Vero

@TeaTimeTraveler This then suggests that something on your main profile is interfering, resulting in the feeling of slower reaction.

You'll need to investigate this further, as only you know exactly what's installed on your main user profile, but I would suggest looking at:

- Apps that have accessibility access: Launch your System preferences to Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility and remove anything non-essential.

- Background apps that could be using CPU, running unexpected hotkeys or modifying keyboard response

- Check whether your Mac's under high load when it occurs

Alfred doesn't get slower over time, so finding it faster on restart will be a red herring. Once you work out what's interfering, you'll be all sorted  

@TeaTimeTraveler Are there any other apps or services that could be triggered at the same time as Alfred using your default hotkey? 

I would suggest creating a new user account on your Mac temporarily to see whether you can replicate the issue there; This will allow us to narrow down whether the issue is specific to your primary user account or across your Mac.

@homever So it's working fine for you now? Just want to confirm I can treat this as all sorted out

Cheers,
Vero

@homever

2 minutes ago, homever said:

I wanna use the copied path directly in Terminal, but some of my files have blank space, causing Terminal lose target directory.

So, if is there any option to turn on the 'escape blank space and convert to backslash'?

What is copied to your clipboard when you select the "Copy path to clipboard"?

It should appear in single quotes as is the case here:

'/Users/vero/Desktop/BLOG POSTS/Example'\''s folder'

I've tested this and it escapes as expected in Terminal, so I'd be interested in seeing exactly what's being copied to your clipboard, and what you're pasting to Terminal, so that I can help you further.

Cheers,
Vero

Hi @TeaTimeTraveler Welcome to the forum  Nothing's changed with respect to Alfred in recent releases that would change how snappily Alfred appears, so it's likely that some other factor is causing this feeling of slower reaction.

If you're seeing characters missing, it's possible that another app or service on your Mac is being triggered with the same hotkey:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/kb/missing-first-character/

If you've recently upgraded to Sierra, make sure that Spotlight hasn't re-set itself to the same hotkey, as it would then be triggered too, imperceptibly stealing the first character or few characters before Alfred appears. This is the first thing to check.

Next, does this occur on every occasion or specifically when your Mac is under higher load?

Let me know how you get on!

Cheers,
Vero

@homever Where are you copying the path from? This refers to using File Navigation, then pressing the right arrow to see file actions, as shown below:

If File Actions are new to you, you can find out more here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/features/file-search/#file-actions

Cheers,
Vero

@CCQ You'll first need to enable the Clipboard History feature for text on the "History" tab visible in your screenshot.

Cheers,
Vero

@shayonpal I would recommend doing a reindex from Alfred's Advanced prefs, ensuring that you check the "Delete /.Spotlight-V100" checkbox when it pops up. This will ensure that the index is recreated from scratch, as it sounds like there might still be some odd corruption in the index.

Keep in mind that this can take up to an hour to complete, then type "reload" into Alfred, which refreshes the application cache, nothing else, but should ensure that the app cache is current to find Spotify, for example.

Let me know how you get on

Cheers,
Vero

@magnotti The Python-based framework used in some Alfred workflows on macOS Sierra causes the high CPU usage you're seeing.

Take a look at this thread for the latest update from the workflow creator. He's provided a workflow you can run, which will fix the issue in all affected workflows:
https://www.alfredforum.com/topic/10193-python-fix-how-to-fix-python-workflows-hanging-alfred-on-sierra/

Cheers,
Vero

@David Hughes Have you checked whether Spotlight finds any of these emails based on the same keywords? Tried searching for different terms to make sure you weren't accidentally searching for something that's not available?

You may benefit from rebuilding your Mac's metadata index if no emails are being found, which you can do by following step 4 here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/indexing/

The more investigating you're able to do on your own Mac to provide us with more information, the easier it is for us to help you

Cheers,
Vero

@matias Alfred relies on your Mac's index, so if it's a little out of date, or corrupted, apps can be missing from results.

The first way to reindex just a single app is to pop up Spotlight preferences to the Privacy tab, drag the app (or the Applications folder) in, wait 30 seconds, then drag it back out. Wait a few minutes, and your Mac should reindex that folder. Once that's done, type "reload" into Alfred, as Alfred keeps an application cache for quick results.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, take a look at step 4 here, which is a full reindex:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/indexing/

Let me know how you get on

Cheers,
Vero

Hi @David Hughes - This File Filter workflow refers to mail held in the ~/Library/Mail/ location on your Mac (as I'm using the same workflow, which works fine for me) so have you checked that this location on your Mac does contain your emails?

If your emails are stored in a different location (which is possible, depending on which version of macOS you're using, or whether your emails are indeed stored locally) you may need to update the path in the File Filter, so that's the best place to start.

Cheers,
Vero

@CCQ Thanks for your post - we're already aware of this and have made the change for the next release, as LinkedIn changed their search URL structure a few days ago, and don't forward the old one. 

The change will be included in the next release, but in the meantime, you can create a custom search and disable the default search. Just make sure to use {query} where you've put in <searchterms> in your example

Cheers,
Vero

@johnhollister Welcome to the forum, John.

A few things to check:

- If you're seeing an input delay, is your Mac under heavy load? This discussion focuses on lag under heavy load, so I assume you're referring to the same thing?

- In Features > Default Results, do you have external volumes in your search scope?

- When you have a moment, I would recommend rebuilding your Mac's metadata index in case there's corruption in your index, causing the results to lag. You can do this in the Advanced preferences tab.

Cheers,
Vero

@DeeK Is it any text field in Chrome or on particular websites? I'm wondering if you're testing somewhere that has particular scripting around the text field resulting in weird behaviour.

With regards to HipChat, a few releases ago, we found that HipChat received the simulated key events for the text replacement, but processed them out of order. This is a bug in HipChat (possibly using a cross platform UI framework). However, for the one or two users who had reported it, slowing down key events was sufficient and everything worked as expected.

If no snippets are appearing, launch Alfred's prefs to Snippets and check whether any red text appears, as in this Secure Input screenshot:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/snippets/#secureinput

This would mean that HipChat or something else is locking secure input, preventing Alfred and other apps from being able to perceive the typed characters and expanding your snippets.

Cheers,
Vero

@BigTrees You can find out more about file filters here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/inputs/file-filter/

You'll also find a few built-in examples and templates in Alfred's Workflows preferences. Pop by the Workflows tab, click the [+] in the bottom left, and add the two Examples called "Simple Folder Search" and "Dynamic File Search".

The first shows you how to create a file filter that only returns folders as results, as well as how to use alternative actions. The second one is a more advanced file filter, which uses variables to dynamically set the search scope (e.g. dynamically decide you only want to search within your Documents folder this time).

If you start creating your own workflows and you need a hand, you can find help in the "Workflow Help & Questions" section of the forum.  

Cheers,
Vero 

@DeeK In that case, have you checked for apps that could be interfering? By this I mean apps like other text expanders, keyboard modifiers or other apps that might have Accessibility permissions on your Mac.

Launch Apple's Security & Privacy System Preferences to Privacy > Accessibility, and uncheck all other apps in Accessibility temporarily to help you narrow down which one might be interfering.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers,
Vero

Hi @DeeK and welcome to the forum!

You may need to slow down key events, which you can do by launching the preferences to Features > Snippets, then click the cog in the top right. Under Tweaking, click the "Slow down key events" box.  This will imperceptibly slow down the paste action, giving the Chrome text box a moment longer to finish removing the snippet keyword characters.

More details on partial expansion here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/snippets/#partial

Let me know how you get on!

Cheers,
Vero

@jackbrannen Take a look at this page, as you need to ensure that there aren't conflicting options set in System Preferences:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/keyboard-language/

Provide more details on the options set in Sys Prefs and in any keyboard-modifier apps you've got running if you're still not seeing the expected behaviour, as this feature hasn't changed in a long time and should work exactly as expected

Cheers,
Vero

Hi @fitzg and welcome to the forum!

Could you please fill in your Powerpack email address in your forum profile? This is only visible to admins but allows us to confirm your Powerpack status, before providing support with Powerpack-specific features

Cheers,
Vero

Welcome to the forum @Francis S  

Here's a helpful beginner's guide that includes a few handy keywords, how to create custom searches and other features available to users of the free version:

https://www.alfredapp.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/beginners-guide-to-alfred-searching-your-mac-and-the-web/

With the Powerpack, your options open vastly as you could then create file filters to search for particular file types or in only certain directories on your Mac, making search even more fun!

Cheers,

Vero 

Thought I'd share this very simple File Filter workflow, which allows you to search for Safari History items.  This is a much tidier way to search for browser history than adding the file type to default results

The workflow uses the keyword "sh" followed by the name or URL of the Safari history item.

Download the Safari History workflow

[Note: This workflow is only suitable for macOS Sierra and below, as High Sierra has removed the ability to show results from Safari's Bookmarks and History.]

Cheers,

Vero

@politicus If that first "A" that remains is part of your keyword, it's likely that you either need to slow down key events (giving your Mac a fraction of a second longer to delete the keyword before pasting the snippet) or check for interfering apps that may also be trying to manipulate text.

More details here:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/troubleshooting/snippets/#partial

Let me know how you get on

Cheers,
Vero

I'm just popping my head into this thread to let you all know that in the next Alfred release (3.4), there'll be date arithmetics added to snippets, making it possible to calculate dates (e.g. {date +7d +3h:long} to paste the date seven days and three hours from now in long format)

While @deanishe is very generous with his time, this might be a case where it's worth waiting til the next pre-release - of course, unless Dean fancies adding that to the workflow as well, as it's a convenient way to add these on the fly! 

Cheers,

Vero

34 minutes ago, PhilIcare said:

 

1 hour ago, Vero said:

or set up a keyword for the Snippets Viewer in the preferences.

 

Sorry for my silly question but…

Where can I do that?

Sorry, in my haste to reply, I meant a hotkey  - which you've already found, clearly!

If you'd like that text to be bolder, go to the Appearance tab, duplicate the Frosty Teal theme and make the text for secondary results more opaque.

Cheers,
Vero