🔄 TabSwitch Extension for PowerToys Command Palette

A Command Palette extension for seamless tab switching in Windows

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✨ Features

• 🔍 Instant Tab Search: Filter open tabs as you type
• ⚡ Fast Navigation: Keyboard-driven tab switching
• 🎯 Smart Matching: Find tabs by title or application name
• 🔧 Clean Interface: Seamlessly integrated with PowerToys Command Palette
• 🛡️ Robust Error Handling: Graceful handling of edge cases

🚀 Quick Start

Usage

1. Open Command Palette (Win + Alt + Space by default)
2. Type "TabSwitch" or "tab"
3. Press Enter to open the tab list
4. Type to filter tabs in real-time
5. Use arrow keys to navigate
6. Press Enter to switch to selected tab

Basic Commands

Action	Keys
Open TabSwitch	Type TabSwitch → Enter
Search tabs	Type to filter instantly
Navigate	↑ ↓ arrow keys
Switch to tab	Enter
Go back	Escape or Alt + ←

🎯 Current Behavior vs Desired "Files"-like Experience

Current Implementation ✅

• Type "TabSwitch" → Press Enter → Tab list appears
• Real-time filtering as you type in the tab list
• Arrow key navigation and Enter to switch
• Clean, responsive interface

Desired "Files"-like Behavior ⏳

• Type "tab" → Instant activation (no Enter required)
• Direct search/filtering as you continue typing
• Backspace navigation to return to keyword
• Exactly like built-in "files" command

🔬 Technical Insights

PowerToys Command Palette Extension Limitations

After extensive analysis of the PowerToys source code, we discovered that built-in commands like "files" use internal APIs that are not available to extensions:

• DirectCommand interface: Not exposed to extensions
• Instant activation: Reserved for core commands
• Backspace navigation: Internal message passing only
• Extension API constraints: Security and stability limitations

Code Quality & Features ✅

Our extension implements:

• Clean architecture with proper separation of concerns
• Async tab enumeration with robust error handling
• Real-time filtering within the extension page
• Professional UI/UX with icons and placeholder text
• Cross-platform builds (x64, x86, ARM64)
• Zero build warnings across all configurations

📈 Future Roadmap

Option 1: Upstream Feature Request ⭐ Recommended

We've prepared a comprehensive feature request for the PowerToys team to add DirectCommand support to the Extension API. This would enable true "files"-like behavior for all extensions.

Status: Feature request prepared - Ready for submission

Option 2: Alternative Solutions

While waiting for upstream changes:

• Enhanced keyword recognition patterns
• Improved user guidance and tooltips
• Performance optimizations
• Additional tab management features

🛠️ Development

Building from Source

# Clone and navigate
git clone https://github.com/your-repo/TabSwitchExtension.git
cd TabSwitchExtension

# Restore dependencies
dotnet restore

# Build (choose configuration)
dotnet build --configuration Release
dotnet build --configuration Debug

# Package for deployment
dotnet publish --configuration Release

Project Structure

TabSwitchExtension/
├── TabSwitchExtension/           # Main extension project
│   ├── Pages/                    # UI pages (OpenTabsPage)
│   ├── Commands/                 # Command implementations
│   ├── Services/                 # Tab enumeration service
│   ├── Assets/                   # Icons and resources
│   └── *.cs                      # Core extension files
├── NativeHost/                   # Native tab enumeration
├── register-cmdpal-extension.ps1 # Registration script
└── TabSwitchExtension.sln       # Solution file

Key Components

• TabSwitchExtensionCommandsProvider: Main entry point
• OpenTabsPage: Primary tab list interface
• TabEnumerationService: Native tab discovery
• DummyCommand: Error state handling

🤔 FAQ

Why can't TabSwitch work exactly like the "files" command?

The PowerToys Command Palette has different APIs for built-in commands vs extensions. Built-in commands can activate instantly, but extensions must go through the standard workflow (keyword → Enter → page).

Will this limitation be fixed?

We're advocating for enhanced Extension API capabilities. The PowerToys team is responsive to well-reasoned feature requests, especially when backed by technical analysis.

Is the current experience still useful?

Absolutely! While it requires one extra Enter keypress, TabSwitch still provides fast, keyboard-driven tab switching with real-time filtering - a significant productivity improvement.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• PowerToys Team for the extensible Command Palette architecture
• Microsoft for the comprehensive extension documentation
• Community for feedback and testing

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