Keyboard handling issues when creating new entities via Global Search

It’s a very useful feature to be able to create a new entity via Ctrl+k Global Search. :grinning:

However, the keyboard handling for this procedure is very cumbersome.

Currently one must do this:


  1. Ctrl+k to bring up global search
  2. (Type new entity name)
  3. TAB to move keyboard focus to DB selector
  4. Space or ENTER to activate keyboard input for DB selector
  5. (Type partial DB name, maybe use cursor keys to select the DB)
  6. ENTER to *really* select the DB
  7. Shift+TAB to move keyboard focus back to search field
  8. ENTER to create the new entity

  • Step 4 should not be necessary - after TABbing to the DB selector field, one should be able to immediately type-to-filter.
  • Step 6 should not be necessary, as a DB is already highlighted (“selected”).
  • If Ctrl+ENTER could be accepted as “Do It Now” (when the keyboard focus is in either field) that would also make things faster.

Related issue:

Filtering DBs in Global Search is broken – if I type “project”, my “Project” DB is not selected, but rather my “Page” DB:

Yes, I feel the pain of this too. Also when creating entities inline.

I do this action so often I would love to see some sort of keyboard shortcut. Maybe “#”? Enter the name of the entity, then “#” without a space, then the DB picker comes up.

It would also be handy for me to be able to create a new DB “type” this way, in a default space, with only name and description to start.

Anyway, just some of my thoughts.

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