How to enable "live search" in eclipse?

Question

In Komodo Edit, an input field is available in the toolbar. When I type text in it, it highlights matching search results. Is there something like this in Eclipse, either directly or via a plugin?

Answer 1

As TK Gospodinov has already mentioned, there is an Incremental option in Find/Replace (Ctrl+F) dialog.

There is also a special key binding for Incremental search in Eclipse (and personally I use it more frequently). From Eclipse Tips and Tricks:

Use Edit > Incremental Find Next (Ctrl+J) or Edit > Incremental Find Previous (Ctrl+Shift+J) to enter the incremental find mode, and start typing the string to match. Matches are found incrementally as you type. The search string is shown in the status line. Press Ctrl+J or Ctrl+Shift+J to go to the next or previous match. Press Enter or Esc to exit incremental find mode.

Answer 2

If you'd like to have search functionality in a toolbar, you may be interested in the eclipse-glance plugin, which allows you to use the incremental search function in a toolbar by pressing Ctrl + Alt + F while in any text area.

Answer 3

This feature is already available in eclipse. No need to install any plug-in. Press Ctrl+F, and the Find pop up appears.

Now check the incremental checkbox, and then your texts will be found as you type. No need to hit return.

OR

Use Ctrl+J and you can activate the live search, just that there wont be any UI visible, but you can see the status in eclipse status bar at the bottom.

Press Ctrl+J, start typing the text you want to search for. Press esc to go back to edit mode