[Run] Provide history of last commands in search results

[okieselbach]

Summary of the new feature/enhancement

Provide a history of the last x commands via arrow up and down keys. This would help to prevent typing similar commands.

For example I typed > ping x.x.x.x and after that I opened I don't know code and then I would like to execute the ping command again. It would be nice to just open the launcher (PowerToys Run) and click the down arrow to get the last command "> ping x.x.x.x" before I typed code (EDIT: I commented out this part since the > action key already works similarly to this feature request, what it's not implemented it's the general history outside of specific plugins)

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

make the implementation configurable to have the history or not and let users define the amount of entries like 20 entries.

[enricogior]

As of 0.29 this is now available.

[londondev77]

@enricogior - this doesn't show up for me (in 0.29 and 0.31.1). Is there a setting I'm missing?

[enricogior]

@londondev77
it's supposed to work out of the box:

But I realize the description in the issue and the way it actually works is slightly different, in the sense that you need to start typing > to have a list of the previous commands.

[londondev77]

Yes, it would make a lot of sense if it showed the last x number of commands before any input had been made. Or if they were in a dropdown like the old Run command

[enricogior]

@londondev77
OK, I reopened the issue and clarified that the request is in general and not specific for the > command.

[dantorsmar]

I also miss the ability for PowerToys Run to understand what command I ran last time I searched for a command, ex. if I type Outlook in the "command box", the two highest-ranked results, one that is the Windows 10 Outlook app and another one that is the Outlook desktop software (Office 2016). Unfortunately, those two results are mixed in "rank" from time to time and I have to hover my mouse pointer above each result to understand which I wanna start by looking at the "containing folder". I.e. I would like PowerToys Run to remember what command I ran the last time I searched for Outlook in the "command box" and top-rank that command.

[mykhailopylyp]

@dantorsmar

Unfortunately, those two results are mixed in "rank" from time to time and I have to hover my mouse pointer above each result to understand which I wanna start by looking at the "containing folder".

We assign scores to results and order results by score. A score of a result is also affected by the number of times the result was opened. So if you always open the same Outlook app eventually it will be the first result.

[dantorsmar]

@mykhailopylyp
OK, then I need to make sure I pick the correct one a couple of times to have it as the first result...

[andresbm05]

@mykhailopylyp

We assign scores to results and order results by score. A score of a result is also affected by the number of times the result was opened. So if you always open the same Outlook app eventually it will be the first result.

How is that meant to work? does it need to be enabled somehow? I almost everyday use this feature to open the powershell typing "power" but every time I do it the first results are Pwerpoint, PowerToys and others which I never opened. yet still are shown first.

[RYDB3RG]

We assign scores to results and order results by score. A score of a result is also affected by the number of times the result was opened. So if you always open the same Outlook app eventually it will be the first result.

But previously entered entries don't show up at all?
I would expect that it stores every single value I enter and suggests it when it contains a substring-match. Not only for "> " entries, but everything.
And regarding scoring: manually entered/launched strings should have higher scores than everything that is discovered automatically (path/winsearch etc)

[jefflord]

General/global history is still not a thing? It would be awesome if it was.

A specific example would be to see the previous things you used in the Calculator plugin, but of course also really helpful globally.

Also, after traversing to a path on the FS or Reg, it would be great to also get them back.

So, it might be nice if it worked a little like "Z" (https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/z/1.1.13) or there could just be a "Z" like global history plugin, perhaps hidden behind "?" (since we can't really use "z" (the last character of the alphabet))

[htcfreek]

@crutkas
Isn't this implemented with the history plugin?