### Class

# Gtk SearchEntry

#### Description [src]

    final class Gtk.SearchEntry : Gtk.Widget {
      /* No available fields */
    }

`GtkSearchEntry` is an entry widget that has been tailored for use as a search entry.

The main API for interacting with a `GtkSearchEntry` as entry is the `GtkEditable` interface.

It will show an inactive symbolic “find” icon when the search entry is empty, and a symbolic “clear” icon when there is text. Clicking on the “clear” icon will empty the search entry.

To make filtering appear more reactive, it is a good idea to not react to every change in the entry text immediately, but only after a short delay. To support this, `GtkSearchEntry` emits the `GtkSearchEntry::search-changed` signal which can be used instead of the `GtkEditable::changed` signal.

The `GtkSearchEntry::previous-match`, `GtkSearchEntry::next-match` and `GtkSearchEntry::stop-search` signals can be used to implement moving between search results and ending the search.

Often, `GtkSearchEntry` will be fed events by means of being placed inside a `GtkSearchBar`. If that is not the case, you can use gtk_search_entry_set_key_capture_widget() to let it capture key input from another widget.

`GtkSearchEntry` provides only minimal API and should be used with the `GtkEditable` API.

## CSS Nodes

    entry.search
    ╰── text

`GtkSearchEntry` has a single CSS node with name entry that carries a `.search` style class, and the text node is a child of that.

## Accessibility

`GtkSearchEntry` uses the `GTK_ACCESSIBLE_ROLE_SEARCH_BOX` role.

#### Hierarchy

#### Ancestors

- GtkWidget
- GInitiallyUnowned
- GObject

#### Implements

- GtkAccessible
- GtkBuildable
- GtkConstraintTarget
- GtkEditable

#### Constructors

###### gtk_search_entry_new

Creates a `GtkSearchEntry`.

#### Instance methods

###### gtk_search_entry_get_key_capture_widget

Gets the widget that `entry` is capturing key events from.

###### gtk_search_entry_set_key_capture_widget

Sets `widget` as the widget that `entry` will capture key events from.

##### Methods inherited from GtkWidget (159)

##### Methods inherited from GtkAccessible (10)

###### gtk_accessible_get_accessible_role

Retrieves the `GtkAccessibleRole` for the given `GtkAccessible`.

###### gtk_accessible_reset_property

Resets the accessible `property` to its default value.

###### gtk_accessible_reset_relation

Resets the accessible `relation` to its default value.

###### gtk_accessible_reset_state

Resets the accessible `state` to its default value.

###### gtk_accessible_update_property

Updates a list of accessible properties.

###### gtk_accessible_update_property_value

Updates an array of accessible properties.

###### gtk_accessible_update_relation

Updates a list of accessible relations.

###### gtk_accessible_update_relation_value

Updates an array of accessible relations.

###### gtk_accessible_update_state

Updates a list of accessible states. See the `GtkAccessibleState` documentation for the value types of accessible states.

###### gtk_accessible_update_state_value

Updates an array of accessible states.

##### Methods inherited from GtkBuildable (1)

###### gtk_buildable_get_buildable_id

Gets the ID of the `buildable` object.

##### Methods inherited from GtkEditable (23)

###### gtk_editable_delete_selection

Deletes the currently selected text of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_delete_text

Deletes a sequence of characters.

###### gtk_editable_finish_delegate

Undoes the setup done by gtk_editable_init_delegate().

###### gtk_editable_get_alignment

Gets the alignment of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_get_chars

Retrieves a sequence of characters.

###### gtk_editable_get_delegate

Gets the `GtkEditable` that `editable` is delegating its implementation to.

###### gtk_editable_get_editable

Retrieves whether `editable` is editable.

###### gtk_editable_get_enable_undo

Gets if undo/redo actions are enabled for `editable`.

###### gtk_editable_get_max_width_chars

Retrieves the desired maximum width of `editable`, in characters.

###### gtk_editable_get_position

Retrieves the current position of the cursor relative to the start of the content of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_get_selection_bounds

Retrieves the selection bound of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_get_text

Retrieves the contents of `editable`.

###### gtk_editable_get_width_chars

Gets the number of characters of space reserved for the contents of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_init_delegate

Sets up a delegate for `GtkEditable`.

###### gtk_editable_insert_text

Inserts `length` bytes of `text` into the contents of the widget, at position `position`.

###### gtk_editable_select_region

Selects a region of text.

###### gtk_editable_set_alignment

Sets the alignment for the contents of the editable.

###### gtk_editable_set_editable

Determines if the user can edit the text in the editable widget.

###### gtk_editable_set_enable_undo

If enabled, changes to `editable` will be saved for undo/redo actions.

###### gtk_editable_set_max_width_chars

Sets the desired maximum width in characters of `editable`.

###### gtk_editable_set_position

Sets the cursor position in the editable to the given value.

###### gtk_editable_set_text

Sets the text in the editable to the given value.

###### gtk_editable_set_width_chars

Changes the size request of the editable to be about the right size for `n_chars` characters.

#### Properties

###### Gtk.SearchEntry:activates-default

Whether to activate the default widget when Enter is pressed.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry:placeholder-text

The text that will be displayed in the `GtkSearchEntry` when it is empty and unfocused.

##### Properties inherited from GtkWidget (34)

###### Gtk.Widget:can-focus

Whether the widget or any of its descendents can accept the input focus.

###### Gtk.Widget:can-target

Whether the widget can receive pointer events.

###### Gtk.Widget:css-classes

A list of css classes applied to this widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:css-name

The name of this widget in the CSS tree.

###### Gtk.Widget:cursor

The cursor used by `widget`.

###### Gtk.Widget:focus-on-click

Whether the widget should grab focus when it is clicked with the mouse.

###### Gtk.Widget:focusable

Whether this widget itself will accept the input focus.

###### Gtk.Widget:halign

How to distribute horizontal space if widget gets extra space.

###### Gtk.Widget:has-default

Whether the widget is the default widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:has-focus

Whether the widget has the input focus.

###### Gtk.Widget:has-tooltip

Enables or disables the emission of the ::query-tooltip signal on `widget`.

###### Gtk.Widget:height-request

Override for height request of the widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:hexpand

Whether to expand horizontally.

###### Gtk.Widget:hexpand-set

Whether to use the `hexpand` property.

###### Gtk.Widget:layout-manager

The `GtkLayoutManager` instance to use to compute the preferred size of the widget, and allocate its children.

###### Gtk.Widget:margin-bottom

Margin on bottom side of widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:margin-end

Margin on end of widget, horizontally.

###### Gtk.Widget:margin-start

Margin on start of widget, horizontally.

###### Gtk.Widget:margin-top

Margin on top side of widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:name

The name of the widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:opacity

The requested opacity of the widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:overflow

How content outside the widget’s content area is treated.

###### Gtk.Widget:parent

The parent widget of this widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:receives-default

Whether the widget will receive the default action when it is focused.

###### Gtk.Widget:root

The `GtkRoot` widget of the widget tree containing this widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:scale-factor

The scale factor of the widget.

###### Gtk.Widget:sensitive

Whether the widget responds to input.

###### Gtk.Widget:tooltip-markup

Sets the text of tooltip to be the given string, which is marked up with Pango markup.

###### Gtk.Widget:tooltip-text

Sets the text of tooltip to be the given string.

###### Gtk.Widget:valign

How to distribute vertical space if widget gets extra space.

###### Gtk.Widget:vexpand

Whether to expand vertically.

###### Gtk.Widget:vexpand-set

Whether to use the `vexpand` property.

###### Gtk.Widget:visible

Whether the widget is visible.

###### Gtk.Widget:width-request

Override for width request of the widget.

##### Properties inherited from GtkAccessible (1)

###### Gtk.Accessible:accessible-role

The accessible role of the given `GtkAccessible` implementation.

##### Properties inherited from GtkEditable (8)

###### Gtk.Editable:cursor-position

The current position of the insertion cursor in chars.

###### Gtk.Editable:editable

Whether the entry contents can be edited.

###### Gtk.Editable:enable-undo

If undo/redo should be enabled for the editable.

###### Gtk.Editable:max-width-chars

The desired maximum width of the entry, in characters.

###### Gtk.Editable:selection-bound

The position of the opposite end of the selection from the cursor in chars.

###### Gtk.Editable:text

The contents of the entry.

###### Gtk.Editable:width-chars

Number of characters to leave space for in the entry.

###### Gtk.Editable:xalign

The horizontal alignment, from 0 (left) to 1 (right).

#### Signals

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::activate

Emitted when the entry is activated.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::next-match

Emitted when the user initiates a move to the next match for the current search string.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::previous-match

Emitted when the user initiates a move to the previous match for the current search string.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::search-changed

Emitted with a short delay of 150 milliseconds after the last change to the entry text.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::search-started

Emitted when the user initiated a search on the entry.

###### Gtk.SearchEntry::stop-search

Emitted when the user stops a search via keyboard input.

##### Signals inherited from GtkWidget (13)

###### Gtk.Widget::destroy

Signals that all holders of a reference to the widget should release the reference that they hold.

###### Gtk.Widget::direction-changed

Emitted when the text direction of a widget changes.

###### Gtk.Widget::hide

Emitted when `widget` is hidden.

###### Gtk.Widget::keynav-failed

Emitted if keyboard navigation fails.

###### Gtk.Widget::map

Emitted when `widget` is going to be mapped.

###### Gtk.Widget::mnemonic-activate

Emitted when a widget is activated via a mnemonic.

###### Gtk.Widget::move-focus

Emitted when the focus is moved.

###### Gtk.Widget::query-tooltip

Emitted when the widgets tooltip is about to be shown.

###### Gtk.Widget::realize

Emitted when `widget` is associated with a `GdkSurface`.

###### Gtk.Widget::show

Emitted when `widget` is shown.

###### Gtk.Widget::state-flags-changed

Emitted when the widget state changes.

###### Gtk.Widget::unmap

Emitted when `widget` is going to be unmapped.

###### Gtk.Widget::unrealize

Emitted when the `GdkSurface` associated with `widget` is destroyed.

##### Signals inherited from GtkEditable (3)

###### Gtk.Editable::changed

Emitted at the end of a single user-visible operation on the contents.

###### Gtk.Editable::delete-text

Emitted when text is deleted from the widget by the user.

###### Gtk.Editable::insert-text

Emitted when text is inserted into the widget by the user.