Add support for jumping in ordered author list by typing letters

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Note that this project **does not** adhere to [Semantic Versioning](http://semve
 - We created a new install screen for macOS. [#5759](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/5759)
 - We implemented an option to download fulltext files while importing. [#6381](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/6381)
 - We fixed the bug when strike the delete key in the text field. [#6421](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/6421)
+- We added support for jumping to target entry when typing letter/digit after sorting a column in maintable [#6146](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/6146)
 
 ### Changed
 

src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/maintable/MainTable.java

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 import javafx.collections.ListChangeListener;
 import javafx.scene.control.SelectionMode;
+import javafx.scene.control.TableColumn;
 import javafx.scene.control.TableRow;
 import javafx.scene.control.TableView;
 import javafx.scene.input.ClipboardContent;
@@ -57,11 +58,21 @@ public class MainTable extends TableView<BibEntryTableViewModel> {
     private final ImportHandler importHandler;
     private final CustomLocalDragboard localDragboard;
 
+    private long lastKeyPressTime;
+    private String columnSearchTerm;
+
     public MainTable(MainTableDataModel model, JabRefFrame frame,
                      BasePanel panel, BibDatabaseContext database,
                      MainTablePreferences preferences, ExternalFileTypes externalFileTypes, KeyBindingRepository keyBindingRepository) {
         super();
 
+        this.setOnKeyTyped(key -> {
+            if (this.getSortOrder().size() == 0) {
+                return;
+            }
+            this.jumpToSearchKey(getSortOrder().get(0), key);
+        });
+
         this.model = model;
         this.database = Objects.requireNonNull(database);
 
@@ -123,6 +134,35 @@ public MainTable(MainTableDataModel model, JabRefFrame frame,
         database.getDatabase().registerListener(this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * This is called, if a user starts typing some characters into the keyboard with focus on main table.
+     * The tableview will scroll to the cell with the same starting column value and typed string
+     * @param sortedColumn The ListView currently focused
+     * @param keyEvent The pressed character
+     */
+
+    private void jumpToSearchKey(TableColumn<BibEntryTableViewModel, ?> sortedColumn, KeyEvent keyEvent) {
+        if (keyEvent.getCharacter() == null || sortedColumn == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (System.currentTimeMillis() - lastKeyPressTime < 700) {
+            columnSearchTerm += keyEvent.getCharacter().toLowerCase();
+        } else {
+            columnSearchTerm = keyEvent.getCharacter().toLowerCase();
+        }
+
+        lastKeyPressTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+
+        this.getItems().stream()
+            .filter(item -> Optional.ofNullable(sortedColumn.getCellObservableValue(item).getValue())
+                                    .map(Object::toString)
+                                    .orElse("")
+                                    .toLowerCase().startsWith(columnSearchTerm))
+            .findFirst()
+            .ifPresent(item -> { this.scrollTo(item); this.clearAndSelect(item.getEntry()); });
+    }
+
     @Subscribe
     public void listen(EntriesAddedEvent event) {
         DefaultTaskExecutor.runInJavaFXThread(() -> clearAndSelect(event.getFirstEntry()));