Keyword matching is (still) really inconsistent

[sfsdfd]

I've been using Alfred since the v1 days. I've frequently encountered the following problem, and it appears to be worse, rather than better, in Alfred v2.

 

My primary use of Alfred is to accept an assigned keyword, and perform a really simple action: Open File, Open Folder, Open URL, etc. I use that action probably 30 times a day, and I use all of Alfred's *other* functions maybe once or twice a week.

 

However, Alfred's ability to match input in the search box to these keywords is extraordinarily inconsistent. Let's say I've created an action for the input keyword "files", which is linked to opening a folder. Often, typing "files" will result in Alfred suggesting that action first - but not always:

 

* Sometimes, Alfred will show the "files" keyword action as the second, third, fourth, etc. option in the list. Often, the options presented before it are pretty strange - e.g., random filenames that happen to have the word "files" somewhere in the path.

 

* Sometimes, Alfred won't show the "files" keyword action AT ALL - it doesn't appear anywhere in the list. This is especially true for keywords that are a single letter, like "f" or "d" - those keywords don't show up in Alfred's list.

 

* Sometimes, Alfred will show the "files" keyword action as the top option while I partially type the keyword into the search box (e.g., when the search box reads "f", "fi", "fil", or "file") - but when I enter the full keyword "files", Alfred *switches the top option to something else*. This behavior is extraordinarily irritating.

 

* On the off-chance that I happen to select the wrong option (particularly in the latter example), Alfred kind of cements that selection in place: for the next like 10 or 20 times I try typing in the keyword, the wrong option keeps showing up as the #1 suggestion.

 

Frankly, I am mystified as to how such a simple feature could be so totally botched. I understand that one of Alfred's strengths is that it has a learning aspect - but when Alfred "learns" to suggest 10 options before the one explicitly specified option that EXACTLY matches the input string, then Alfred's learning has become a crippling handicap. It shouldn't be difficult to insert a hard-coded rule that if the input EXACTLY matches a keyword, ALWAYS show that option first.

 

Anyone experiencing similar bugs?

 

[Tyler Eich]

What are your settings here:

I've never experienced anything like this, regardless of the 'Keyword Latching' setting.

 

I just set up a new keyword 'c'. After two times finding it in the results and selecting it, Alfred has aptly put it in second place (right under my other, more frequently used 'c' keyword from my Colors workflow).

Edited January 13, 2014 by Tyler Eich

[sfsdfd]

That option was set, so I've turned it off to see if there's any improvement.

[Andrew]

Alfred 2 organises results based on quite a significant set of knowledge and should be extremely accurate. When it comes to keywords, the best approach is to just keep typing rather than selecting a keyword before continuing. So let's say that you have a filter keyword of 'files' which takes an argument... Simply type into Alfred e.g.

files bob

And you will find that your filter will be selected and running automatically. If you are still finding that things aren't sorted as expected, there may be an issue on your Mac which is preventing Alfred from saving knowledge for sorting. Pop an email to info@alfredapp com and I'll talk you through some things to reset permissions etc.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Andrew]

That option was set, so I've turned it off to see if there's any improvement.

 

I've moved this to noted, let me know how you are getting on and if you need any more guidance