Want ability to set default search filter to "Everywhere"

[Stacey Harmon 1,111]

The recent change that defaults a search to the selected notebook vs "everywhere" seems to be a major functionality shift from how the product has worked. And, it is very frustrating for those of us who are engrained in the way it has always been (defaulting to "Everywhere" with the option to click the notebook as a filter). 

I understand this is one of those choices where not all users will be happy – but, if it is going to remain this way (my vote is that the default is reversed however...see screenshot below), I want the ability to flip to "Everywhere" using the keyboard. There is no way that I can find to tab to the Everywhere option, for example. I have to click on the "Everywhere" button to search everywhere (or navigate to the Notes or Notebooks button).

For users who purposely put in the effort to create naming conventions for notes, notebooks, and stacks, and take the time to be fluent in search, this constraint/default is limiting and frustrating. It feels like this default caters to the less savvy Evernote user. I would like consideration to be make for the power-user so that it is more efficient for us to find across all our notes. 

I MUCH preferred the interface/functionality when this was the option (in fact I jumped for joy when you implemented this). But, this is no longer the default and it impacts me (and many members of my community) every single time we use Evernote.

[Mike P 3,073]

51 minutes ago, Stacey said:

The recent change that defaults a search to the selected notebook vs "everywhere" seems to be a major functionality shift from how the product has worked. And, it is very frustrating for those of us who are engrained in the way it has always been (defaulting to "Everywhere" with the option to click the notebook as a filter). 

I completely agree. See 

 

The lack of a way of switching using the keyboard is also annoying. As you say you have to remember to go to "notes" first (for which there is at least a keyboard option)

 

[Stacey Harmon 1,111]

11 minutes ago, Mike P said:

The lack of a way of switching using the keyboard is also annoying. As you say you have to remember to go to "notes" first (for which there is at least a keyboard option)

 

Good reminder that there is a key command to switch to all notes. And, we 100% agree this should be a user preference!

[fczbkk 11]

I think that Evernote designers hate the preferences. So the easy solution in that case would be to remember the last used type of search. Once I switch to "Everywhere", all subsequent searches should default to "Everywhere", until I switch again.

[Mike P 3,073]

3 hours ago, fczbkk said:

I think that Evernote designers hate the preferences. So the easy solution in that case would be to remember the last used type of search. Once I switch to "Everywhere", all subsequent searches should default to "Everywhere", until I switch again.

I think this is an excellent idea and would be applicable to other situations as well. The obvious example would be the new "include sub-tags" facility.

[vxl119 2]

It is now May, and there hasn't been any updates on this topic. Has anyone found an acceptable solution? Constantly clicking "Everywhere" is getting old.

[CalS 5,311]

On 11/14/2021 at 6:00 AM, Stacey said:

For users who purposely put in the effort to create naming conventions for notes, notebooks, and stacks, and take the time to be fluent in search, this constraint/default is limiting and frustrating. It feels like this default caters to the less savvy Evernote user. I would like consideration to be make for the power-user so that it is more efficient for us to find across all our notes. 

My sense of V10 in general, hence still using 6.25.1.  The productivity hit for my use case with V10 is mind numbing.  Some due to the inefficiency of the new engine and some due to feature and process changes such as this.  Version 6.25.1 is just faster and I suppose I tuned it to my needs across the years (mostly single click actions or AHK scripts).  My mind has not time to wander.  I know, someone moved my cheese.  🤷‍♂️

After a year I have begun mirroring my 56k notes to a different solution.  It won't be as efficient as 6.25.1 but will be orders of magnitude faster than V10 in its current state.  Really did not want to start the process but 6.25.1 won't be around forever.

[Jon/t 1,752]

19 minutes ago, vxl119 said:

It is now May, and there hasn't been any updates on this topic. Has anyone found an acceptable solution? Constantly clicking "Everywhere" is getting old.

I use to Switch To function to search anywhere. Not exactly the same as getting a list of results but searches for things quickly so it may do the job. I think the shortcut is CTRL+ Q? I changed mine so may be wrong.

[PinkElephant 9,015]

On my Mac a way with keyboard shortcuts would be strg - cmd - E (search in EN), and then 2 times the down arrow key. This selects the „Everywhere“ button. Then type the search string and hit Enter to search. 

[lenarr 27]

PinkElephant's suggestion - the down arrow key - doesn't work on Windows to move the focus from the search box to current notebook to "Everywhere". In Windows, the down arrow just moves the focus to the notebook that is under the current one.

I've tried every single combination of Sh, Ctrl And Alt with Tab and arrows, and nothing seems to work. 

In the search box in Windows: is there a keyboard shortcut to move the focus from the searchbox to the items in "Search in" when I'm inside a notebook?

 

 

I'm also struggling to find a keyboard shortcut to get to All Notes, so that "Everywhere" would open by default.

I'm really tired of having to use the mouse.

Thanks.

 

 

 

[gazumped 12,224]

Try Esc (if necessary) and then Win+Shift+F?

[Mike P 3,073]

9 hours ago, lenarr said:

I'm also struggling to find a keyboard shortcut to get to All Notes, so that "Everywhere" would open by default.

All notes is alt+ctrl+2. 

[lenarr 27]

16 hours ago, gazumped said:

Try Esc (if necessary) and then Win+Shift+F?

 

Thanks, Gazumped. Win+Sh+F opens the search box, which is nice. Once there, however, I need to click on Everywhere to move the default highlight from Search in "[Open Notebook] to Everywhere (all notebooks).

[lenarr 27]

8 hours ago, Mike P said:

All notes is alt+ctrl+2. 

Thanks, Mike P. Ctrl-Alt-2 does nothing if the Notes panel is already open. I tried that yesterday.

Actually, I just noticed that NONE of these Alt-Ctrl keyboard combinations is working for me, not even Open Home. I'm running the version that installed today. Do any work for you?

Thanks,

Lena

 

[Mike P 3,073]

17 minutes ago, lenarr said:

Thanks, Mike P. Ctrl-Alt-2 does nothing if the Notes panel is already open.

I don't understand this. What do you mean by "the notes panel". Alt+ctrl+2 will often not reset an existing search. In that case the easiest way I find is to go to home and then all notes. (alt+ctrl+1 followed by alt+ctrl+2)

17 minutes ago, lenarr said:

Actually, I just noticed that NONE of these Alt-Ctrl keyboard combinations is working for me, not even Open Home. I'm running the version that installed today. Do any work for you?

All but alt+ctrl+4 work for me. This one has never worked for me. All of them can be edited so you could try a different combination of keys in case there is a conflict with another app or the operating system. That is the case for me with alt+ctrl+4 (Euro symbol) but as I don't use the shortcut that is not an issue for me.

[lenarr 27]

34 minutes ago, Mike P said:

I don't understand this. What do you mean by "the notes panel". Alt+ctrl+2 will often not reset an existing search. In that case the easiest way I find is to go to home and then all notes. (alt+ctrl+1 followed by alt+ctrl+2)

All but alt+ctrl+4 work for me. This one has never worked for me. All of them can be edited so you could try a different combination of keys in case there is a conflict with another app or the operating system. That is the case for me with alt+ctrl+4 (Euro symbol) but as I don't use the shortcut that is not an issue for me.

I want to move the cursor from whatever notebook I'm in to [All] Notes, so that I can eliminate the default search notebook and my having to click on Everywhere in the search dialogue.

None of these keyboard shortcuts work. I changed the shortcut associated with Open Notes and it didn't cut it.

I hate having to stop typing and clicking each time I do something. I find myself needing to click all the time.

Thanks for trying. I feel that Evernote for Windows is just glitchy. I should be able to navigate the search box with keys. If that worked I wouldn't be trying to work around that.

[PinkElephant 9,015]

The setting of the notebook in search if you are working in a specific notebook was introduced on user demand.

Initially v10 did exactly as you wish: Every search started without notebook selection, a notebook needed to be added manually.

I think the current solution is more natural and useful, as obviously did all the users who demanded this change back then (sometime in 2021, if I remember correctly). And EN followed the users demand …

[Mike P 3,073]

22 minutes ago, lenarr said:

I want to move the cursor from whatever notebook I'm in to [All] Notes, so that I can eliminate the default search notebook and my having to click on Everywhere in the search dialogue.

Well that is exactly what alt+ctrl+2 does for me. Just so that we are crystal clear the note list goes from:

to

 

Notice 3 notes in @inbox to 6469 notes in (All) Notes

 

[Mike P 3,073]

This really shouldn't be necessary but A possible workaround is to do the following:

• Go to Notes with the mouse
• type * in the search bar and hit enter
• Save the search and include it in shortcuts 🢀 This is basically "All notes" by another route
• If necessary drag the shortcut to the top of the shortcuts list

Now whenever you hit ctrl+1 that search will be run and you will get all notes. You can then just add your search term.

Now you are going to tell me that ctrl+1 (or ctrl+2 etc upto 9) doesn't invoke the appropriate shortcut!!

 

[lenarr 27]

Pink Elephant, I can appreciate the default being searching the notebook that's open. What I don't like is having to grab the mouse to change that to Search Everywhere whenever I'm searching for a note elsewhere, which is most of the time. 

Thanks Mike P, for working with me. The screenshot you sent was exactly what I was trying to accomplish You wrote,

"Now you are going to tell me that ctrl+1 (or ctrl+2 etc upto 9) doesn't invoke the appropriate shortcut!!" was exactly what I'd said earlier in this thread, LOL.

But, mystery solved. I opened the Task Manager and closed every process associated with Evernote. Rebooted Evernote and it still doesn't work. Then I figured it out:

Alt-Ctrl-2 (and all the others Alt-Ctrl-digit) needs to be invoked with the numerical keys below the F keys, not with the number keys on the numerical pad, even using NumLock. That's what I get for being a dinossaur who still works on Windows with a full keyboard.

Uff. Thanks for your help!!!

Lena

[Mike P 3,073]

9 minutes ago, lenarr said:

Alt-Ctrl-2 (and all the others Alt-Ctrl-digit) needs to be invoked with the numerical keys below the F keys, not with the number keys on the numerical pad, even using NumLock.

Great problem solving. I didn't know that either so we've both learned something!

[carlosgm 79]

For windows:
In general evernote has problems with some shortcuts that involve the Ctrl key. Personally, I am assigned to "open all notes" with the key combination: Alt+2 and "Search in evernote" with the key combination Ctrl + Shift + F

Now to solve your problem you can do the following:
1. Open "search in evernote" (in my case Ctrl + Shift + F)
2. Now press the key combination that shows all the notes (in my case Alt+2).
3. Evernote will implicitly search everywhere, regardless of whether it was in a notebook.

 

Video demostration:

 

[Mike P 3,073]

21 minutes ago, carlosgm said:

Now to solve your problem you can do the following:
1. Open "search in evernote" (in my case Ctrl + Shift + F)
2. Now press the key combination that shows all the notes (in my case Alt+2).
3. Evernote will implicitly search everywhere, regardless of whether it was in a notebook.

OK useful to know that you can open the search and then go to all notes as well as goiung to all notes and then opening search.

[logam11 10]

2024-09-28, almost 3 years after the OP, and this is STILL a major problem! 🤬

[gazumped 12,224]

8 minutes ago, logam11 said:

2024-09-28, almost 3 years after the OP, and this is STILL a major problem! 🤬

Hi.  Doesn't seem to be an issue for anyone else - can you tell us your device and OS/ Evernote version numbers,  and explain what exactly you're having difficulty with?

[PinkElephant 9,015]

25 minutes ago, logam11 said:

2024-09-28, almost 3 years after the OP, and this is STILL a major problem! 🤬

This is a most respectless comment. The function was „Always Everywhere“ when v10 was launched.

EN changed it on user demand.

You can ask for everything. But you should show some respect for a function that was introduced because your fellow users asked for it.

Send your request here:

feedback@evernote.com

[logam11 10]

14 hours ago, gazumped said:

Doesn't seem to be an issue for anyone else

Uh, the entire genesis and continuation of this forum thread is that it is an issue and still remains one for almost 3 years now. Search used to be global by default, and Bending Spoon's V10 changed all that and much more. There didn't appear to be any solution besides using an annoying keyboard shortcut every single time. What I want along with the OP is a preference in settings to set everywhere search as a default.

Device: M1 MacBook Air

Evernote for Mac: v10.107.3

[PinkElephant 9,015]

That’s always the exit for the feeble minded: Oh, make it an option …

Beside that in the end nobody understands what this app does any more, with options left and right. Up to now search has been not messed up by „options“.

Instead there is a simple rule: Start from general, search general. Start from a notebook, search local. Want to go from local to general: Hit the X on the filter button for the notebook.

How difficult is this ? Not at all. How transparent is this ? Fully.

No, we need to add an option and hide it somewhere in settings ?! When I see I bad idea, I call it a bad idea.

Talking about bad ideas: Tell other users „to get a life“ is another one. So take your own medicine …

[PinkElephant 9,015]

See what I say ?

Reported.

[gazumped 12,224]

@logam11 - I deleted two posts here.  You're asking for help after 6 months of silence from the rest of the world.  If you disagree with the suggestions you're getting from other users,  please at least be polite about it.  You option is to contact support.  

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/29101069844371-How-to-contact-Evernote-Support

[AlbertR 785]

The search dialog is a good example for many other dialogs in EN, that do not follow common liked behaviour 😤

If a dialog contains different input fields (like text input and buttons, ...), a user wants to type <TAB> to switch the input focus from one to the next input field.

If the Search dialog opens with the text input field being active like ...

• 
• a <TAB> should move the focus to the current notebook button ("00-ToDos" in my example)
• The next <TAB> should move the focus to the Everywhere button ("Überall" in my German UI).
  • To select it, a user might type a <BLANK>
• The next <TAB> should move the focus back to the text input field.

So the easiest way to achieve our needs would be to have EN work as every other program:

• Open the Dialog
• type in the suggested search phrase
• hit <TAB><TAB><BLANK> to select "Everywhere"
• hit <ENTER> to execute the search

In addition, EN should remember the last selection of the environment mode.

 

 

 

[Mike P 3,073]

I agree that tab (or even arrow keys) should navigate around the dialog box

46 minutes ago, AlbertR said:

In addition, EN should remember the last selection of the environment mode.

I would not be happy with this. I like the logic of "start in Notes and search notes by default" or "start in a notebook and search the notebook by default". If I want to search everywhere I got to Home (alt+ctrl+1) as that also clears the current search and then search (alt+ctrl+F). 

 

 

[PinkElephant 9,015]

Who wants a quick general search can always default to the note switcher ctrl-Q (PC) / cmd-J (Mac).

For repetitive searches Saved Searches can be used. They don’t depend on the place from where they are started.