Zettelkasten Forum


Quick Thanks and a Request about Maintaining Focus

edited November 2022 in Software & Gadgets

@ctietze I tried out something simple today and it worked so well I just had to say "thank you". That simple thing was dragging and dropping an image into a zettel in the Archive. Bam! There it is, in the zettel, with the right reference and with the image copied to my media folder. Wow! I guess I'm amazed by simple things, but I've been doing it the manual way for so long, this improvement was delightful. Thank you!!

Now, hopefully also a simple request. I have clicked on a tag or made a search from the omnibar, and then have selected one of my zettels of interest. For example, in my ZK I click on the tag "#Courage", see a list of tagged zettels, and click on one ("202211131521 In the Arena"). This is what I see:

Now, I would like to "get out" of this search and go back to my full list of zettels - without losing the focus on "202211131521 In the Arena", (this is a common situation/desire when I am trying to connect zettels or searching for connections). If I click on the small x on the right side of the omnibar, I do indeed go back to my full list of zettels, but the focus is lost. Is there some way to see the full list of zettels but still maintain the focus?

Comments

  • For this workflow, I suggest a two window workflow that keeps target zettel in focus while allowing any search or list (including a full list of all zettel) in the second window to proceed without impeding the note in focus.

    Will Simpson
    I must keep doing my best even though I'm a failure. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
    kestrelcreek.com

  • In Windows, I don't have this luxury, so I am reduced to installing a clipboard manager such as Microsoft Ditto for Windows--which isn't bad, by the way.

    GitHub. Erdős #2. CC BY-SA 4.0. Problems worthy of attack / prove their worth by hitting back. -- Piet Hein. Armchair theorists unite, you have nothing to lose but your meetings! --Phil Edwards

  • @GeoEng51 Happy to hear you like how images behave! Since drag and drop (and copy and paste from the clipboard) works, I'm using this a lot I find. As in: almost daily.

    The idea to broaden the search but pin the currently visited note is interesting. Without some "pinning" by the app, you can't get that from search alone. Will's 2 window workflow suggestion is a good idea to try out. But when screen real estate is scarce, locking the displayed note somehow might be interesting nevertheless. 👍

    We talked about something like this in the past but didn't prioritize that feature. As with most things that go beyond merely editing notes, the discussion has been postponed to "version 2". I'll add your idea for context!

    Author at Zettelkasten.de • https://christiantietze.de/

  • @ctietze I'm frequently working with one (small-ish) laptop screen, so the 2-window workflow isn't always possible. Thanks for taking my request into consideration for an upcoming version. Meanwhile, I will patiently work without it :wink:

  • @GeoEng51 I have the same setup (just my laptop). For that reason I mostly use open another tab. I have one tab open for the note that it in my center and some tabs in which I search and work on possible connections.

    I am a Zettler

  • @Sascha Yes - good suggestion - thanks. One gets too used to doing things in a certain way. I hate to admit that I entirely forgot about tabs :blush: That would certainly improve my work flow.

  • @Will Thanks as well for reminding us of the two window work flow. I can see that has some advantages over working with tabs, if I have enough screen space. I use an app called "Moom" to easily size and move windows around on my screen, so having two windows open is not onerous by any means.

  • One way to gain more space on a laptop screen is to set the windows each to use 3/4 of the real estate. Keyboard Maestro macros can be set to work with tabs or windows.

    This shows a Macbook Pro set at 1440X900.

    Will Simpson
    I must keep doing my best even though I'm a failure. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
    kestrelcreek.com

  • edited December 2022

    This is a clever idea, @Will. It feels like flipping back and forth through pages.

    I am a Zettler

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