Hey @kukushi
I have actually been thinking about posting something on this, as I’ve been using it a lot here:
While it’s not exactly the same, it’s really functional…
This opens a new DEVONthink window and focuses the search field.
- Press Option-Command-N
- Press Option-Command-F
Sorry for the rant, but for me it is a step backwards. First, it involves two steps instead of only one, and secondly the buttons are not placed as convenient as “cmd-shift-f” is. The latter you can reach with the fingers of one hand and without looking at the keyboard.
You aren’t compelled to use my suggestion, which is all it is: a suggestion.
I personally use this all the time now, happily and very quickly, and other users may also find benefit from it.
PS: I don’t have to look at the keyboard to hit these keys. It’s simple muscle memory.
I agree, I miss the dedicated search window. I understand that the same functionality is integrated. Here is what I miss:
I realize I have over 15 years of DT usage to unlearn here, so that is part of it. Also, I only just started playing with the Beta last night. But, this is one of the first things I was running into. Also, with the new integrated search I need time to understand the interface better. Right now, since it is integrated with everything else there just seems to be so many things for my eye to sort through. I realize there may be some huge advantages to integrating the search with the rest of the interface, so I am not necessarily saying to change that. Just have a single key command to open a new window and start a Global Search. If it’s not added I will easily solve this with Keyboard Maestro, but it is unfortunate that I might need to do that.
p.s. What makes this even harder for old users like me is the old Search shortcut has been taken over by “Show Format Bar” – this really had me confused for awhile!
so I am not necessarily saying to change that. Just have a single key command to open a new window and start a Global Search. If it’s not added I will easily solve this with Keyboard Maestro, but it is unfortunate that I might need to do that.
I’m curious why you require a single button. I use my method all day long and the keys are already built in. And I do a lot of searching every day.
I don’t require it, I prefer it. Probably just need to retrain my habits of DT after 15+ years. I’ll adjust or solve it with Keyboard Maestro.
Regarding search focus, is there way to change the “Search in” selection with the keyboard? Also, is there a way to show that bar before initiating the search?
Regarding search focus, is there way to change the “Search in” selection with the keyboard?
It isn’t hyper-elegant, but you can access the search options by pressing the Up or Down arrows.
Also, is there a way to show that bar before initiating the search?
No. The search field has to have been used for a search to show the scope bar.
It isn’t hyper-elegant, but you can access the search options by pressing the Up or Down arrows.
OK, better than nothing.
The search field has to have been used for a search to show the scope bar.
OK, not my preference, but not a huge deal.
An observation here, if I may. One of the advantages of the dedicated search window in DTPO was that it was visually distinct and tightly focused. I find that opening a full window to search sometimes distracts me, as I see the sidebar, follow a train of thought by clicking on a folder and all of a sudden that window is useless until I clear the search field. Also, when mission control is launched, in DTPO2 I used to immediately be able to distinguish between the search window and the ‘working’ window. Is there a way to distinguish them that I’m not seeing in DT3?
Perhaps I need to explore saving searches immediately, and then deleting them when they are no longer relevant.
@BLUEFROG’s double keyboard shortcut is elegant, and I like it.
Thanks for the tip,
I’ve just installed BetterTouchTool and it’s ideal for my work flow.
I’m a high user of work spaces, I have one for about 10 different work flows, for example one might be to do with work, one finances, etc etc. I have a work space for each one with multiple tabs for each.
Using this app, I just touch the appropriate button on my touchbar - easy. Otherwise I have to remember the keyboard short cut + the number allocated to each work space. Or use the Menu > Go using the mouse.
Of course you can use the app to make touchbar buttons for all other apps including universal.
i’m jumping in a few years later to ask if there’s any chance of a dedicated search window coming back? that would be really great - i see the tip above, but it would be great for it to be built in to DT3.
relatedly, i would also love to see my search results displayed more simply. everytime i search for something i end up having to rejigger the window to actually see the results because there’s a fair amount of extra info included. would be great to have flexibility, i.e. the choice of looking without the extra line w/ location/scope, etc. that info is sometimes useful, but in an ideal world i could choose to enable it, making it just another column, like location normally is.
I love how powerful DT3 is and rely on it for so much, but the search display makes little sense to me, and b/c DT3 can handle so many docs, i search a LOT. the whole point of searching is because i’m looking for something specific or trying to get an overview. but the results display all this unnecessary extra information – twice as much info on the screen at a moment i need less. if the extra info were related to the search question - i.e. a line excerpting the context - that would be different. but it’s not, at least not in any specific way. i do love and appreciate the scope info but even that i’d like to hide, if possible, sometimes.
anyway, just another two cents for a separate (and simplified) window.
The last setup should actually be restored. A screenshot before/after changing the shown info.
We had years and years of people complaining about extraneous windows in DEVONthink and an expressed desire for a unified window format, hence what you see today.
What OS are you using?
If I do a toolbar search, change the columns (I’m in List view), cancel the search showing other columns, then do another search, the search columns are restored to the state of the last search.
what about the extra second line of info?
i hear this but i think what people are asking for is an optional search window. it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Currently this can’t be disabled and is intentional, an optional Location column would require a lot of horizontal space instead.
What about making the second line optional and adding a column for the location? This way we could also sort by location.
(It’s already possible to sort by location via script, however the result can be confusing as the search results are sorted by location but the UI still shows the arrow on the column that was used for sorting before the script ran)
That’s already possible, just click on the header of the Name column multiple times to switch between sorting by name/location ascending/descending. Or use View > Sort by or the pop-up of the path bar.
When did you add that? 
And when was that added? Pretty sure I tried to sort via Sort by before I made the script.
Where’s a pop-up? Clicking on the path bar (the one next to the “Previous”/“Next” buttons?) changes the location (as expected) and its contextual menu only contains “Open” and “Reveal”. Am I looking in the wrong place?