In one aspect of the present invention the user can rapidly enter and search for text using a
data entry system through a combination of entering one or more characters on a digitally displayed keyboard with a
pointing device and using a search
list to obtain a
list of completion candidates. The user can activate the search
list to obtain a list of completion candidates at any time while entering a partial
text entry with the
data entry system. When the search list is active, a list of completion candidates is displayed on a
graphical user interface for the user to select from and the user can perform one of several actions. The user can deactivate the search list and return to modifying the current partial
text entry and other text. The user can select one of the completion candidates in the search list and use the selected completion candidate to replace the partial
text entry which the user is currently entering. When the user deactivates the
interactive search list, the user can immediately continue adding to or modifying the current partial text entry being entered, and may re-invoke the search list to further search for completion candidates based on the modified partial text entry. In the second case, the selected completion candidate is used to replace the partial text entry that the user is currently entering, and the
data entry system begins monitoring for a new partial text entry from the user.