Auto execute saved search note

[contributor]

If #autoExecuteSearch label is present, it auto executes a search note.

If ribbon's tab Collection Properties is present (and search results are not empty), it will auto switch to the tab too.

Context: #7704 (comment)

[gemini-code-assist]

Summary of Changes

Hello @contributor, I'm Gemini Code Assist¹! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

This pull request introduces a significant enhancement to how search notes function, enabling them to automatically execute their queries under specific conditions. The feature is activated by a dedicated label and includes intelligent handling to prevent repetitive executions within a session. Additionally, it integrates with the UI to automatically switch to a relevant tab, aiming to improve user efficiency and interaction with search results.

Highlights

• Auto-execution of Search Notes: Search notes tagged with the #autoExecuteSearch label will now automatically execute their defined queries upon being opened, streamlining the user workflow.
• Session-based Prevention of Re-execution: A new mechanism utilizing sessionStorage has been implemented to prevent the same search note from being auto-executed multiple times within a single browser session, ensuring efficiency and avoiding redundant operations.
• Automatic Ribbon Tab Switching: When an auto-executing search note is opened in the 'default' view mode, the 'Collection Properties' ribbon tab will automatically be toggled, providing immediate access to relevant note properties.

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[gemini-code-assist]

Code Review

This pull request introduces a feature to automatically execute a search note if it has the #autoExecuteSearch label. The implementation uses sessionStorage to prevent re-executing the search for the same note within a session. The changes are mostly in SearchDefinitionTab.tsx. My review includes feedback on potential bugs related to a toggle command and missing dependencies in a useEffect hook, as well as a suggestion to improve code structure and performance.

[eliandoran]

It's fine to have an attribute to execute the auto-search but I think doing it from the SearchDefinitionTab is not the best place to do so since it's a ribbon tab (e.g. user configuration).

Have you noticed that if you press the Search button in the launch bar, the search is immediately executed?

I tracked down this behavior, you can find it in root_command_executor.ts and looking for searchNotesCommand. Notice how it forces the search via loadSearchNote.

We can do the same, but you'd have to find a good place to do so. Perhaps in search_result.tsx where the logic of search not executed yet is also determine.

P.S. Don't forget to update the documentation; new features cannot be undocumented.

[contributor]

@eliandoran

It's fine to have an attribute to execute the auto-search but I think doing it from the SearchDefinitionTab is not the best place to do so since it's a ribbon tab (e.g. user configuration).

autoExecute does ultimately call loadSearchNote

It does this by using call to existing refreshResults in the same file (SearchDefinitionTab.tsx). So it works not much differently from “manual” search.

I could extract autoExecute function to some file, but then refreshResults should be extracted too. What are advantages of that?

[contributor]

@eliandoran

By the way, there is a “double list” bug in display search results. I first attributed this to the auto-search. But no, this is unrelated, and exists in main.

• start/reload app on a text note
• go to saved search note
• press search button (you can do this few times with different limits)

Search results are duplicated. When there are many results, you have double scrollbars too (moving in opposite directions)

Reproducable both in current main HEAD 71b86b3, and in main's commit 435b856 this PR starts from

Screenshots

[eliandoran]

@contributor , can you merge with the latest main to see if the issue is still reproducible? On my side I don't get double results.

Edit: I see you mentioned it occurs in the latest main as well, weird.

[contributor]

@eliandoran

On my side I don't get double results.

Set these attributes on root note:
#viewType(inheritable)=list #windowName=ShouldNeverHappen #iconClass="bx bx-home-alt-2"

[eliandoran]

@contributor , apparently #viewType(inheritable)=list is the key.

Should be fixed in d7ae2e4.

[contributor]

@contributor , apparently #viewType(inheritable)=list is the key.

Should be fixed in d7ae2e4.

@eliandoran

Still doubled result. Both in search tab and collection tab

[contributor]

@eliandoran

Additionally, there is another, more severe bug (including current main 3afe6df). Collection and text notes stops to show their children notes (root has #viewType(inheritable)=list)

• open trilium on a text note from collection
• click on collection note - it is empty
• after that clicking on any collection or text note won't show their children

Details

Collection with children:

Text note with children:

[eliandoran]

@contributor , apparently #viewType(inheritable)=list is the key.
Should be fixed in d7ae2e4.

@eliandoran

Still doubled result. Both in search tab and collection tab

Can't reproduce this issue anymore, are you sure it's not a problem with the cache on your side?

Additionally, there is another, more severe bug (including current main 3afe6df). Collection and text notes stops to show their children notes (root has #viewType(inheritable)=list)

Nice catch. I was aware of the bug but did not have specific steps to reproduce it.
Should be fixed by 976b1e1.

[contributor]

@eliandoran

Can't reproduce this issue anymore, are you sure it's not a problem with the cache on your side?

I'm sure. Double collection bug is still there.

Empty collection bug is now fixed.

[eliandoran]

@contributor , what commit are you on?

[contributor]

@contributor , what commit are you on?

976b1e1

[eliandoran]

@contributor , can't reproduce it...

Recording.2025-11-25.202224.mp4

[contributor]

@eliandoran

I retested again. Up until commit 976b1e1 double list is present. The commit fixes empty list. And apparently, this also fixes double list.

[rom1dep]

If #autoExecuteSearch label is present, it auto executes a search note.

what does that mean, practically?

[contributor]

If #autoExecuteSearch label is present, it auto executes a search note.

what does that mean, practically?

If you have a saved search note, #autoExecuteSearch will executes search automatically when you click on a tree node.

I had an old abandoned "Saved searches" branch with various search notes. I added #autoExecuteSearch(inheritable) to it, and the search notes now are easy and fun to click on. I moved the most useful search notes to other parts of tree/projects (and added #autoExecuteSearch to them directly).

[contributor]

@eliandoran added docs. ready for review.

[rom1dep]

If you have a saved search note, #autoExecuteSearch will executes search automatically when you click on a tree node.

Specifically, which tree node relative to the search note needs to be interacted with for the search to be triggered?

As far as I can tell, "click to search" is a capability that already exists (via the refresh button, on the search note itself):

It'd be good that:

• we don't introduce conflicting ways to do the same thing (click to refresh)
• the new way of implementing "click to refresh" is well documented and at least as discoverable as the current one (assuming a new way is warranted).

Now, if the intent is to have "smart" search-note hierarchies that are kept up to date and rendered at all time (without needing explicit refresh, which is what #autoExecuteSearch kind of hints at), I suppose it's a much bigger effort.

[contributor]

Specifically, which tree node relative to the search note needs to be interacted with for the search to be triggered?

Search note itself

Now, if the intent is to have "smart" search-note hierarchies that are kept up to date and rendered at all time (without needing explicit refresh, which is what #autoExecuteSearch kind of hints at), I suppose it's a much bigger effort

Yes, this is what it does. Browsing saved searches as collections with one click on a tree node.

#autoExecuteSearch can be on a search note directly, or inherited from any note up in hierarchy

[rom1dep]

Specifically, which tree node relative to the search note needs to be interacted with for the search to be triggered?

Search note itself

If the search note has to be clicked on, are you sure that we need this change? By your account, this is effectively the same as clicking on the refresh button which we already have (see screenshot above), on that same note. If the need is satisfied by a larger refresh icon, let's explore a UI solution that won't pull new attributes, configuration and complexity.

Now, if the intent is to have "smart" search-note hierarchies that are kept up to date and rendered at all time (without needing explicit refresh, which is what #autoExecuteSearch kind of hints at), I suppose it's a much bigger effort

Yes, this is what it does.

Then this contradicts what you just wrote. Which one is it?

• Are the search results guaranteed to always be up to date (reacting to notes being added/modified/deleted in the background)? If such a thing is even possible, I would be keen on making it the default, but I don't believe that this PR does this.
• Are the search result fetched on-demand from explicit user-interaction?

Browsing saved searches as collections with one click on a tree node.

Then let's make sure that, when the collection is pegged to a search note:

• its results are fetched/refreshed automatically when the collection is first rendered (I'm surprised because this seems to be the current behaviour here?)
• that there is an easily accessible mean for the user to refresh the collection would the need arise
  • We already have on button in the note-tree, on the collection=search-note itself (see screenshot above)
  • We also already have the "Search" button, under "Search Parameters"
  • … do we really need more than that?

[contributor]

The attribute makes new functionality opt-in.

With #autoExecuteSearch:

• one click on a tree node to view result collection, second click to view next node and so on

Without it:

• three clicks (while drawing a triangle with mouse cursor) to view result collection, then three clicks and triangle to view the next and so on