Usablity:

In text editor, the CTRL+F find now opens property region (or keeps it) and
activates the search button for input.

That's already nice! But next step should be to do a search on exit of 
the button (or while typing). That's stuff I need Campbell to help with though.

Notes:
- Probably Py api for property buttons could get an "operator=" arg?
- The warning menu "not found" should go away
- I also suggest to make "wrap" search default for new editors

source/blender/editors/include/UI_interface.h

@@ -643,6 +643,8 @@ void    uiBlockSetDrawExtraFunc(uiBlock *block,
                                 void (*func)(const struct bContext *C, void *, void *, void *, struct rcti *rect),
                                 void *arg1, void *arg2);
 
+void UI_textbutton_activate_event(const struct bContext *C, struct ARegion *ar, void *basepoin, const char *identifier);
+
 void uiButSetFocusOnEnter(struct wmWindow *win, uiBut *but);
 
 /* Autocomplete

source/blender/editors/interface/interface_handlers.c

@@ -7456,4 +7456,35 @@ void UI_remove_popup_handlers(ListBase *handlers, uiPopupBlockHandle *popup)
 	WM_event_remove_ui_handler(handlers, ui_handler_popup, ui_handler_remove_popup, popup, FALSE);
 }
 
+void UI_textbutton_activate_event(const bContext *C, ARegion *ar, void *basepoin, const char *identifier)
+{
+	uiBlock *block;
+	uiBut *but;
+	
+	for (block = ar->uiblocks.first; block; block = block->next) {
+		for (but = block->buttons.first; but; but = but->next) {
+			if (but->type == TEX) {
+				if (but->rnaprop && but->rnapoin.data == basepoin)
+					if (strcmp(RNA_property_identifier(but->rnaprop), identifier)==0)
+						break;
+				
+			}
+		}
+		if (but)
+			break;
+	}
+	
+	if (but) {
+		wmWindow *win = CTX_wm_window(C);
+		wmEvent event;
+		
+		event = *(win->eventstate);  /* XXX huh huh? make api call */
+		event.type = EVT_BUT_OPEN;
+		event.val = KM_PRESS;
+		event.customdata = but;
+		event.customdatafree = FALSE;
+		wm_event_add(win, &event);
+
+	}
+}
 

source/blender/editors/space_text/space_text.c

@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ static void text_operatortypes(void)
 	WM_operatortype_append(TEXT_OT_replace);
 	WM_operatortype_append(TEXT_OT_replace_set_selected);
 
+	WM_operatortype_append(TEXT_OT_start_find);
+	
 	WM_operatortype_append(TEXT_OT_to_3d_object);
 
 	WM_operatortype_append(TEXT_OT_resolve_conflict);
@@ -233,9 +235,9 @@ static void text_keymap(struct wmKeyConfig *keyconf)
 	wmKeyMapItem *kmi;
 	
 	keymap = WM_keymap_find(keyconf, "Text Generic", SPACE_TEXT, 0);
-	WM_keymap_add_item(keymap, "TEXT_OT_properties", FKEY, KM_PRESS, KM_CTRL, 0);
+	WM_keymap_add_item(keymap, "TEXT_OT_start_find", FKEY, KM_PRESS, KM_CTRL, 0);
 #ifdef __APPLE__
-	WM_keymap_add_item(keymap, "TEXT_OT_properties", FKEY, KM_PRESS, KM_OSKEY, 0);
+	WM_keymap_add_item(keymap, "TEXT_OT_start_find", FKEY, KM_PRESS, KM_OSKEY, 0);
 #endif
 	
 	keymap = WM_keymap_find(keyconf, "Text", SPACE_TEXT, 0);
@@ -515,7 +517,16 @@ static void text_properties_area_init(wmWindowManager *wm, ARegion *ar)
 
 static void text_properties_area_draw(const bContext *C, ARegion *ar)
 {
+	SpaceText *st = CTX_wm_space_text(C);
+	
 	ED_region_panels(C, ar, 1, NULL, -1);
+	
+	/* this flag trick is make sure buttons have been added already */
+	if (st->flags & ST_FIND_ACTIVATE) {
+		
+		UI_textbutton_activate_event(C, ar, st, "find_text");
+		st->flags &= ~ST_FIND_ACTIVATE;
+	}
 }
 
 /********************* registration ********************/

source/blender/editors/space_text/text_header.c

@@ -113,6 +113,38 @@ void TEXT_OT_properties(wmOperatorType *ot)
 	ot->poll = text_properties_poll;
 }
 
+static int text_text_search_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *UNUSED(op))
+{
+	ScrArea *sa = CTX_wm_area(C);
+	ARegion *ar = text_has_properties_region(sa);
+	SpaceText *st = CTX_wm_space_text(C);
+	
+	if (ar) {
+		if (ar->flag & RGN_FLAG_HIDDEN)
+			ED_region_toggle_hidden(C, ar);
+		
+		/* cannot send a button activate yet for case when region wasn't visible yet */
+		/* flag gets checked and cleared in main draw callback */
+		st->flags |= ST_FIND_ACTIVATE;
+		
+		ED_region_tag_redraw(ar);
+	}
+	return OPERATOR_FINISHED;
+}
+
+
+void TEXT_OT_start_find(wmOperatorType *ot)
+{
+	/* identifiers */
+	ot->name = "Find";
+	ot->description = "Start searching text";
+	ot->idname = "TEXT_OT_start_find";
+	
+	/* api callbacks */
+	ot->exec = text_text_search_exec;
+	ot->poll = text_properties_poll;
+}
+
 /******************** XXX popup menus *******************/
 
 #if 0

source/blender/editors/space_text/text_intern.h

@@ -134,11 +134,15 @@ void TEXT_OT_line_number(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 
 void TEXT_OT_properties(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 
+/* find = find indicated text */
 void TEXT_OT_find(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void TEXT_OT_find_set_selected(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void TEXT_OT_replace(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 void TEXT_OT_replace_set_selected(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 
+/* text_find = open properties, activate search button */
+void TEXT_OT_start_find(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
+
 void TEXT_OT_to_3d_object(struct wmOperatorType *ot);
 
 void TEXT_OT_resolve_conflict(struct wmOperatorType *ot);

source/blender/editors/space_text/text_ops.c

@@ -2966,7 +2966,7 @@ static int text_find_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 void TEXT_OT_find(wmOperatorType *ot)
 {
 	/* identifiers */
-	ot->name = "Find";
+	ot->name = "Find Next";
 	ot->idname = "TEXT_OT_find";
 	ot->description = "Find specified text";
 	

source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h

@@ -840,6 +840,8 @@ typedef enum eSpaceText_Flags {
 	ST_FIND_ALL             = (1 << 6),
 	ST_SHOW_MARGIN          = (1 << 7),
 	ST_MATCH_CASE           = (1 << 8),
+	
+	ST_FIND_ACTIVATE		= (1 << 9),
 } eSpaceText_Flags;
 
 /* stext->findstr/replacestr */

source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_event_system.c

@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ void wm_event_do_notifiers(bContext *C)
 static int wm_event_always_pass(wmEvent *event)
 {
 	/* some events we always pass on, to ensure proper communication */
-	return ISTIMER(event->type) || (event->type == WINDEACTIVATE);
+	return ISTIMER(event->type) || (event->type == WINDEACTIVATE) || (event->type == EVT_BUT_OPEN);
 }
 
 /* ********************* ui handler ******************* */