This feature is very contextual. It depends on where your cursor is (i.e. on a word or in empty space), the providers you have activated and the current results. In this case, we don’t have built-in propositions for settings or menus, so you don’t get any propositions, but if you start typing something else, you will get other propositions based on the letters you type:
It being contextual makes sense but don’t you think that the press TAB should be removed when the context doesn’t allow tab ?
This could be a solution. My fear would be that some people might complain that this message keeps flickering for “no reason”. Would it work if we showed a popup with a message like “No proposition available” or something to that effect?
Has this been a problem in the past? Usually it’s bad context that’s the problem because it makes the UI seem incompetent and unresponsive.
No, because we try to avoid flickering UI. Personally I would prefer to keep the message to remind me that I can always press tab to autocomplete, and having the popup window telling me that there is no result and why, rather than have the message disappear and reappear whenever I type my query.
There is nothing worse than a UI that seems unresponsive and leads you astray. That’s why flickering has been solved for a decade with a short fade animation. Why don’t you try that and see if you like it better?
I agree, and sorry if this is what you understood from my proposition.
Just to add add another opinion to this, I tried this search for the first time last week and also assumed that Tab was broken because I couldn’t get it to show anything and gave up on using it.
A “No proposition available” popup or similar might have reassured me that it’s working and I’m just doing it wrong. Maybe it could also include some hint or example for how to use it?
I wouldn’t have expected that you need to be on empty space for the filters to show up.
Don’t be, I’m just stating the obvious, that an interface that offers an option when it’s not contextually viable is leading the user astray, by definition. That’s why UI have been graying things out or hiding options when context isn’t suitable.