Build custom search provider for the Omnibar

The ApplicationWindow provides an Omnibar search bar in the window chrome title bar. By default it will search through the ribbon commands to provide the user a quick and easy access.
You can extend this feature by adding you own search provider. For example, you may want to help your users to find files in a project, or any other item that your application manages.
This article will help you create and register a new search provider for the built-in omnibar search.

The service class

Your custom search provider must inherit from OmnibarSearchServiceBase.
This is a typical content of a custom search provider:

public class CustomOmnibarSearchService : OmnibarSearchServiceBase
{
    // The text that will be displayed in the drop down popup
    public override string DisplayName
    {
        get
        {
            return "Search in files...";
        }
    }

    // The icon that will be shown next to the text above
    public override Brush Icon
    {
        get
        {
            return Brushes.Transparent;
        }
    }

    // The results to show after the user has launched your search provider
    public override IEnumerable<OmnibarSearchResult> ExecuteSearch(string terms)
    {
        // Perform your search operation using the argument "terms" that contains the text typed by the user.
        // Then return the list of results.
    }
}

Once registered, this search provider will look like this:

Register your service provider

To make the application know your custom search provider, you have to register it using the OmnibarSearchService.RegisterOmnibarSearchService() method in the Window_Loaded event.

private void MainWindow_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    ...
    // Register your custom service in the Window_Loaded event
    OmnibarSearchService.RegisterOmnibarSearchService(new CustomOmnibarSearchService());
}

Handle the search result click

After the search, when the user clicks a result in the drop down list, the event OmnibarSearchService.SearchResultClicked is raised. You can listen to it to perform the corresponding action.

private void MainWindow_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    ...
    OmnibarSearchService.RegisterOmnibarSearchService(new CustomOmnibarSearchService());
    
    // Add this line to handle the click event on a search result.
    OmnibarSearchService.SearchResultClicked += OmnibarSearchServiceOnSearchResultClicked;
}

private void OmnibarSearchServiceOnSearchResultClicked(object? sender, OmnibarSearchResult e)
{
    // Do something with the result that the user has selected.
    MessageBox.Show("You clicked " + e.CommandTabName);
}