring mail)

[dpeg]

I can only speak for the console interface, and I don't think that Ctrl-F should come up with some presets. The help screen is mentioned as soon as you fire up the command. Improving the help screen itself, and in particular adding more/better example lines, is an option, of course. Note that Ctrl-O points out both Ctrl-F "shop" and Ctrl-F "altar". (Note that "shop" is better than "gold" because the latter also lists gold you didn't pick up.)

I am fine with adding a shortcut for "this branch".

[savageorange]

It seems to me that $EXPANSION would address this neatly.

define the $CONSTANTS in your RCfile, then use them:

* Ctrl+f $w (with w = 'weapon && (artifact|ego)')
* Ctrl+f $a && Orc (with a = 'armour && ego')

That would address :
a) the un-mnemonicness of ctrl+0-9
b) refining a 'standard' search

Actually IMO single-letter searches are not otherwise useful, so we could just leave out the $ if we restricted constants to a single letter. That would be pretty convenient -- 'Ctrl+f w Enter'.