helix .mcp .manycoolprojects Step 2 / 5

Step 2 of 5

The file picker

The file picker

Space f opens the file picker: a list of every file under the current directory, with a preview of the highlighted one on the right. There are only three files in this session, but the picker works the same way on a project with thousands.

The list is fuzzy. Start typing and it narrows to the files whose paths contain your letters in order — exr is enough to find exercise.txt, and you don’t need to type the directory. The best match floats to the top.

  • Up / Down move the highlight through the list
  • Enter opens the highlighted file
  • Escape closes the picker without opening anything

You’ll rarely need the arrow keys: a few distinctive letters usually leave one match, and Enter takes it.

Work through the checklist below: open example.rs — notice it arrives syntax highlighted — then use the picker again to come back here.

Note

Space e opens a file explorer instead: the same directory as a tree you walk with Enter. The picker is faster once you know a file’s name; the explorer is for when you don’t.

  1. Open example.rs with the file picker Press Space f, type a few letters of the name, and hit Enter once example.rs is highlighted.
  2. Come back to exercise.txt the same way Space f again — typing exer is enough to bring it to the top, then Enter.
Open example.rs with the file picker Press Space f, type a few letters of the name, and hit Enter once example.rs is highlighted.

Next: Come back to exercise.txt the same way

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