Jump to content

Saved Sessions in Menu


Michael Dearinger

Recommended Posts

Would it be possible to have saved sessions more accessible. I usually save them to the desktop but then I have to hide the Accordance program to get to them. I realize they can be added to the dock but my dock is already too full. I don't know if it is possible to have them accessible via the Accordance menu. That would be very handy. I have created a few sessions that I use as templates. Perhaps this would be similar to "recent items" under the Apple menu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a good idea. Look for something along these lines to be implemented in the next major rev of Accordance. In the meantime, in OS X, the default Save and the default Open location are the same: user/Documents/Accordance Files. That's probably the most convenient place to save your sessions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you've got room on your dock for a folder (and you may not), you could add a folder containing your various saved windows. Then you can click and hold on the folder and a list of its contents will appear; choose the one you want and it opens.

 

If you use Butler, Quicksilver, or Launchbar, there are ways to use those programs to quickly access your "templates" too. (I'm guessing about Launchbar, but I know the other two can do it).

 

Butler also offers the option of a Docklet. It is essentially extra Dock space. It appears as a small flippy triangle in a location on your screen that you specify. When you mouse over it, it drops open and you can choose from the items stored there. I use a docklet to store applications I want to have handy but don't use as often as those on my dock.

 

If you use Quicksilver, Joe Weaks has written a number of Accordance related Quicksilver plug ins. They can be adapted and stored as Applescripts in Butler as well.

 

Lorinda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would it be possible to have saved sessions more accessible. I usually save them to the desktop but then ....

Three other solutions come to mind:

--Use software utility Default Folder (it remembers last and recent folders and has a customizable favorites menu)

--Add a Smart folder (which searches for accordance saved session files) to the Finder sidebar. See "Organizing related files with Smart Folders" in MacOSX online help files.

--Dedicate one folder (anywhere) for all your saved sessions, install an Alias to it in your dock, then one folder in the dock opens folder for ALL your saved session files.

 

Typically, my saved sessions are saved with the associated study folder. When I do save an generic or typical search, I do save it to the Accordance folder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Lorinda and Mick. Your suggestions have proven very helpful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

........If you use Butler, Quicksilver, or Launchbar, there are ways to use those programs to quickly access your "templates" too. (I'm guessing about Launchbar, but I know the other two can do it)....

Yes all of the above are good. IMHO, LaunchBar is probably the easiest, it just learns what you use. For more comparisons, look at these Butler, Quicksilver, Launchbar reviews. Most of these products allow trial periods so you can see which fits you. Tiny Axiom: Mouse is good, but sometimes it's better to keyboard it! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes all of the above are good. IMHO, LaunchBar is probably the easiest, it just learns what you use. For more comparisons, look at these Butler, Quicksilver, Launchbar reviews. Most of these products allow trial periods so you can see which fits you. Tiny Axiom: Mouse is good, but sometimes it's better to keyboard it! ;)

 

This is excellent advice. I tried Quicksilver (after already being pretty heavily into Butler) and I just couldn't get the hang of it. One of the things I like about Butler is that I don't have to remember key combinations to access my "stuff". I can use the docklet plus two menulets that are added to the top menu bar. At the same time, I can use keyboard shortcuts if I want. I also make heavy use of its ability to remember several recent clipboards. But Butler is probably the hardest of the three to learn. Application launching is simple "out of the box" but the more powerful features take more time to learn, and the help is not as helpful as it could be. I grew into Butler over a period of months. A year later and I'm probably still not using all of its features. But for me, it was the best fit.

 

My one frustration with reviews of the three is that I have yet to see a comprehensive comparison that spells out what features the they have in common and what features are unique to a given program.

 

Lorinda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick mentioned Smart Folders which is ideal for folks who (for reasons beyond me) haven't made it into the enlightened school of using Quicksilver (or Butler of Launchbar if you prefer).

 

To create a smart folder, have it find files with the Type "ACC3". It'll contain all saved sessions no matter where they are on your disk. See this screenshot:

 

post-16-1192658671_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a good idea. Look for something along these lines to be implemented in the next major rev of Accordance. In the meantime, in OS X, the default Save and the default Open location are the same: user/Documents/Accordance Files. That's probably the most convenient place to save your sessions.

 

Helen

 

It would also be nice to have a session close all open windows when it is first opened. Saved Workspaces in Logos work this way, but Accordance just piles more windows on top of those already open. To reduce clutter, I quit Accordance and restart with a new session. I know I could also select "Close all windows" from the File Menu, but Cmd-Q is much more convenient.

 

Jack

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would also be nice to have a session close all open windows when it is first opened. Saved Workspaces in Logos work this way, .....

Respectfully, Jack, I wouldn't like that at all. I use multiple workspaces concurrently and each has multiple tabs, and sometimes I want a single window open without tabs. Or I might open an older workspace from a previous study to reference again. Closing all sessions when opening a session just seems so limiting, dare I say, so windoze-like. I'd suggest using Apple's Expose' to manage your screen space. You can easily cycle thru windows with COMMAND + TAB or COMMAND + ~ to move around easily. BTW, isn't there a keyboard shortcut for closing all windows - COMMAND+OPTION+W (works in the Finder, not Accordance) Single windows close with COMMAND+W. You can hide individual windows by double clicking on the window title bar. You can use 3rd party keyboard utilities to trigger Accordance menu items, ie Close All Windows. Consider the time lost quitting and relaunching Accordance each time. Please don't take my comments personally, I simply like my Mac environment richly textured and flexible. It's late to be so wordy. Just my two cents. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick

 

I know all that (I am not a novice Mac user), and I still stand by my opinion that closing a previous session's windows would be preferable to the clutter caused by multiple open workspaces.

 

Jack

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...