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CommandPalette

CommandPalette is a searchable command launcher built on top of the unified Command system.

CommandPalette

Fullscreen-only

CommandPalette uses the window layer and is available only in fullscreen Terminal.Run(...) applications.

What it shows

CommandPalette lists commands discovered from the current focus context:

  • Commands registered on the focused visual and its ancestors
  • Global commands registered on the running TerminalApp

Only commands marked with CommandPresentation.CommandPalette are shown.

If a command defines Command.Name, the default palette template shows it before the label markup (for example /open - Open File). Commands without a name still render only their label.

Typical usage

Create a palette instance and register a command that opens it:

using XenoAtom.Terminal;
using XenoAtom.Terminal.UI.Commands;
using XenoAtom.Terminal.UI.Controls;
using XenoAtom.Terminal.UI.Input;

var palette = new CommandPalette();

root.AddCommand(new Command
{
    Id = "App.CommandPalette",
    LabelMarkup = "Command palette",
    Gesture = new KeyGesture(TerminalChar.CtrlP, TerminalModifiers.Ctrl),
    Presentation = CommandPresentation.CommandBar | CommandPresentation.CommandPalette,
    Execute = _ => palette.Show(),
});

When open:

  • Type to search
  • Show() clears the previous search by default
  • Press Enter to execute the currently highlighted result (the first match by default)
  • Use Up/Down to navigate results
  • Press Down from the search box to move directly to the next result
  • Resize or drag the palette window with the mouse
  • Press Esc to close
  • Closing the palette returns focus to the control that was focused before Show()

Host chrome

When displayed via CommandPalette.Show(), the palette is hosted inside a resizable dialog window. The host dialog takes care of restoring the previous focus when the palette closes. The built-in palette chrome uses a recessed search field and a lifted active-row surface so the current focus stands out from the surrounding dialog panel. You can still wrap the palette content with a template visual using CommandPaletteStyle:

using XenoAtom.Terminal.UI.Controls;
using XenoAtom.Terminal.UI.Styling;

var palette = new CommandPalette();
palette.Style(CommandPaletteStyle.Default with
{
    PopupWidthPercent = 50,
    MinWidth = 30,
    MaxWidth = 120,
    PopupVerticalAlignment = Align.End,
    PopupOffsetY = -2,
    ShowCommandName = true,
    CommandNamePrefix = "/",
    CommandNameSeparator = " - ",
    PopupTemplateFactory = visual => new Border(visual),
});

PopupWidthPercent and PopupHeightPercent are optional viewport-relative sizing hints. Alignment (Start, Center, End, Stretch) and PopupOffsetX / PopupOffsetY still control where the popup appears after that size is resolved. ShowCommandName, CommandNamePrefix, and CommandNameSeparator affect the built-in item template only. If you provide a custom ItemTemplate, that template fully owns the row rendering.

Query state

QueryText is a bindable property on CommandPalette, so applications can observe, prefill, or two-way bind the current search text. ClearQueryOnShow controls whether Show() resets that query before the palette takes focus. It defaults to true.

var palette = new CommandPalette
{
    ClearQueryOnShow = false,
    QueryText = "reset",
};

Defaults

  • Default popup alignment: PopupHorizontalAlignment = Align.Center, PopupVerticalAlignment = Align.Start
  • Default query behavior: ClearQueryOnShow = true
  • Default command name display: ShowCommandName = true, CommandNamePrefix = "/", CommandNameSeparator = " - "