Search enum list

Question

Is there a way to add search functionality to EnumProperty in my add-on, similar to material search?
Or maybe there is another property with search functionality that I could use?

Answer 1

As of Blender 2.79+ you can use a PointerProperty:

Demo based on @batFINGERs answer to Object selection box with eyedropper

import bpy
from bpy.props import PointerProperty


class TEST_PT_layout_panel(bpy.types.Panel):
    bl_label = "Prop Panels"
    bl_category = "Test Panel"
    bl_space_type = 'PROPERTIES'
    bl_region_type = 'WINDOW'
    bl_context = "scene"

    def draw(self, context):
        scene = context.scene
        layout = self.layout
        
        col = layout.column()
        col.prop_search(scene, "prop_obj", context.scene, "objects")
        #or 
        col.prop(scene, "prop_obj")
        col.prop(scene, "prop_mat")


def register():
    bpy.types.Scene.prop_obj = PointerProperty(type=bpy.types.Object)
    bpy.types.Scene.prop_mat = PointerProperty(type=bpy.types.Material)
    bpy.utils.register_class(TEST_PT_layout_panel)


def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(TEST_PT_layout_panel)
    del bpy.types.Scene.prop_obj
    del bpy.types.Scene.prop_mat
    
if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()
    bpy.ops.wm.call_panel(name="TEST_PT_layout_panel")

---

Alternatively you can use a Search Popup. The following operator example lists all objects in the scene and returns the selected object name:

Blender 2.8+

bl_info = {
    "name": "Search Popup",
    "version": (0, 0, 1),
    "blender": (2, 80, 0),
    "category": "Development"
}

import bpy

from bpy.props import EnumProperty
from bpy.types import Operator


# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
#   Operator
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

def my_callback(scene, context):
    objs = ([o.name for o in bpy.context.scene.objects])
    return [(y.upper(), y, "", x) for x, y in enumerate(objs)]


class MYCAT_OT_searchPopup(Operator):
    """Tooltip"""
    bl_idname = "object.search_popup"
    bl_label = "Search Popup"
    bl_property = "my_enum"

    my_enum: EnumProperty(name="Objects", description="", items=my_callback)

    def execute(self, context):
        self.report({'INFO'}, "You've selected: %s" % self.my_enum)
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        wm = context.window_manager
        wm.invoke_search_popup(self)
        return {'FINISHED'}


# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
#   Register
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

def register():
    bpy.utils.register_class(MYCAT_OT_searchPopup)

def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(MYCAT_OT_searchPopup)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

    # test call
    bpy.ops.object.search_popup('INVOKE_DEFAULT')

Blender 2.7x

bl_info = {
    "name": "Search Popup",
    "version": (0, 0, 1),
    "blender": (2, 75, 0),
    "category": "Test"
}

import bpy

from bpy.props import (EnumProperty,
                       PointerProperty,
                       )
from bpy.types import (Operator,
                       AddonPreferences,
                       PropertyGroup,
                       )


# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
#    store properties in the active scene
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

def my_callback(scene, context):
    objs = ([o.name for o in bpy.context.scene.objects])
    return [(y.upper(), y, "", x) for x, y in enumerate(objs)]


class MySettings(PropertyGroup):

    objs = EnumProperty(
        name="Objects",
        description="",
        items=my_callback
        )

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
#    operator
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

class MyOperator(Operator):
    """Tooltip"""
    bl_idname = "object.search_popup"
    bl_label = "Search Popup"
    bl_property = "my_enum"
    
    my_enum = MySettings.objs
    
    def execute(self, context):
        self.report({'INFO'}, "You've selected: %s" % self.my_enum)
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        wm = context.window_manager
        wm.invoke_search_popup(self)
        return {'FINISHED'}
    
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# register and unregister functions
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

def register():
    bpy.utils.register_module(__name__)
    bpy.types.Scene.my_tool = PointerProperty(type=MySettings)

def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_module(__name__)
    del bpy.types.Scene.my_tool

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()
    
    # test call
    bpy.ops.object.search_popup('INVOKE_DEFAULT')

Related:

• What ui would work for choosing from a long, long list?
• Create an interface which is similar to the material list box

Answer 2

One can use bpy.types.UILayout.template_ID to get this UI element, but it works only with datablocks, enums won't work with it.