Add the ability to use the default Windows Search from the Open-Shell menu

[runningvisor]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I find the built-in search being slower and harder to use, often finding myself having to wait, type more of the search term, and use the arrow keys to get to where I want sometimes way more than the default Windows Search with Web search disabled.

Describe the solution you'd like

When opening the Open-Shell, pressing any character key (letters, numbers, etc.) will make invisible the Open-Shell menu (not hidden to retain focus) and instead brings up the Windows Search window, passing that character as an argument if possible.

Area of issue

Start menu

Alternatives you've considered

An alternative way to do this when pressing a character is to make the Open-Shell menu invisible (not hidden) to retain focus, invoke "Win+S", and then invoking a key press to type that first character when the Windows Search window is focused. This sounds like something AutoHotKey would be able to do, but might be helpful built-in if it's not too difficult.

Additional context

Testing ways to do bring up the Windows Search window, using explorer ms-search: in Command Prompt (similar to open Settings with explorer ms-settings:) didn't work. Task Manager shows this running as "SearchApp.exe" in the background, located in "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy", but you can't directly execute it since it's based on UWP.

Edit: During experiments with AutoHotKey scripts, I've found that the Open-Shell menu closes when the Windows Search opens, and opens again when you hit Windows key therefore I crossed out likely unnecessary parts above.

[runningvisor]

After looking into the AutoHotKey documentation, I tried my best to write a script for this without wearing myself out. I'm still hoping this gets implemented since y'all know more than I do and would be more reliable.

Below is my best working attempt, which although still misses the first letter if you type too fast, it is better than my other previous attempts which are farther below with explanations.

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

Loop
{
   if WinActive("ahk_class OpenShell.CMenuContainer")
   {
       try {
           SearchText := ControlGetText("Edit1")
           if not (SearchText = "")
           {
               Send "#s"
               Send SearchText
           }
       }
   }
}

Looking for the "Search" window. This one performs worse because although it takes time for the Windows Search to take focus (observed with Window Spy), one can still type in the search box, leading to the first letter being inserted mid-phrase when it eventually gets focus.

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

Loop
{
   while WinActive("ahk_class OpenShell.CMenuContainer")
   {
       SearchText := ControlGetText("Edit1")
       if not (SearchText = "") {
           Send "#s"
           WinWait "Search"
           Send SearchText
       }
   }
}

Despite checking the actual color of the search box (which changes before Windows Search takes focus), this one seems actually miss the first letter entirely. This will also only work for those with 1080p displays set to 100% scale.

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

Loop
{
   if WinActive("ahk_class OpenShell.CMenuContainer")
   {
       try {
           SearchText := ControlGetText("Edit1")
           if not (SearchText = "")
           {
               Send "#s"
               CoordMode "Screen"
               while not (PixelGetColor(48, 1047) = 0x0078D7)
               {
                   
               }
               Send SearchText
           }
       }
   }
}