Improving productivity with the new Omnibox History

A Note tags alternative #

I rely on Tiro Notes for task management and quick access to information, utilizing the fast ripgrep file search system. However, as a simple markdown-based system without a database, implementing relational features like tags is challenging without complicating the architecture.

Use case 1: Merged global todo list from different files/projects #

Managing multiple projects simultaneously requires specific follow-up and individual project-based to-do lists. Initially, I created a consolidated to-do list in a separate file, but it was a tedious manual process. To simplify this, I developed and utilized the omnibar search functionality. Now, I can search for - [ ] in my notes_folder/work/project_folder for a project-specific consolidated to-do list or in "notes_folder/work" for an overall consolidated to-do list.

Additionally, I enhanced my to-do tag system with other "fields" such as - [ ] #i3 #h1 indicating task importance (#i3) and energy/difficulty level (#h1). In the morning, searching for #i3 in notes_folder/work provides me with a list of the most urgent tasks.

If I'm not in the mood for energy-intensive tasks, I can further filter by #h1 or #h2 tasks.

Use case 2: Grocery price database #

With rising inflation in Europe, I like comparing current grocery prices with those I previously paid. So I maintain a "grocery to-do feed" note with the following structure:

To simplify, I note the price per kg next to cheap and good products using the shorthand 'px (price in French). Now, if I want to compare prices with my previous purchases, I can use the Tiro mobile omnibox, type 'px, and find the desired result in the list.

... but the user experience requires too many keystrokes #

While happy with the system's ability to turn any markdown note into a relational database using files, I encountered a UX issue: Typing numerous keystrokes to access searches became frustrating. For example, the process to search for important work tasks on desktop is as follows:

- Navigate to the desired work folder => cmd + space (open omnibar) => 3 keystrokes for "#i3" => press enter

Since I frequently use this request, I wanted an easily accessible way to reuse it.

Introducing Omnibox search history #

The new Omnibox History functionality logs your search requests. To access the log, simply type "," within the omnibox.

This reduces the keystrokes required to retrieve the important work to-do list to a minimum, eliminating the frustration of returning to the request:

Previously: Navigate to the desired work folder => cmd + space (open omnibar) => 3 keystrokes for "#i3" => press enter
Now: cmd + space (open omnibar) => "," => "enter" (most of the time, to retrieve the last request)

Possibilities #

A relational system in a note application like Tiro Notes offers numerous interesting use cases: Some additional uses I've explored include maintaining lists of things to watch/read. By adding "text tags" next to each item, I can filter them according to my mood.

You can test it by downloading Tiro Notes from the command line npx tiro-notes@0.30.99.51