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02.13.2006 // 23 Comments // Aldrich Ct. Townhome Call to Quicksilverers: help me get started

Comments

1. 001 // Amit Karmakar // 02.13.2006 // 7:36 PM

   I launch almost every app on my mac with Quicksilver except for the ones that already load at startup! It saves me atleast 500 clicks a day, if not more :) no kidding!

2. 002 // Zach Inglis // 02.13.2006 // 7:51 PM

   I set up my QuickSilver to be APPLE+SHIFT+SPACE. I use it for compressing and sending archives, just sending normal emails, inputting urls into the browser an d general application findering.

3. 003 // Dennis // 02.13.2006 // 7:59 PM

   I am new to QS also so I am just as interested in what folks have to say as you are. Mind if I listen?

4. 004 // Stephen Chanasyk // 02.13.2006 // 9:06 PM

   Well, I’ve been using it since it was unleashed on an unsuspecting public and I can’t see how I can do without it. I’m with Amit, I launch everything with it. It’s quite amazing what it can do - and I find even more uses still. Try using it to look up a contact in the address book and then, using Quicksilver, “spotlight” it. One stop shopping at it’s best.

5. 005 // Chris Griffin // 02.13.2006 // 9:21 PM

   I basically use it as a launcher as everybody else does. I use ALT+Z as the hotkey to get it running because the default hotkey interferes with, I think, Photoshop.

   I know there’s also a million plugins for it, from iTunes to del.icio.us, though I haven’t ventured into using as nothing more as a launcher.

   The funny thing is, I would find quicksilver a lot more useful on a windows machine because of its clunky interface (but I hear that a windows version has just came out). Glad I’m strictly a mac user now.

6. 006 // Virginia // 02.13.2006 // 9:31 PM

   One of my favourite combos is Quicksilver/Transmit. If you install the Transmit plugin for Quicksilver, then when you type in the nickname for an FTP connection (ie, ‘My Website’), it will bring up the Transmit favourite and in the Action window say “Open URL” - just a few keystrokes and hit return, and you’ve opened a connection to the server. It’s unbelievalby useful.

7. 007 // Sean S // 02.13.2006 // 10:45 PM

   Okay, how about this one:

   I’m assuming you’ve already setup a keystroke to envoke QS, and you use it for your application launching. Here’s a quick, easy way to send a short email (or start a long one):

   Envoke QS Type the period key, which will give you a text-field to start typing — type your message Hit tab to focus on the action panel and hit “e” (or press the down arrow until you get to “Email to … (compose)” Hit tab again and type the initials of the recipient Hit return

   Note that this requires the Mail plugin for QS (or appropriate plugin for whatever mail client you use).

8. 008 // Sean S // 02.13.2006 // 10:49 PM

   I forgot to say that I use this all the time, and, coupled with command–d (send email) in Mail.app, never have to touch the mouse/trackpad when sending an email. Ah! PowerBook bliss.

9. 009 // Jeff Croft // 02.13.2006 // 10:53 PM

   Thanks, guys. Especially thanks to Sean! That’s exactly the kind of step-by-step i was looking for. I’ll give it a shot. :)

10. 010 // Michael Heilemann // 02.14.2006 // 1:28 AM

    Quicksilver is the best app in the world.

    I’ve set up two mouse triggers on the left side of my screen. If I click there, it opens a folder on my external HDD. When I drag n drop stuff on there, it copies it to the folder (it’s supposed to move, but it doesn’t).

    In this way I can keep my desktop clean and then dump images, links and whatever else I want into a ‘clutter’ folder and deal with it later.

11. 011 // Virginia Murdoch // 02.14.2006 // 5:08 AM

    Here’s another one I’m just beginning to use: - Install the File Tagging Module - Invoke Quicksilver with your chosen key command - Type a few letters to find a file you want to tag (eg, I looked for the Feedburner Stats Pepper) - Tab across to the Action pane, and type ‘AdTg’ (or whatever) to bring up the ‘Add Tag’ option - Tab across to the next pane and hit . or ‘ to invoke the text-entry mode - Add tags separated by commas (in this instance, I typed “feedburner, mint, pepper” - Hit return

    This allows you to add tags to the Spotlight Comments section of a file’s metadata, making it easier to search intuitively for a file using keywords.

    I’m going to use this a lot for installers and .zip files, because I’m always finding that I download something, install it (or not), file the .zip file it came in in some dusty folder and then when I’m browsing my files, I have no idea why I’ve kept something, or what it’s for.

12. 012 // Chris // 02.14.2006 // 6:11 AM

    You’ll find many examples for Quicksilver use at 43 Folders. Here are the newest, involving triggers.

    My latest favourite is a mouse+click on the screen edge trigger to open Downloads folder (requires Mouse Triggers plugin).

13. 013 // kevin finlayson // 02.14.2006 // 6:25 AM

    The best integration of spotlight and QS:

    1.set QS to CMD+space 2.set spotlight to CMD+option+space 3.set QS to one level of recursion (it reads one level of folders below/into your home directory 4.set spotlight to read everything, but not folders or apps 5.add one further level of recursion to documents folder using the catalog preference menu of QS 6. add a saved search alias to your desktop that filters everything opened or modified in the past 24 hours. this keeps both indexes light, but covers pretty much anything you’d need to find on your computer. Best use of triggers: use quicksilver to trigger applescripts, which allow me to collect safari windows into tabs, zoom whatever window has focus, play or rate or skip itunes tracks, place safari windows side-by-side, show hidden files, restart apache…the list goes on. I use CMD+control as my quicksilver trigger modifier key combo. The level of functionality this enables is staggering. Also - bookmark search results of your favourite sites, and you can search (for example) amazon, imdb or mininova from the QS input menu.

14. 014 // Jack // 02.14.2006 // 9:01 AM

    Here’s a couple of things I use a lot in Quicksilver.

    Fun with text files:

    Invoke Quicksilver, find a text file, tab to the next pane and call up the ‘Prepend to…’ action, tab to the next pane and start typing, hit enter. What you typed is now at the top of your text file. (Great for todo lists, for example, and there’s also an ‘Append to…’ action.)

    Also, when you’ve got a text file in QS, hit the right arrow - you can then see the contents, copy lines, launch URLs stored in the file, etc.

    Timesavers:

    If you hit Mac + esc, whatever you have selected in the Finder will ‘jump’ into QS.

    Alternatively, if you have invoked QS, hit Mac + G and whatever you have selected in the Finder will jump into QS.

15. 015 // RIchard // 02.14.2006 // 10:55 AM

    The best feature I’ve come across to improve workflow is the single hotkey modifier.In your QS preferences > Command > ModKey, set it to single (or double, but that defeats the purpose). I use the control key. So now every app launch is a single tap away.

16. 016 // Brian Ford // 02.14.2006 // 4:28 PM

    I used to use quicksilver, but about the only thing I ever used it for was launching apps. Now, like you, I’m mainly using Spotlight.

    The way I see it, if you have to “force” yourself to use an application just because everyone else is, it’s probably not worth using.

    I “like” the idea of it a lot… I just didn’t find much use for it in practice.

17. 017 // Jeff Croft // 02.14.2006 // 4:38 PM

    Brian…

    I think quicksilver is a lot like many power tools. Their beauty is in their complexity. They’ll never be easy to learn, or easy to get used to using, but once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

    The Unix command line is another great example. It takes people who are only familiar with the GUI eons to get comfortable and get into the habit of using the CLI for everyday tasks — but once you do, you see just how much faster and simpler it really is.

    Point is: I don’t think the fact that Quicksilver is difficult to learn and adopt into your workflow shold be a knock aganist it. It’s not that kind of tool.

18. 018 // dotsara // 02.14.2006 // 5:03 PM

    Wow, I no longer feel like a “power” user. I tried Quicksilver a couple of years ago (I think?), didn’t get the hang of it and left it alone. Even now, I almost never use Spotlight. Dang. (: (I do, however, love the hell out of Default Folder X.)

19. 019 // Brent O'Connor // 02.14.2006 // 8:59 PM

    I only use Quicksilver to launch apps. CTRL+SPACE, starts QS, and then I start typing the name of the app. Usually I only have to type one or two letters to get the app I want to use. Like for Safari all I have to do is hit CTRL+SPACE and the letter S. It seems a lot faster than trying to find the app in your dock.

20. 020 // Kyle // 02.14.2006 // 10:41 PM

    3 features I use everyday (and I invoke with control-space):

    1. The clipboard module. You can set it to remember the last ‘XX’ number of items you’ve copied. When it’s invoked, you can scroll through the list and paste older items. I’ve found it very handy when I’m coding.

    2. Invoke and type a period. You can type a URL and hit return to open it in your favorite web browser. Very handy when reviewing resumes with lots of URLs. (resumes for web designers, BTW (^_-)

    3. I just learned this one the other day, so I haven’t used it much. Select a file (or multiple files and hit ‘cmd-esc’. This will allow you to do any number of things with the selected files’”move, open, edit, etc.

    I have to admit I’ve been using Spotlight more since the latest Software Update’”it feels much snappier than previous versions.

21. 021 // Sean S // 02.15.2006 // 3:32 PM

    Did you see The Apple Blog’s roundup on this topic, Jeff?

22. 022 // Dave Lowe // 02.16.2006 // 11:52 AM

    I echo Richard’s tip to set QS so that you can activate it with simply the Control key. It’s very convenient (and satisfying) to smack the Control key with your left thumb and have QS jump to your attention. In addition to some of the things others have said, I use QS most often as an iTunes controller (I play Party Shuffle mostly and find myself fast forwarding through a bunch throughout the day). Make sure you download the iTunes plugin, and then set up triggers (you may need to check ‘Enable Advanced Features’ if you haven’t already). Here’s what I’ve got: ‘Next Song’ (Run): Command-Option-Right Arrow’Previous Song’ (Run): Command-Option-Left Arrow’Play-Pause’ (Run): Comand-Option-Space’Execute Show Playing Track’: Command-Option-Up Arrow

23. 023 // Oyvind // 03.04.2006 // 7:14 PM

    I sync my Del.icio.us library with QS. So when I need a bookmark, just ALT-APPLE-SPACE (my shortcut), and type the tag of the bookmark I’m lloking for… Wham! There it is…

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