Windows - Quick Search Ctrl-Q - Not always active

[laurence.glazier 144]

I really like this feature but sometimes it does not activate. I find if I go to Home then Ctrl-Q always works but that breaks the flow and removes what I was looking at from view. Does anyone know how to make this work reliably? I have searched the forums.

[gazumped 12,057]

Hi.  Have you tried the < backarrow in Evernote?  Top left of the screen just under the menu bar?

[laurence.glazier 144]

Thanks - I'll try the backarrow next time it happens.

I just did a bit more searching (after learning it is called "Switch to"), and found this thread, which was enlightening.

So it seems that Ctrl-Q doesn't activate Switch-to when a note is being edited, because in that context it left-justifies text.

I thought then that I could re-assign the shortcut-key, but Ctrl-Q is one of a few that can't be changed.

I have noticed, though, that preceding it with Windows-Shift-F enables Ctrl-Q to bring up the Switch-to window.

 

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 4,006]

@laurence.glazier, that's my experience too. Assigning the same keyboard shortcut to two different functions in two different contexts seems mind-bogglingly ... can't think of a polite way to put it. And why on earth use Ctrl+Q for justify?

However, I did find that the "Switch to" function can be reassigned. I've put it on Ctrl+S, and then it does work while editing a note.

[laurence.glazier 144]

For some reason, I can't reassign that one (or any of the 6 in the What's New section). All the rest I can reassign. Very curious.

Thanks for confirming you can change it, I will keep checking from time to time. Meanwhile Win Shift F first will do for me, in a way it's nice as it can start outside Evernote.

[VincentC 343]

I believe the focus needs to be in the notebook list for the quick switcher to work.  Control Q doesn't' respond if your cursor is in the note.  But if you click on the notebook you're on in the notebook left column list, Control Q will work.  That's my experience, anyway.

 

Vinnie

[Mike P 2,968]

8 hours ago, VincentC said:

I believe the focus needs to be in the notebook list for the quick switcher to work.  Control Q doesn't' respond if your cursor is in the note.  But if you click on the notebook you're on in the notebook left column list, Control Q will work.  That's my experience, anyway.

 

Vinnie

You are right. Given that you are about to use a shortcut (Ctrl+Q) it's woth noting that the shortcut alt+ctrl+\ takes the focus to the note list. So no need for your hands to leave the keyboard. If ctrl+Q was something I used alot, I'd probably create a hot key using AutoHotKey that combined both shortcuts to make it even easier.

[Dave-in-Decatur 4,006]

Sorry to make myself redundant ... wait, that's not right ... anyway, as I noted above I was able to edit the Switch to shortcut to something other than Ctrl+Q, and when it no longer conflicts with the Justify shortcut it can be invoked while editing a note as well. @laurence.glazier, I don't have a "What's New" section anymore in my keyboard shortcuts dialog (Ctrl+/), just searching at the top for Switch gets me to the Switch to entry, which is editable.

[laurence.glazier 144]

Thanks @Dave-in-Decatur, maybe it is because I went back to the previous version.

I asked ChatGPT 4 to write an AutoHotkey script to make Win-Shift-G work as a universal hotkey for Switch-to. It only knows AHK Version 1, but it works with that older version of AHK. It's not perfect but does the job, and it's nice in that the keystroke is adjacent to Win-Shift-F, the usual Evernote search.

AHK V1 script. with the AI's comments.

#+g::  ; This represents Win-Shift-G
Send, #+f  ; This sends Win-Shift-F
Sleep, 100  ; This waits for 100 milliseconds to make sure the previous command has time to register
Send, ^q  ; This sends Ctrl-Q
return

I'm going to stick with this for now, though I am sure it's not perfect (occasionally I need to repeat the keystroke). I like that it's always available even outside Evernote.

[carlosgm 78]

I turned the problem around by changing the key combination to "alt+q"

[laurence.glazier 144]

On 7/28/2023 at 4:31 PM, Dave-in-Decatur said:

@laurence.glazier, that's my experience too. Assigning the same keyboard shortcut to two different functions in two different contexts seems mind-bogglingly ... can't think of a polite way to put it. And why on earth use Ctrl+Q for justify?

However, I did find that the "Switch to" function can be reassigned. I've put it on Ctrl+S, and then it does work while editing a note.

I finally discovered I could edit Switch to. The confusion is that it appears twice - the first mention in the hotkeys editor is in the What's new section, where it can't be edited, but it is there again lower down the list under Navigation, where it can be changed.

[laurence.glazier 144]

I am wondering if anyone has found a reliable solution here to link Switch to a universal hotkey. I am using AutoHotKey V2 now with this code (I have remapped Ctrl-Q, which does not work while a note is being edited, to Alt-Q)

#+g::     ; Universal Switch hotkey
{
    send "#+f"
    sleep 1000
    send "!q"
}
 

but I would rather not have the normal search appear first.

The above nearly always suffices (Win-Shift-G usually going to the Switch menu whether or not Evernote is running) but I would rather not have it overlayed on the usual Find

I'm querying here as I know there are some wizards reading, and the AI's have not solved it for me.

BS, if you are watching, please add a universal hotkey for Switch.

[Mike P 2,968]

21 minutes ago, laurence.glazier said:

but I would rather not have the normal search appear first.

I find that "Home" is a really good stopping off place when writing AHK scripts. It clears searches for example. Ctrl+Q works from home so I would replace Win+shift+f with alt+ctrl+1

[laurence.glazier 144]

5 hours ago, Mike P said:

"Home" is a really good stopping off place when writing AHK scripts. It clears searches for example. Ctrl+Q works from home so I would replace Win+shift+f with alt+ctrl+1

That's handy, I'll remember that.

For now this seems to work in AHK2, I am sure it can be improved on. It nearly always executes Switch, whether Evernote is open or not. But the Switch hotkey needs to be changed from Ctrl-Q to Alt-Q in the Evernote Keyboard Shortcuts.

#+g::     ; Universal Switch hotkey (Win-Shift-G)
{
    if WinExist("ahk_class ENMainFrame")
    {
        WinActivate("ahk_class ENMainFrame") ; Activate the window if it exists
    }
    else
    {
        Run("Evernote.exe")
    }
    sleep 3000
    send "!q"     ; Simulate Alt+Q
}

[ferol 529]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:26 PM, VincentC said:

I believe the focus needs to be in the notebook list for the quick switcher to work.  Control Q doesn't' respond if your cursor is in the note.  But if you click on the notebook you're on in the notebook left column list, Control Q will work.  That's my experience, anyway.

 

Vinnie

same like my experience...

[bumblebeenero 18]

On 7/28/2023 at 3:18 PM, laurence.glazier said:

I really like this feature but sometimes it does not activate. I find if I go to Home then Ctrl-Q always works but that breaks the flow and removes what I was looking at from view. Does anyone know how to make this work reliably? I have searched the forums.

Re-assign it to Ctrl+`

Permanent solution.

[MvdH 487]

I did the same. Reassigned it to Alt+F because I use it the whole day.... Works always now. 

[laurence.glazier 144]

Reassignment works well if you are in the app - it is definitely the sensible approach. It would be nice though to have something like Win-Shift-F which works instantly from anywhere.