# Feature request - cylc tui - searching job.out job.err files?

**URL:** <https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122>\
**Category:** Cylc Development\
**Created:** [February 14, 2025, 11:16am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122 "2025-02-14T11:16:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mo-arthurargles](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/mo-arthurargles/32/433_2.png) [@mo-arthurargles](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/mo-arthurargles)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:16am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122/1 "2025-02-14T11:16:25Z")

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Hello,

Is there was a way to search the job.out files when viewing in the tui (Often needed when bug-fixing model developments)?

I like how “low cost” the tui is, so if it’s not possible, this feature would make the tui near perfect (in my opinion).

I know I could just look at the /cylc-run/suite directory, but this would save a bit of time.

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**Author:** ![oliver.sanders](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/oliver.sanders/32/110_2.png) [@oliver.sanders](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/oliver.sanders)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122/2 "2025-02-14T13:43:04Z")

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There isn’t a way to search logs at present. It would be _possible_ to add search functionality, but it wouldn’t be trivial.

We could, however, offer the ability to open the file in your configured `$EDITOR` (e.g. `vim`) from within `cylc tui`.

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**Author:** ![mo-arthurargles](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/mo-arthurargles/32/433_2.png) [@mo-arthurargles](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/mo-arthurargles)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122/3 "2025-02-14T15:00:06Z")

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Thanks Oliver, I think even the ability to jump over to vim or gedit (in a new tab) would be quite helpful.

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**Author:** ![oliver.sanders](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/oliver.sanders/32/110_2.png) [@oliver.sanders](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/oliver.sanders)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:29pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122/4 "2025-02-14T15:29:18Z")

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We can’t reliably open the external editor in a new terminal tab, but we can switch out Tui for the external editor, then switch it back when the editor exits.

![tui-external-editor](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/cylc1/original/1X/004159ba58c07b35b48a9bf9ed51042af8be5c92.gif)

Will hopefully arrive in time for 8.5.0.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mo-arthurargles](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/mo-arthurargles/32/433_2.png) [@mo-arthurargles](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/mo-arthurargles)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/feature-request-cylc-tui-searching-job-out-job-err-files/1122/5 "2025-02-14T15:57:24Z")

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That looks really cool!