GtkSourceSearchContext: GtkSourceView 3 Reference Manual

## GtkSourceSearchContext GtkSourceSearchContext — Search context |

## Functions

GtkSourceSearchContext * | gtk_source_search_context_new ()
GtkSourceBuffer * | gtk_source_search_context_get_buffer ()
GtkSourceSearchSettings * | gtk_source_search_context_get_settings ()
void | gtk_source_search_context_set_settings ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_get_highlight ()
void | gtk_source_search_context_set_highlight ()
GtkSourceStyle * | gtk_source_search_context_get_match_style ()
void | gtk_source_search_context_set_match_style ()
gint | gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrences_count ()
gint | gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrence_position ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_forward ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_forward2 ()
void | gtk_source_search_context_forward_async ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish2 ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_backward ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_backward2 ()
void | gtk_source_search_context_backward_async ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish2 ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_replace ()
gboolean | gtk_source_search_context_replace2 ()
guint | gtk_source_search_context_replace_all ()
GError * | gtk_source_search_context_get_regex_error ()

## Properties

GtkSourceBuffer * | buffer | Read / Write / Construct Only
gboolean | highlight | Read / Write / Construct
GtkSourceStyle * | match-style | Read / Write / Construct
gint | occurrences-count | Read
gpointer | regex-error | Read
GtkSourceSearchSettings * | settings | Read / Write / Construct

## Types and Values

| GtkSourceSearchContext

## Object Hierarchy

        GObject
        ╰── GtkSourceSearchContext

## Includes

    #include <gtksourceview/gtksource.h>

## Description

A GtkSourceSearchContext is used for the search and replace in a GtkSourceBuffer. The search settings are represented by a GtkSourceSearchSettings object. There can be a many-to-many relationship between buffers and search settings, with the search contexts in-between: a search settings object can be shared between several search contexts; and a buffer can contain several search contexts at the same time.

The total number of search occurrences can be retrieved with `gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrences_count()`. To know the position of a certain match, use `gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrence_position()`.

The buffer is scanned asynchronously, so it doesn't block the user interface. For each search, the buffer is scanned at most once. After that, navigating through the occurrences doesn't require to re-scan the buffer entirely.

To search forward, use `gtk_source_search_context_forward()` or `gtk_source_search_context_forward_async()` for the asynchronous version. The backward search is done similarly. To replace a search match, or all matches, use `gtk_source_search_context_replace()` and `gtk_source_search_context_replace_all()`.

The search occurrences are highlighted by default. To disable it, use `gtk_source_search_context_set_highlight()`. You can enable the search highlighting for several GtkSourceSearchContexts attached to the same buffer. Moreover, each of those GtkSourceSearchContexts can have a different text style associated. Use `gtk_source_search_context_set_match_style()` to specify the GtkSourceStyle to apply on search matches.

Note that the “highlight” and “match-style” properties are in the GtkSourceSearchContext class, not GtkSourceSearchSettings. Appearance settings should be tied to one, and only one buffer, as different buffers can have different style scheme associated (a GtkSourceSearchSettings object can be bound indirectly to several buffers).

The concept of "current match" doesn't exist yet. A way to highlight differently the current match is to select it.

A search occurrence's position doesn't depend on the cursor position or other parameters. Take for instance the buffer "aaaa" with the search text "aa". The two occurrences are at positions [0:2] and [2:4]. If you begin to search at position 1, you will get the occurrence [2:4], not [1:3]. This is a prerequisite for regular expression searches. The pattern ".*" matches the entire line. If the cursor is at the middle of the line, you don't want the rest of the line as the occurrence, you want an entire line. (As a side note, regular expression searches can also match multiple lines.)

In the GtkSourceView source code, there is an example of how to use the search and replace API: see the tests/test-search.c file. It is a mini application for the search and replace, with a basic user interface.

## Functions

### gtk_source_search_context_new ()

    GtkSourceSearchContext *
    gtk_source_search_context_new (GtkSourceBuffer *buffer,
                                   GtkSourceSearchSettings *settings);

Creates a new search context, associated with `buffer` , and customized with `settings` . If `settings` is `NULL`, a new GtkSourceSearchSettings object will be created, that you can retrieve with `gtk_source_search_context_get_settings()`.

#### Parameters

buffer | a GtkSourceBuffer. |
settings | a GtkSourceSearchSettings, or `NULL`. | [nullable]

#### Returns

a new search context.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_buffer ()

    GtkSourceBuffer *
    gtk_source_search_context_get_buffer (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

the associated buffer.

[transfer none]

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_settings ()

    GtkSourceSearchSettings *
    gtk_source_search_context_get_settings
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

the search settings.

[transfer none]

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_set_settings ()

    void
    gtk_source_search_context_set_settings
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GtkSourceSearchSettings *settings);

`gtk_source_search_context_set_settings` has been deprecated since version 3.24 and should not be used in newly-written code.

The “settings” property will become a construct-only property in a future version. Create a new GtkSourceSearchContext instead, or change the GtkSourceSearchSettings properties. When the “settings” property will become construct-only, it will be possible to simplify some code that needed to listen to the notify::settings signal.

Associate a GtkSourceSearchSettings with the search context. If `settings` is `NULL`, a new one will be created.

The search context holds a reference to `settings` .

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
settings | the new GtkSourceSearchSettings, or `NULL`. | [nullable]

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_highlight ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_get_highlight
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

whether to highlight the search occurrences.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_set_highlight ()

    void
    gtk_source_search_context_set_highlight
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    gboolean highlight);

Enables or disables the search occurrences highlighting.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
highlight | the setting. |

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_match_style ()

    GtkSourceStyle *
    gtk_source_search_context_get_match_style
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

the GtkSourceStyle to apply on search matches.

[transfer none]

Since: 3.16

### gtk_source_search_context_set_match_style ()

    void
    gtk_source_search_context_set_match_style
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GtkSourceStyle *match_style);

Set the style to apply on search matches. If `match_style` is `NULL`, default theme's scheme 'match-style' will be used. To enable or disable the search highlighting, use `gtk_source_search_context_set_highlight()`.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
match_style | a GtkSourceStyle, or `NULL`. | [nullable]

Since: 3.16

### gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrences_count ()

    gint
    gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrences_count
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

Gets the total number of search occurrences. If the buffer is not already fully scanned, the total number of occurrences is unknown, and -1 is returned.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

the total number of search occurrences, or -1 if unknown.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrence_position ()

    gint
    gtk_source_search_context_get_occurrence_position
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    const GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                    const GtkTextIter *match_end);

Gets the position of a search occurrence. If the buffer is not already fully scanned, the position may be unknown, and -1 is returned. If 0 is returned, it means that this part of the buffer has already been scanned, and that `match_start` and `match_end` don't delimit an occurrence.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
match_start | the start of the occurrence. |
match_end | the end of the occurrence. |

#### Returns

the position of the search occurrence. The first occurrence has the position 1 (not 0). Returns 0 if `match_start` and `match_end` don't delimit an occurrence. Returns -1 if the position is not yet known.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_forward ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_forward (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                       const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                       GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                       GtkTextIter *match_end);

`gtk_source_search_context_forward` has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use `gtk_source_search_context_forward2()` instead.

Synchronous forward search. It is recommended to use the asynchronous functions instead, to not block the user interface. However, if you are sure that the `buffer` is small, this function is more convenient to use.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_forward2 ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_forward2 (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                        const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                        gboolean *has_wrapped_around);

Synchronous forward search. It is recommended to use the asynchronous functions instead, to not block the user interface. However, if you are sure that the `buffer` is small, this function is more convenient to use.

The difference with `gtk_source_search_context_forward()` is that the `has_wrapped_around` out parameter has been added for convenience.

If the “wrap-around” property is `FALSE`, this function doesn't try to wrap around.

The `has_wrapped_around` out parameter is set independently of whether a match is found. So if this function returns `FALSE`, `has_wrapped_around` will have the same value as the “wrap-around” property.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
has_wrapped_around | return location to know whether the search has wrapped around, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.22

### gtk_source_search_context_forward_async ()

    void
    gtk_source_search_context_forward_async
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                    GCancellable *cancellable,
                                    GAsyncReadyCallback callback,
                                    gpointer user_data);

The asynchronous version of `gtk_source_search_context_forward2()`.

See the documentation of `gtk_source_search_context_forward2()` for more details.

See the GAsyncResult documentation to know how to use this function.

If the operation is cancelled, the `callback` will only be called if `cancellable` was not `NULL`. `gtk_source_search_context_forward_async()` takes ownership of `cancellable` , so you can unref it after calling this function.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
cancellable | a GCancellable, or `NULL`. | [nullable]
callback | a GAsyncReadyCallback to call when the operation is finished. |
user_data | the data to pass to the `callback` function. |

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GAsyncResult *result,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                    GError **error);

`gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish` has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use `gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish2()` instead.

Finishes a forward search started with `gtk_source_search_context_forward_async()`.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
result | a GAsyncResult. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
error | a GError, or `NULL`. |

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish2 ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_forward_finish2
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GAsyncResult *result,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                    gboolean *has_wrapped_around,
                                    GError **error);

Finishes a forward search started with `gtk_source_search_context_forward_async()`.

See the documentation of `gtk_source_search_context_forward2()` for more details.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
result | a GAsyncResult. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
has_wrapped_around | return location to know whether the search has wrapped around, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
error | a GError, or `NULL`. |

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.22

### gtk_source_search_context_backward ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_backward (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                        const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_end);

`gtk_source_search_context_backward` has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use `gtk_source_search_context_backward2()` instead.

Synchronous backward search. It is recommended to use the asynchronous functions instead, to not block the user interface. However, if you are sure that the `buffer` is small, this function is more convenient to use.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_backward2 ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_backward2 (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                         const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                         GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                         GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                         gboolean *has_wrapped_around);

Synchronous backward search. It is recommended to use the asynchronous functions instead, to not block the user interface. However, if you are sure that the `buffer` is small, this function is more convenient to use.

The difference with `gtk_source_search_context_backward()` is that the `has_wrapped_around` out parameter has been added for convenience.

If the “wrap-around” property is `FALSE`, this function doesn't try to wrap around.

The `has_wrapped_around` out parameter is set independently of whether a match is found. So if this function returns `FALSE`, `has_wrapped_around` will have the same value as the “wrap-around” property.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
has_wrapped_around | return location to know whether the search has wrapped around, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.22

### gtk_source_search_context_backward_async ()

    void
    gtk_source_search_context_backward_async
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    const GtkTextIter *iter,
                                    GCancellable *cancellable,
                                    GAsyncReadyCallback callback,
                                    gpointer user_data);

The asynchronous version of `gtk_source_search_context_backward2()`.

See the documentation of `gtk_source_search_context_backward2()` for more details.

See the GAsyncResult documentation to know how to use this function.

If the operation is cancelled, the `callback` will only be called if `cancellable` was not `NULL`. `gtk_source_search_context_backward_async()` takes ownership of `cancellable` , so you can unref it after calling this function.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
iter | start of search. |
cancellable | a GCancellable, or `NULL`. | [nullable]
callback | a GAsyncReadyCallback to call when the operation is finished. |
user_data | the data to pass to the `callback` function. |

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GAsyncResult *result,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                    GError **error);

`gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish` has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use `gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish2()` instead.

Finishes a backward search started with `gtk_source_search_context_backward_async()`.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
result | a GAsyncResult. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
error | a GError, or `NULL`. |

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish2 ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_backward_finish2
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                    GAsyncResult *result,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                    GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                    gboolean *has_wrapped_around,
                                    GError **error);

Finishes a backward search started with `gtk_source_search_context_backward_async()`.

See the documentation of `gtk_source_search_context_backward2()` for more details.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
result | a GAsyncResult. |
match_start | return location for start of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
match_end | return location for end of match, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
has_wrapped_around | return location to know whether the search has wrapped around, or `NULL`. | [out][optional]
error | a GError, or `NULL`. |

#### Returns

whether a match was found.

Since: 3.22

### gtk_source_search_context_replace ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_replace (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                       const GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                       const GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                       const gchar *replace,
                                       gint replace_length,
                                       GError **error);

`gtk_source_search_context_replace` has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use `gtk_source_search_context_replace2()` instead.

Replaces a search match by another text. If `match_start` and `match_end` doesn't correspond to a search match, `FALSE` is returned.

For a regular expression replacement, you can check if `replace` is valid by calling `g_regex_check_replacement()`. The `replace` text can contain backreferences; read the `g_regex_replace()` documentation for more details.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
match_start | the start of the match to replace. |
match_end | the end of the match to replace. |
replace | the replacement text. |
replace_length | the length of `replace` in bytes, or -1. |
error | location to a GError, or `NULL` to ignore errors. |

#### Returns

whether the match has been replaced.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_replace2 ()

    gboolean
    gtk_source_search_context_replace2 (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_start,
                                        GtkTextIter *match_end,
                                        const gchar *replace,
                                        gint replace_length,
                                        GError **error);

Replaces a search match by another text. If `match_start` and `match_end` doesn't correspond to a search match, `FALSE` is returned.

Unlike with `gtk_source_search_context_replace()`, the `match_start` and `match_end` iters are revalidated to point to the replacement text boundaries.

For a regular expression replacement, you can check if `replace` is valid by calling `g_regex_check_replacement()`. The `replace` text can contain backreferences; read the `g_regex_replace()` documentation for more details.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
match_start | the start of the match to replace. |
match_end | the end of the match to replace. |
replace | the replacement text. |
replace_length | the length of `replace` in bytes, or -1. |
error | location to a GError, or `NULL` to ignore errors. |

#### Returns

whether the match has been replaced.

Since: 3.22

### gtk_source_search_context_replace_all ()

    guint
    gtk_source_search_context_replace_all (GtkSourceSearchContext *search,
                                           const gchar *replace,
                                           gint replace_length,
                                           GError **error);

Replaces all search matches by another text. It is a synchronous function, so it can block the user interface.

For a regular expression replacement, you can check if `replace` is valid by calling `g_regex_check_replacement()`. The `replace` text can contain backreferences; read the `g_regex_replace()` documentation for more details.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |
replace | the replacement text. |
replace_length | the length of `replace` in bytes, or -1. |
error | location to a GError, or `NULL` to ignore errors. |

#### Returns

the number of replaced matches.

Since: 3.10

### gtk_source_search_context_get_regex_error ()

    GError *
    gtk_source_search_context_get_regex_error
                                   (GtkSourceSearchContext *search);

Regular expression patterns must follow certain rules. If “search-text” breaks a rule, the error can be retrieved with this function. The error domain is G_REGEX_ERROR.

Free the return value with `g_error_free()`.

#### Parameters

search | a GtkSourceSearchContext. |

#### Returns

the GError, or `NULL` if the pattern is valid.

[nullable]

Since: 3.10

## Types and Values

### GtkSourceSearchContext

    typedef struct _GtkSourceSearchContext GtkSourceSearchContext;

## Property Details

### The `“buffer”` property

      “buffer”                   GtkSourceBuffer *

The GtkSourceBuffer associated to the search context.

Flags: Read / Write / Construct Only

Since: 3.10

### The `“highlight”` property

      “highlight”                gboolean

Highlight the search occurrences.

Flags: Read / Write / Construct

Default value: TRUE

Since: 3.10

### The `“match-style”` property

      “match-style”              GtkSourceStyle *

A GtkSourceStyle, or `NULL` for theme's scheme default style.

Flags: Read / Write / Construct

Since: 3.16

### The `“occurrences-count”` property

      “occurrences-count”        gint

The total number of search occurrences. If the search is disabled, the value is 0. If the buffer is not already fully scanned, the value is -1.

Flags: Read

Allowed values: >= -1

Default value: 0

Since: 3.10

### The `“regex-error”` property

      “regex-error”              gpointer

If the regex search pattern doesn't follow all the rules, this property will be set. If the pattern is valid, the value is `NULL`.

Free with `g_error_free()`.

Flags: Read

Since: 3.10

### The `“settings”` property

      “settings”                 GtkSourceSearchSettings *

The GtkSourceSearchSettings associated to the search context.

Flags: Read / Write / Construct

Since: 3.10

## See Also

GtkSourceBuffer, GtkSourceSearchSettings