Alfred mac os use. Alfred

It is no exaggeration to say that Alfred has practically revolutionized my typical workflow since its inception, speeding up some of my daily tasks many times over and actually replacing Spotlight with it. We are the first version of this program, but version 2 has recently been released, in which a lot has changed pleasantly. I will try to tell and show it all.

Briefly tell you what Alfred is for. It is primarily a program for finding and running programs and files. It is worth pressing the specified key combination (by default it is Alt + Space), a window will appear for entering a search query. The program can search for everything that is on the computer: files, folders, programs and even contacts in the address book. All that was found is shown in the form of a list, you can immediately open the found, or perform various operations. There is also a good mini-player in the program that allows you to manage iTunes, and storage of clipboard history with search (I use this especially often). Alfred can read expressions entered into his line, manage various system functions, and much more.

Despite the fact that the basic version of Alfred is free, I still recommend purchasing the advanced version (the developers call it Powerpack), it costs quite a significant 15 British pounds, but saves a lot of time in the process, which is generally priceless.

The main innovation of the second version is the so-called Workflow. I don’t even know how to adequately translate this term into Russian, perhaps the word “process” is more or less suitable, although this is not a translation.

So, these same processes are essentially completely redesigned extensions of the first version of the program. They have become much more flexible, easier to create and distribute. Let's, for example, try to create a simple process that will allow you to launch your favorite AppleInsider with a simple press of a hotkey combination.

Click on the plus button in the list of processes, select "Blank Workflow" to create an empty project. Alfred comes with various examples and blanks that allow you to understand how it works - I recommend that you familiarize yourself with them. In the dialog box, you can set the name of the process, information about its developer, an icon, register the ReadMe file. All this can be omitted if you are not going to distribute your Workflow.

The next thing we need to do is select an event that will trigger this process. In the upper right corner, select the plus button, a menu of elements that we can add will appear. We need "Triggers" - "Hotkey", that is, a trigger that fires when a certain combination of hot keys is pressed. They work globally, so access to the site will be from anywhere. In the dialog box that appears, select the settings we need. For example, I chose the combination Cmd-Option-Shift-I as a hotkey. After that, our trigger will appear in the main field in the form of a square.


Now you need to set the desired action. Select "Actions" - "Open URL". Again, a dialog box, here you need to set the address that we want to open, and the browser. We set everything up to taste, a square appears, representing the action.

The last thing we need to do is link them together. When hovering over a trigger square, an “ear” appears on its right. This is the very eye you need to grab and pull with the cursor, thus connecting the trigger with the action. Everything, our first Workflow is ready, and it works right away.


If in the trigger in the drop-down list "Argument" select "Selection in OS X", and in the action set the address of the type:

//site/search?cx=partner-pub-6968868674851935%3A49rfe2v5oqx&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=(query)&sa=%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BA&siteurl=

our Workflow will become noticeably more interesting. Now you can select any text in any OS X application, press a key combination and automatically search for the selected text on our site.

Incredible power, despite the fact that this is all - only the simplest scenario. The real possibilities of processes in Alfred are much wider, and where they fail, scripts in different programming languages ​​come to the rescue, and this allows you to create incredible data processing scenarios in terms of convenience and power. Some examples.

All in all, Alfred is a powerful tool that can incredibly simplify and speed up your daily work on your Mac, but like any powerful tool, it requires training, which will pay off in the time saved.

One of the most important indicators of productivity is time. It is in this unit that we try to fit as many useful events as possible, because this parameter constantly works against us.

In contact with

Everything is based on the little things and doing any small routine actions that take a few seconds eventually results in hours, months and even years spent that could be spent on something worthwhile.

When working on a Mac, you need to start with the simplest - simplifying the search, launch and . The application will help to cope with these tasks.

After installation, launch and the first time of use, the impressions about Alfred are ambiguous - the developers offer us a second? But it’s worth going into the program settings and at first just trying to figure them out, as you begin to understand what all this is for.

First of all, the program is focused on ensuring that the user makes the most of the keyboard, instead of the cursor and mouse (and even more so the touchpad). The abundance of all kinds of customizable keyboard shortcuts, not only for launching programs, but also for functions in these programs, is really impressive.

By opening a search from Alfred, you get not only much more detailed results for a given query, but also ready-made keyboard shortcuts for quickly launching a particular search item. In the same window, you can conduct much more complex calculations than in a calculator or search by the content of specific sites (for example, enter a wiki and a query).

Alfred works closely with OS X dictionaries, the mini-player of the standard Music application, system commands (reboot, logout, screenshots, trash, and so on), snippets and the Terminal. Each app or feature is highly customizable.

has an extended clipboard function, so you can safely delete all your programs like CopyLess and other analogues. It remains only to go to the Alfred settings, section Features → clipboard and activate the " clipboard history”, and then set up a convenient combination of hot keys. The program will carefully store all elements of the buffer for 24 hours. The “Clear” command will forcibly clear it, and in the settings you can specify exception applications to which you can safely add password managers.

The so-called Workflows, allowing you to automate some functions and, in general, facilitate the process of communicating with the Mac OS X system as a whole (how much easier? But there is where).

With help Workflows you can create both simple scripts, and “fasten” to fairly serious tools for productive work.

For example, let's add a key combination that, when pressed, immediately launches Safari with an open page on the main page of Yablyk:

1 . Open settings and go to tab " Workflows».

2 . At the bottom of the left side menu, click on the plus sign and tap on the item " blank workflow».

3 . In the dialog box that appears, enter a name for the current Workflow- Yablyk. The remaining parameters, such as the author's name, description, website, and others, can be omitted if you are not going to distribute the process. Click the button Create».

4 . To the right of the name of the process (in our case it is "Yablyk"), click on the plus sign. Next select Triggers → hot key.

5 . In the "Hotkey" section, enter the key combination used, for example ⌘Cmd + Option (Alt) + ⇧Shift + Y.

6 . Press the " safe».

7 . To the right of the process name, click the plus sign again and select the item Actions → Open URL.

8 . In field " URL» enter the address of our site - , and click the button « safe».

9 . Now we only need to link the hotkey and the action, for which bring the cursor to the hotkey. An ear will appear to the right of it. Drag it and connect the line to the action.

And we have given the simplest example of a programmable script in Workflows. There are entire communities on the network where you can download ready-made scripts to perform a diverse range of actions and automate processes. Very cool, and most importantly - a powerful thing.

Nice standard interface, partly reminiscent of Spotlight, can be modified with a dozen pre-prepared themes, as well as some font settings and display options.

In addition, there is a utility Remote for remote access to a Mac from an iOS-based mobile device with the developer's mobile app client installed. True, it will have to be purchased separately for 279 rubles.

Download Alfred Remote for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad (App Store) .

In chapter Usage you can view statistics on the use of certain functions for a specified period of time.

The program is partly free, but you will have to pay £17 for more advanced features available in the Alfred Powerpack. List of paid features:

• creating and importing Workflows;
• clipboard (Clipboard) and snippets;
• search in iTunes;
• design themes;
• file navigation through hotkeys and adding custom actions.

The entire full list of the paid version can be viewed.

Most of them are of interest primarily to developers and designers, but some are also suitable for ordinary users.

Description

• search for installed programs,
• perform an advanced search on the Internet resources,
• count like a calculator
• search in system contacts
• run system commands (sleep, empty recycle bin, turn on screensaver, etc.)

In general, the list is quite standard, and in the free version it is difficult for Alfred to compete with the standard Spotlight built into the system.

However, Powerpack greatly expands the standard set. Added:

• file navigation directly from the search bar
• iTunes management
• view recent documents
• the function to attach files on the fly to letters created in many email clients
• integration with 1Password
• sync Alfred settings between macs via Dropbox
• customizable search panels, as well as workflows - add-ons that you can create yourself

Themes

Interesting examples of add-ons (workflows)

Convert colors from RGB to HSL and more

Domain Availability Check

Manage Google Music

Supplement for finding additions to Alfred:

useful links

Oldfags and advanced users will be delighted.

To be honest, I rarely use Spotlight on macOS. On an iPhone - all the time, but for some reason on a MacBook, I have not gotten used to contacting a proprietary search engine every time for many years. With each update of the Spotlight system, it becomes smarter and more advanced, but still remains quite backward against the background of specialized programs that have been successfully replacing and supplementing it for many years. Let's talk about one of them now. What can It's easier to say what this program can't do, but we'd better try to understand all its functions. Let's start with the features that duplicate, improve or exceed the similar features of Spotlight. To the basic capabilities of searching for files and folders within the system, Internet search functions, a calculator, a dictionary, contacts, a clipboard, an iTunes library, bookmarks in 1Password and a terminal have been added. Some of this is included in the so-called Powerpack and is available only after purchasing a license. It's nice that the function of executing system commands by simply entering a word in the search bar is available for free. The free features of the program also include support for remote control of a computer from an iPhone, but for this you need to buy the actual iOS program itself. One of the main advantages of Alfred in comparison with Spotlight is the support for various scripts, plug-ins and work algorithms, united under the name Workflow. The official website contains the most popular recipes that automate and simplify many actions. For example, searching for TV shows or music in Spotify, support for third-party programs, smart technology, and so on. For this, it is worth buying a license. How much it costs There are three types of license: for one user and two devices for £19, a family license for £29 for five devices and a lifetime license for all future versions of the program for one person with one device for £35. If you just need a faster analogue of Spotlight, then buying a license does not make sense, the program can be used for free. But if you need features that the standard search engine never even dreamed of, feel free to bring money to the developers. Why and for whom This program not only speeds up and simplifies the search, but also makes life easier for those people who do not take their fingers off the keyboard and are not used to being distracted by various graphic whistles in the operating system, look for something with a mouse or trackpad, remember to what folders what lies and so on.

All this is useless when you can simply enter what you need from the keyboard and instantly get the result. In general, to increase productivity, it is difficult to come up with something more useful and convenient. Are there any downsides? Here are a few unpleasant features of the program that I personally identified for myself: - it does not find video without enabling all formats in the settings, and this slows down the search speed;

Does not convert currency without additional extensions;

All the coolest features require a license, and nothing prevented developers from adding a couple of workflows to the basic set to let users understand how useful and convenient it is. I liked that the program works very fast and finds the files you need instantly in the first two or three letters, unlike Spotlight. A huge number of extensions is an undeniable plus. Well, the execution of system commands from the keyboard is a brilliant thing. Conclusion

A great replacement for the default macOS search and a great addition to it. After all, nothing prevents you from using both options at the same time, sharpening them for different actions and habits. The perfect productivity tool, especially if you're a hardcore keyboard user. Must have.