Steve Ball

Thank you., @Andrew! 🙏

Both those options work for me 🙂. Given that I didn't know merge pasting existed, turning it off is the easy fix.

There was also another option:

3.  Uncheck 'Play a sound when appending' (this also solves my issue)

Note that the help text for this field is 'Plays the system 'Purr' sound when an item is successfully appended', but in macOS Sonoma that particular sound has been renamed to Pluck.

My problem is solved but just in case this affects others, it appears that there's a bug in the double cmd-C detection. I have tested it and found that when I select text with the mouse, then pause, then type cmd-C (once), there is no sound. But if I select text and quickly type cmd-C then I get the Pluck sound. It is as if when cmd-C is pressed, the logic is looking at the timestamp of the most recent thing copied to the clipboard, seeing that it's very recent, and incorrectly concluding that it must be because it's a double cmd-C situation. Does the clipboard in macOS say which application put the content there? If so, the test could be amended to be... if something was recently copied to the clipboard (<1s) AND that application was Alfred, then perform a merge.

Many thanks again for the quick response and solution!
 

When I am in iTerm, I select text with the cursor and type cmd-C to copy it. When I do this, there's a 10-20% chance it will make a sound (the "Pluck" sound from macOS's built-in sounds). When this happens, the text is not copied to the clipboard.

If I select text in iTerm and repeatedly type cmd-C, if I do that slowly (1 time per second), I get no sound. If I type cmd-C faster (2 or 3 times a second), then it beeps about once a second.

This has been driving me nuts for months. I'm deep in my coding and suddenly get this sound. It makes me jump a bit. I can't turn down the volume on it. In System Settings, you can adjust the sound of the notification sound, but this sound is always at my standard volume level. I've set the options in iTerm for silent bell, so it's not that.

I even did a full rebuild of my machine (fresh macOS install, re-downloaded all my apps, blew away ~/Library) just to try to get rid of this problem. It came back though. Today, I had the idea to close all running apps to see if that helped, and that's how I discovered that quitting Alfred solved the problem.

Alfred version: 5.1.4 [2195]

macOS version: 14.2

I've just this morning upgraded from Alfred 4 to 5.

I noticed immediately that web search is broken. If I activate Alfred and type a web search term and hit enter nothing happens. If I precede the search text with a question mark and a space then Alfred opens a browser tab to perform a web search.

I do this a hundred times a day, so I'm reverting to Alfred 4.

If I activate Alfred and type "hello world", I see in the drop down one option that says, "Search Google for 'hello world'" with an enter key icon. But pressing Enter has the same effect as pressing Esc.

Well, Vero, consider me a very satisfied customer, again! 😉

Thank you, made my day! 😘

You would also need a list box of the apps and websites that you wouldn't want this expansion to apply in. There's an excellent Mac app called Rocket that's an emoji picker that works this way. Unfortunately it's broken for M1 Macs.

With Rocket you just type :sli (for example) to get a dropdown with the :slightly_smiling and :slightly_frowning options. You can choose which apps (like Terminal) and which sites (slack.com) you don't want this behaviour in.

It's got the interface exactly perfectly right. I'm just a bit bummed that it's broken on the latest Macs. If Alfred could provide this shortcut then I'd get that high-speed emoji inside of Alfred (which I love 😍)

I've followed the excellent suggestion in Joel's blog (joelcalifa.com/blog/alfred-emoji-snippet-pack) for making Alfred my emoji picker.

It's awesome but it could be awesomer.

To chose an emoji, I have to:

• Type ⌘-Space to activate Alfred
• S followed by space to select snippets (I've made "s" my shortcut for snippets)
• then type the name of the emoji I want

What I would really like is something like pressing ":" to do the first of those two steps. Then I could type :rocket to get a 🚀.

The emoji dropdown chooser (with Joel's Alfred emoji pack) is excellent. I would just like one keypress instead of three to get to it.

I use snippets mainly for long words I can't be bothered typing. .em is my email address, .ad is the first line of my address.

.ei is Eindhoven the city I live in. But I often want to google that. So I start Alfred and type ".ei [expecting the expansion] trains" but repeatedly get caught out 🤦 because my fingers have come to think of these long phrases in their snippet forms.

Would it be possible to have snippet expansion occur within Alfred's input window? (You can always get around it if you really didn't want that, such as by typing .e i and going back to delete the space, in that very rare situation that you would want that)

Thanks for your help, @deanishe and @Vero. I have resolved the issue. The application stealing focus was Spotlight. Both Spotlight and Alfred were configured to be activated by Cmd-space. Once I disabled this, the issue stopped.

I had set up a new user but had forgotten to disable Spotlight. It looks like both were getting activated (but Spotlight somehow invisibly) and that it was holding onto focus once the browser had been activated, or perhaps leaving no application with keystroke focus (since it was not accepting and consuming those keystrokes itself).

It's fine when I open the browser from other applications (such as from terminal or spotlight).

It only occurs when browser tabs are opened from Alfred.

Yes, still the same after reboot.

If I perform a web search with Alfred, the browser opens with the search results but then won't accept any keypresses (e.g., to change the search string). I can navigate from the search results to another page but if I attempt to type any key there once giving a text input field focus I get an error beep and the keypress is ignored. (To hear the sound, open About This Mac and press any key.)

If I alt-tab away to another application and back then keystrokes are re-enabled. I've tried changing my default browser; I get the same behaviour for Chrome and Safari.

I'm on Big Sur 11.6 and Alfred 4.6 Build 1266. The bug happens every time.

It's such a palaver to add an event to my calendar. I'd hate to think of the click count.

Most appointments are just me and they're reminders. So if I could Alfred myself something like the following then it would be a godsend:

"reminder thursday noon lunch with Fernando"

Even better if it would add it then open my cal app and leave me looking at the created event. Then I could choose to modify it (duration, attendees) or 95% of the time just leave it as it is.

I use Alfred for everything that makes me efficient and calendar event creation is the last big "nuisance factor" in using my comp as a productivity tool

PS. I'm sure you could think of a much better slicker implementation but you get the idea! 🙂

[Admin note: We do not recommend blindly running commands found on the internet. Make sure that you understand the commands you're running and the impact they can have on your Mac.]

I followed the instructions around rebuilding the index without luck. Vero helped diagnose that it was the underlying Spotlight indexing that was at fault and that while my Spotlight searches were broken Alfred was going to have the same issues.

I googled for "fix broken spotlight" and basically tried every suggestion I could find. One of them worked after also rebooting.

The commands I tried:

• sudo mdutil -E /

• sudo /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -seed -lint -r -f -v -dump -domain local -domain system -domain user -domain network

• killing SystemUIServer via Activity Monitor

• rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Spotlight.plist

• sudo mdutil -i on /

• Checking that /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.Spotlight.plist and /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist were present and uncorrupted 

• sudo mdutil -Ea
  sudo mdutil -ai off
  sudo mdutil -ai on

Hi Vero, thanks for that. I have followed the steps carefully, including doing an alfred 'reload' about rebuilding the indices but I have the same issue. Are there further troubleshooting steps I can take?

Thanks,
Steve

I also have this issue. Alfred finds some apps but not others and doesn't find any files. 

For the applications that can't be found it appears to be missing metadata:

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'dosbox.app'
Path: '/Applications'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

✅ Direct metadata available

Display Name: DOSBox
 Other Names: 
Content Type: com.apple.application-bundle
   Last Used: 2020-03-12 11:31:29 +0000

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = 2020-03-12 11:31:29 +0000
kMDItemFSCreationDate      = 2020-03-12 11:31:29 +0000
kMDItemFSCreatorCode       = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags       = 0
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon     = 0
kMDItemFSInvisible         = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = 0
kMDItemFSIsStationery      = 0
kMDItemFSLabel             = 0
kMDItemFSName              = "dosbox.app"
kMDItemFSNodeCount         = 1
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID      = 20
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID       = 501
kMDItemFSSize              = 1
kMDItemFSTypeCode          = ""

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed
 

Another with the same:

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'Google Chrome.app'
Path: '/Applications'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

✅ Direct metadata available

Display Name: Google Chrome
 Other Names: 
Content Type: com.apple.application-bundle
   Last Used: 2021-02-26 10:35:22 +0000

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = 2021-02-26 10:35:22 +0000
kMDItemFSCreationDate      = 2019-12-14 03:29:08 +0000
kMDItemFSCreatorCode       = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags       = 1024
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon     = 1
kMDItemFSInvisible         = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = 0
kMDItemFSIsStationery      = 0
kMDItemFSLabel             = 0
kMDItemFSName              = "Google Chrome.app"
kMDItemFSNodeCount         = 2
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID      = 0
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID       = 0
kMDItemFSSize              = 2
kMDItemFSTypeCode          = ""

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed
 

Slightly different for file (rather than application):

Starting Diagnostics...

File: 'Change of contact details.gsheet'
Path: '/Users/steve/Google Drive'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check file cache database...

✅ File cache integrity is ok

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if file is readable...

✅ Alfred has permissions to read this file.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check if volume '/' is indexed by macOS...

✅ Indexing is enabled on this drive

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check direct file metadata...

⚠️ Direct metadata available, but content type may be incorrect

Display Name: Change of contact details.gsheet
 Other Names: 
Content Type: dyn.ah62d4rv4ge80s65kqzw1k
   Last Used: 2021-01-27 07:16:14 +0000

-----------------------------------------------------------

Check mdls file metadata...

❌ macOS metadata missing essential items

kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = 2021-01-27 07:16:14 +0000
kMDItemFSCreationDate      = 2021-01-27 07:16:14 +0000
kMDItemFSCreatorCode       = ""
kMDItemFSFinderFlags       = 0
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon     = 0
kMDItemFSInvisible         = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = 0
kMDItemFSIsStationery      = 0
kMDItemFSLabel             = 0
kMDItemFSName              = "Change of contact details.gsheet"
kMDItemFSNodeCount         = 176
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID      = 20
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID       = 501
kMDItemFSSize              = 176
kMDItemFSTypeCode          = ""

-----------------------------------------------------------

❌ Troubleshooting failed
 

Hi there,

Maybe I am missing something obvious? I can't see any way to delete a custom web search once it has been created (both Alfred 3 and 4).

Am I overlooking something?

Many thanks,
Steve

Hi there,

I'm sure I'm solving this problem the wrong way and missing something obvious. I dragged the URL link for Google Calendar from Chrome to my Applications folder (and renamed it Google Calendar.webloc).

I would like to be able to invoke it the same way that I do with other applications in the Applications directory. I can open it by typing open cal or ' cal. But I want to be able to just type cal into Alfred. Being a file, the link is not found if I do that.

I've achieved a workaround in a messy way by creating a new type of Web Search query called cal with a URL that makes no reference to {query} but instead always goes to the same place. It's not the right way but I can type ⌘-space cal ↵ to get to my calendar.

What would be the better way to do this?

Many thanks

Steve

Hi Vero, thanks, yes, I tried restarting Chrome and rebooting, though this had no effect.

[Edit: This post was merged from the other thread by this user, as both were on the same topic. - Vero]

When I bring up the Alfred input box and start typing a search term I get the usual "Search Google for 'XXX'" dropdown and I hit enter to perform the search. A browser tab opens but the URL is empty (as is the page).

This used to happen intermittently and started immediately after upgrading Sierra to High Sierra. Though, over the course of a month, it went from happening 10% of the time to 90% of the time.

I had some other problems too: with Alfred, the hotkey activation occasionally was ignored, and other Finder problems of several varieties.

I'm using the latest versions of Alfred (version 3.5.1 Build 883) and the latest version of High Sierra.

After 3 months of this, my computer was essentially unusable so I did a clean install of Sierra and everything is fine, as well as being noticeably much faster.

Repeatably (today) and occasionally in the past since recently upgrading to High Sierra, when I invoke Alfred and type a term I wish to Google search for, I type the term, the Alfred dropdown shows a single option of "Search google for '<term>'" and then I hit enter. A new Chrome browser window opens but it's blank.

Alfred 3.5.1

Build 883, Wednesday 18th October 2017

High Sierra 

Version 10.13.2

FIX: On the Apple discussion thread, a number of users have reported that disabling Siri solved the problem of the first activation of Spotlight being ignored (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8148782?start=30&tstart=0)

UPDATE: I spoke to soon, my problem is back. It's much infrequent now but I still occasionally get the problem. Bugger. Looks like I'll be switching to alt-space and will retrain my fingers.

I've found a solution to this problem. Others have encountered the same issue with High Sierra (in their cases with Spotlight not activating):

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8148782

The suggested solution was to reboot in Safe Mode (hold down Shift while rebooting) and then reboot as normal. It also seems to be advised to run EtreCheck and fix any problems it identifies.

It solved my problem. Spotlight reliably starts on first press of cmd-space and I've since disabled that and assigned Alfred the key. All seems good now.

Thanks, @iandol, @deanishe, @Andrew

Given that's we've established that this is a MacOS bug unrelated to Alfred, @Andrew, will Alfred be raising this as a bug report with Apple or is there investigative work that you can do to maybe find out why it's happening? And are you able to reproduce the error, or is it just some users? I imagine it must be a subset of Alfred users or this thread would be full of complaints :-) I haven't done a full OS install since Lion so maybe that's related. Perhaps a full HD-wiping OS install would fix it (not that I want to do that).

Thanks, @deanishe, that's good to know. I'm going to change my behaviour. Going forward I will ignore the yearly OS upgrade until it's been out there at least 6-12 months. I never imagined I'd get to the point of distrusting Apple's QA to the point of not being willing to accept its free OS updates. But I guess that's life, eh, and especially in technology, everything has its zenith and then goes into decline. As often as not (in our industry) it's a single individual who is able to assemble teams of high-performers and focus their creative potential in a single direction. Without that person and vision most teams/products/companies go into reasonably rapid decline. I've seen it happen many times. The person at the top really does deserve a lot of credit for the team they assemble and what that team achieves. It's sad to see that Apple's light has faded when they once personified excellence and attention to the smallest detail.

Can confirm cmd-space (Spotlight) dependably doesn't activate when pressed after 10 minutes of not being used.

I can understand the reasoning of wanting to delay installing macOS upgrades but the passwordless root access highlights the importance of installing patches and updates as soon as they are available. You don't know what serious bugs are being fixed. Particularly if people are adhering to responsible disclosure, your High Sierra upgrade might be protecting you from serious security flaws in Sierra... there's no way of knowing (or it might introduce them!). So I take the upgrades when they are suggested, but I pay the price in all the new bugs and problems. It's crazy how a company like Apple, literally the wealthiest in the world, can't sort out basic problems. I've just spent 2 hours chasing a crazy bug where I can't activate Find My Mac because it's reporting a Server not responding error and it's led me in a fruitless chase of needing to update my iCloud details, but I couldn't do that because I was in the wrong country, then I couldn't update the country because my credit card is out of date and then the changes wouldn't stick and would just revert on refresh, then the changes activated some potential fraud detection and I got locked out and had to go through a verification loop.... it just went on and on and on and I still haven't solved my problem! I'm boiling mad and have lost 2 hours to achieve nothing at all. And I can't raise Apple support tickets like a responsible user to report any of the bugs in *their* software because I'm not under warranty. It's appalling customer service. The wealthiest company in the world should allow its users to report bugs free of charge and receive updates on fixes. I'm really getting to despise Apple, but what's the alternative?

I noticed something strange just now. An hour ago I set Alfred to be activated by alt-space and Spotlight to be cmd-space.

I went to use Alfred for the first time moments ago since making that change and habitually hit cmd-space. Interestingly, nothing happened, so I hit it again and got Spotlight.

So this suggests that MacOS it dropping the first cmd-space hotkey irrespective of what application it activates. I haven't had any problems with Alfred or any other app using hotkeys other than cmd-space so it looks like this is a MacOS bug introduced with High Sierra where the cmd-space hotkey is ignored when it has been pressed for the first time within the last 10 (or so) minutes.

MacOS is getting buggier and buggier with every release since Snow Leopard. At least they aren't introducing bugs as serious as allowing root access without a password, for example ;-)