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matthew16

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Posts posted by matthew16

    Integrating/Organizing large number of workflows

    in Alfred Feature Suggestions

    Posted

    Are there any features (in particular from recent updates which I haven't carefully read through (3.3.1 -> 3.5)) that could help us manage having too many workflows? My request for more integration features is one kind of thing I'm looking for, but also more broadly is there any kind of metadata, tagging, non-exclusive grouping (workflows can have only a single category), or filtering that could help us organize our workflows?

    Reducing, centralizing, and combining commands

    in Alfred Feature Suggestions

    Posted · Edited by matthew16

    I would like to

    • A: Select specific fallback searches to automatically trigger in the default search
    • B: Trigger and view the results of simultaneous script filters

     

    These features are not hard to implement, but performance concerns have been raised. I'm asking for increased customization on a lower level. I think all of us would benefit a ton from the ability to creatively integrate all of our workflows in a more personalized way.

     

    Here's a similar request that was made (if there are any more let me know so I can add it):

     

     

     @Andrew and @deanishe had some great proposals in the original thread:

     

     @Andrew

    Quote

    You can already create a workflow and attach it to an input filter (such as a file filter, script filter etc). At this point, it's a 1 to 1 mapping for hotkey to input filter. If there was interest, I'd look at enhancing this so that one hotkey could connect to multiple input filters, and results from all filters would be shown. This would essentially allow you to build a workflow which shows a custom version of Alfred with the specific, highly customised results you'd like.

     
    1
    2

     

    @deanishe

    Quote

    Connecting a Hotkey to multiple inputs isn't a bad idea, but it would make more sense, imo, to implement multiple inputs at a lower level, ideally allowing workflows to fetch results (or better yet, arbitrary data) from other workflows.

     

    At the very least, combined inputs should work with a keyword, too.

    1

     

    Link to my last request

    Why can't Alfred handle "losing focus"?

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted · Edited by matthew16

    AFAIK, If I have a search up and another app is activated, the current Alfred search is lost forever.

     

    Is this true or am I missing something? 

     

    It's really frustrating for me and making Alfred hard to use. But before I say any more, I want to make sure I'm correct that there's nothing I can do about this.

     

    One thing I am aware of is that we can set a shortcut to go to the last path in a file search. But this doesn't help with workflows or anything else.

    How to make folder show up in search but not its contents?

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted

    Thanks Vero, and sorry for the delayed response.

     

    This folder filter idea is good and I will definitely try this out. But it doesn't perfectly solve this issue. 

     

    Take my Documents folder for example. I want to be able to search for all the folders in my documents folder. But a few of these folders have a ton of subfolders that are crowding my results. A folder filter will remove files from my search but doesn't solve the subfolder problem. 

     

    It seems like the best solution I have now is to move these folders that have a lot of subfolders outside of my documents folder. 

     

    This is an ok solution, but far from ideal because it means I can't organize things exactly how I want to. I definitely want to through in a big +1 for the suggestion to be able to exclude specific folders from results.

    Why does Alfred exclude some applications?

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted

    Hi @Vero and @Andrew,

     

    I have a feeling my computer is behaving unusually. Settings are currently on default as you can see in my attached image. I am noticing that all of sudden I'm having a lot of difficulty with finding applications. For example, I want to find "BusyCal". Alfred has always had no problem finding it, but I can't think of why it would suddenly stop working. And spotlight still finds it fine.

     

    I tried 'clear Application cache" and "Rebuild MacOSMetadata." I'm a little confused about if the script worked correctly. It said: 

    In a few moments, macOS will start rebuilding your metadata index.

Press any key to close Terminal and continue...

    So I pressed enter and it immediately responded with: 

    [Process completed]

     

    I thought that was a little strange because it sounded like the terminal window was going to close. Also, I clicked on the magnifying glass for spotlight in my menu bar but didn't see anything indicating that my indexing is happening. And lastly, Alfred is still finding files and folders just like it was before, while the script said it wouldn't work for an hour. Now the "Rebuild MacOSMetadata" button is grayed out even thought it seems like like it didn't work.

     

    A few of my applications just will not show up in the search no matter what I do. But a lot of them are also unaffected.

     

    I don't know what to make of this, but it all just feels odd. If anything changes I will update.

    Screen Shot 2017-03-24 at 10.36.05 AM.png

    Why does Alfred exclude some applications?

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted

    Some of my apps just will not show up in my searches.

     

    Most of them do, but a few just will not show up and I cannot find a pattern.

     

    /Applications is in my Search scope.

     

    I do not keep any apps in ~/Applications, so I know this is not the issue.

     

    "Unitntelligent: Search all file types" is on.

     

    These searches only produce about 3 or 4 files, so I know the application is not being pushed down by other results.

     

    I have tried waiting ~10s but still nothing happened.

     

    So if "Search all file types" is on and /Applications is in my search scope, what could possibly cause Alfred to miss these apps?

    Why does Alfred exclude some applications?

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted · Edited by matthew16

    In a basic search, how does Alfred determine which files to put at the top of the list?

     

    I am having a lot of trouble doing basic searches. For example, my most common folder search is for my "Documents" folder. But despite messing around with all the search result settings, no matter what I do my Documents folder rarely shows up. If it does, its usually on the bottom. Instead, I get a list of useless Docuemnts/Backups/Whatever files and folders that I only have for safe keeping and never want to show up in my search results. All of my other documents files and folders are more useful, especially the Documents folder itself, but these things always show up at the top. How can I configure Alfred to better suit my needs?

    Add ways to combine workflows (get results in default search or add a way to pass items between workflows)

    in Alfred Feature Suggestions

    Posted · Edited by matthew16

     

     

     

    *************** Please see new thread ******************

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Alfred already has the ability to search in many different contexts due to the versatility of workflows, and this is great.

     

    The downside is that the more workflows that you have, the more Alfred starts to lose part of its initial appeal as being a quick way to search everything in one place. For example, I'd like my pinboard bookmarks to always show up in my default results since they have equal importance to me as the files on my computer. This is just one example of many.

     

    Two possible features that could help:

    1. Allow workflow results to be included in the default search.
    2. Allow items be passed between workflows, to easily combine them into "meta-workflows" and reduce the total number of searches you have.

     

    I understand this is a performance risk, but I don't have the technical knowledge yet to understand exactly how to solve that. I'm grateful that a conversation has already been started in another thread about this, and I think we should continue it here and work together to find the best solution.

     

    In response to one part of that conversation, @Andrew said:

    Quote

    You can already create a workflow and attach it to an input filter (such as a file filter, script filter etc). At this point, it's a 1 to 1 mapping for hotkey to input filter. If there was interest, I'd look at enhancing this so that one hotkey could connect to multiple input filters, and results from all filters would be shown. This would essentially allow you to build a workflow which shows a custom version of Alfred with the specific, highly customised results you'd like.

    2


    And @deanishe responded:

     

    Quote

    Connecting a Hotkey to multiple inputs isn't a bad idea, but it would make more sense, imo, to implement multiple inputs at a lower level, ideally allowing workflows to fetch results (or better yet, arbitrary data) from other workflows.

     

    At the very least, combined inputs should work with a keyword, too.

    1

     

    Quote

    Now that I think on it, Alfred doesn't actually give you any way to pass around its most important (from a workflow's point of view) data structure — the item.

     

    That's unusual, to say the least.

    2

     

    I think @deanishe is on to something important.

     

    Thank you for considering. :)

    How to include workflow results in default search

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted · Edited by matthew16

    I appreciate the response, but it is a limitation. 

     

    Of course it may slow down the query. That should be something the user is responsible for managing. 

     

    Advantages of script filters showing up in the default search:

     

    1. significantly more flexibility and power of workflows
    2. Complete control over what shows up in the default search
    3. Ability to include all searches. For example in my case, Pinboard Bookmarks. This is very important for me.
    4. Ability to customize default results by replacing them workflows.

    It is not a hindrance to the user:

    1. 100% optional.
    2. Imported workflows that want to be included in the default search can be dealt with in a variety of ways, such as:
      1. A warning alert that 'This workflow wants to be included in the default search. This could slow down every query, but can be turned off later. Proceed?' And it can have three options: 'Cancel', 'Import without including in default search', and 'OK'.
      2. In the 'Features' pane, there can be a new list of workflows that are included in the default search. Each will have a checkbox. At the top, there can be an off switch for disabling all of them at once.
    3. I believe this will in many cases not slow down the system at all. Has the team tested this? I find it hard to believe my computer can't handle this considering how much it does already.
    4. The user already has to manage performance anyway.

     

    It would be beneficial to Alfred and the community:

     

    1. We would probably see an increase in participation and contributions.
    2. Alfred can take ideas from these contributions to further improve the product.
    3. It would be a Powerpack feature, giving user more incentives to buy. $$$

    I don't think it would be difficult to implement:

    1. As far as I understand this is just a simple restriction and would not involve any large changes.
    2. The only problem that would need to be solved is deciding how to order the results. I'll throw out some ideas, but I'm sure this calls for further discussion:
      1. Integrate them into the same algorithm based on past actions.
      2. Put them at the bottom or top of the results, with a border distinguishing them from the default results.
      3. In the workflow give options for how the results should be sorted relative to the default results.

     

    In conclusion, this would not affect the average user, would give 'Powerpack' users much more 'power', and is a positive step forward for both Alfred and the community.

    How to include workflow results in default search

    in Discussion & Help

    Posted · Edited by matthew16
    add link to new thread

     

     

     

     

    *************** Please see new thread ******************

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I'd like to see the results of some my workflows in the default search. In particular, I am regularly searching for my pinboard bookmarks with https://www.alfredforum.com/topic/4435-pinboard-15-for-alfred-3-search-add-and-delete-bookmarks/. How can I see the results of this script filter mixed in with my default search?

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