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Beta test a beta of a beta

I'm about to release a significant update to Threshold. That release will be a beta (as Threshold is and has been in beta and will be a beta for still some time to go). Among many other improvements, the update brings back Twitter support (and improves it) and improves support for directly creating to dos in Toodledo. I'm specifically looking for Toodledo and Twitter testers, but regardless, if you're interested in "beta" testing (I guess alpha testing is the term) this update before I release it please email me, elasticthreads att gmail with "beta test" in the subject. And include in the body if you use Threshold with Toodledo and/or Twitter.

As a teaser, here's a partial list of improvements to come:

New and improved Twitter support (including autocompleting @mentions and inline url shortening)

Improved google voice support

Turn contexts off (or back on) to hide them from the UI if you don't use them

The default context now launches apps, does math, and runs web searches along with the standard filesystem path navigation. Just type what you want to do and Threshold will figure it out. "~/Desktop" opens the desktop folder, "9*9" will show you "81", "puppies" will open a web search in your default browser for puppies, and "Safari" will launch Safari. As soon as you start typing Threshold will tell you what it thinks you want to do (including searching thru apps to launch), just hit enter if that's what you want. So really "Sa" would launch Safari.

The shortcuts plist (that you can edit in preferences>>shortcuts) which lets you specify autocompletions in the default context (how "d/" expands to "~/Desktop/") can now also be edited to include application and url shortcuts. Just hit the plus button, type "app:Mail" in the right column, and "ml" in the left column. Close preferences and type "ml" into the default context and Threshold will offer to launch Mail for you. For urls use "url:nytimes.com" instead of "app:...."

Improved email context now support Sparrow as well as Mail and (in Prefs>>Options) you can choose to have Threshold compose your emails directly in gmail (opens a web page set to a gmail compose email page with address/sub/body filled in with whatever you typed in Threshold).

The context field hides when you're in the default context. Just hit tab or a keyboard shortcut (for a context) to bring it back.

And more.

Solid Update to Threshold

Threshold Beta 2.5 released. Hit up "Check for Updates..." in the Threshold menu or download here.

Quite a few changes:

Much of the core code has been rewritten to improve stability, performance, memory.

The Google Voice implementation broke when Google integrated GVoice into GChat. That's been fixed. the two separate Google Voice contexts (GVsms and GVdial) are now integrated into a single "gvoice" context; which assumes you're dialing a phone call, until you start typing a text message ("123-123-4567] text message").

I've been putting off upgrading the Twitter implementation to support OAuth, and still haven't done it. Apologies. Right now the twitter context won't work, so I've hidden it from the UI. Fixing this is next on my list. If you know how to do this in cocoa and/or php please contact me: elastic threads at gmail

All web search and url contexts have been integrated into a single "web search" context. Set the prefered search engine in preferences. To open a url just type it in either the web search or default (blank) contexts.

One more function added to the default context: If you start your command with ">", instead of looking for finder paths or running a web search, Threshold automatically saves whatever you write (as you write it) to a .txt file on your desktop; hit enter and it will get opened in your associated text editor.

#Threshold #Google Voice #googlevoice

Tweeting with Threshold

Threshold needs some time to fix its Twitter implementation. Apologies. Tweet another way until further notice

#Threshold

A small update

Working at getting Threshold out of beta, but its not quite there yet. Just released a small update today, you can download it here, or "Check for Updates..." from Threshold's application menu.

I think I fixed a couple ugly bugs and memory leaks. Which should make Threshold even snappier.

The most visible change is how Threshold handles Finder paths. The "~" as stand-in for your home folder is now much more pervasive, which makes for better readability and flow.

Quick tip: With a blank context field, type "1" or "2" into Threshold's command field and hit enter to quickly reorganize your finder windows into one or two windows, nicely laid out.

#Threshold #update

Q & A

Got a question from a user, and wanted to post the Q&A for everyone:

Q: "hey, like very much the look of Threshold, thnx! How to you add notes to Evernote??" A: 1. Set Evernote as your note app in Threshold (you'll only need to do this once, or if you want to change to a different app):

Type “note” in the context field (the text field on the right). Type “!reset” in the the command field (the larger text field on the left). When the pop-up dialog appears, type “Evernote” and click ok.

2. make a note:

Type “note” in the context field (or cmd-2) and type your note in the command field and hit click the “open” button. If you want to specify things like a title and/or tags for the note, write a note like this:

“this is the title #tag1,tag2,tag3] this is the body of the note”

Everything to the left of the “]” specificies metadata. Everything before the “#” is the title (or leave blank if you don’t have one yet. Everything after the “#” are tags separated by commas.

#Threshold

2.3.5b

A small update today, lots of bug fixes, including one which broke Toodledo support. Get the update here or via Threshold's "Check for Updates..." sparkler.

almost there...

Threshold is quickly nearing what would appear to be a release candidate.

Just released 2.3.4beta (get it here or via the Check for Updates... command in the Threshold menu). It fixes a bunch of bugs with auto-complete, and speeds up Threshold's search-while-you-type ability to find the email address or phone number you're angling for when emailing, or google voicing.

Squashes a handful of other bugs too.

You might also notice that Threshold's HUD panel's default size has widened a bit and its default location has centered a bit on your screen.

Feature wise, while I can always track down more applications and web-apps to integrate with, and more useful utilities to plug into Threshold, I'm pretty happy with what's there. I'll do my best to get Remember the Milk, and possibly other web based Task Managers, integrated into the "To Do" context in case there's users who prefer it to Toodledo and/or iCal.

I've got some ideas for the next big version. But for now...

If there's any applications, web-apps, system services, or otherwise, you'd like integrated into Threshold's global quick entry panel, email me and I'll consider it.

#Threshold #update

point update: customizable shortcuts, toodledo, and speed

Updates are just flooding out. Apologies. Since the most recent versions have a built-in update mechanism, via sparkle, you can just click "Check for Updates..." and not worry about downloading.

Two big additions today Toodledo integration (soon to be followed by more web-based task managers like Remember the Milk), and customizable shortcuts.

To use Threshold to quickly enter To Dos to your Toodledo account, type "to do" in the context field, and "!reset" in the command field. You'll be asked to enter the calendar you want Threshold to integrate with, type "Toodledo" instead.

After that, the first time you enter a to do for Toodledo, you’ll be asked to enter some account information, your password and your account’s Unique ID, which is not a login name, but an API hash. You can find it, after logging into your Toodledo account, here.

Once you enter all that. Make a new to do in Toodledo works the exact same as it did with iCal: "Remember the butter @Tomorrow !4" for dates you can use "@" and mm/dd/yy, mm/dd, dd, "tomorrow", Day of the week, or "Next" day of the week. Prioritize your to do's with "!" and 1 thru 4.

Threshold had path shortcuts for navigating the Finder built into it since day one. You could type "d/" and get "/Users/Home/Desktop/" or "do/" and get "/Users/Home/Documents/" and more.

Those are all still there as defaults, but you can now add, remove, and edit them. Go to "/Users/Home/Library/Application Support/Threshold/" and open "Shortcuts.plist"

Having a plist editor helps, but even opening Shortcuts.plist with TextEdit you should be able to manually edit the shortcuts very easily.

Each shortcut consists of a key value, the shortcut itself, and a string value, the path you want the shortcut to represent. Add, change, experiment. If you delete the Shortcuts.plist, Threshold will replace it with a default version the next time it launches.

< key >do< /key > < string >~/Documents< /string >

Above you can see the entry for the shortcut "do" to expand to "~/Documents" (where "~" means your home folder). To make your own, just duplicate an existing entry or make your own. Right now the shortcuts are limited to 4 characters.

#Threshold

one HUD, many Apps

Threshold's now at 2.1.8beta, which will be the last big udpate before Threshold goes release candidate.

Besides some bugfixings and code cleanings, there's a couple new features of interest to users:

1. Threshold now can use Omnifocus, along with Things, or Taskpaper, to let you quickly enter and manager your tasks. Now since they all have their "Quick Entry" modes, why would you use Threshold instead? By integrating with multiple apps, Threshold lets you use one HUD, one UI, one keyboard shortcut for all Quick Text Entry needs. Threshold gives you a simple, text-only, keyboard-only, approach to Quick Entry to allow you to effortlessly toss a quick to do, or ical event, off the top of your head and into an application.

2. Sparkle. Threshold now has Sparkle updating. So after you download this version, you should be able to set up auto-updating, or just go up to the Threshold menu and click "Check for Updates..." to do just that.

Download up at the top of the page, or here.

or check out Threshold at its own tumblr.

#Threshold #sparkle #os x #omnifocus #task management

A universal quick entry field for OS X

Yes.Yes. thermoCLine has been renamed/rebranded and is now: Threshold. For a lot of reasons. A post on that later.

Threshold is better integrated with a lot of great OS X apps now. The goal is to be a universal quick entry text field for all your applications. Whether making a Note in Yojimbo, a Task in Things, just tap the Threshold shortcut (default is option-space) and enter.

To Do/Task Management integration (optional) with Omnifocus, Things or Taskpaper.

Note taking (including tagging) with Evernote, Yojimbo, and Notational Velocity.

Text Editors, including TextMate, BBEdit, TextWrangler, Coda, TextEdit, Pages, and more.

Web apps, including Twitter, Google Voice, Google search, Yubnub, is.gd.

Productivity actions including Finder path navigation, easy Spotlight folder searches, a calculator, a timer,shell scripting, and terminal access... all built in, and made instantly available via the Threshold HUD panel.

#productivity #Threshold

more powa

There's a few big improvements:

1. Global Keyboard Shortcuts for activating Threshold and web search. Edit them, turn them on or off, and select google or yubnub for the search engine in preferences.

2. Auto-complete. When using an context that involves searching, Threshold will help you out by suggesting and auto-completing what you're looking for. Examples:

-When typing a Finder path, look below the command field for path solutions. If you see the one you're trying to type, just type a "/" and you'll get it.

- When writing an email and typing in email addresses, Threshold will search your address book; you can type either the email address or the contact's name, and Threshold will offer suggestions below the command field. Type "," or "/" or "]" to grab the suggestion.

- When using either Google Voice context, Threshold will also search your address book for phone numbers; you can start typing either the phone number or contact name you're trying to call/sms and Threshold will offer up suggestions. Type "/" or "]" to auto-complete.

3. Threshold supports Taskpaper and Things for task and to do entry. When using the To Do context, you can input "Taskpaper" or "Things" instead of an iCal calendar, and Threshold will add your to do's to Taskpaper's "inbox" project as a task entry. Full support for @date and !priorities are included.

4. When using an context like "text file" "note" or "email" where you might want to type multiple paragraphs, Threshold now lets you hit return without sending the command. An "Open" button appears on Threshold's interface. Just click, or tab over and hit space, to run the command.

5. Timer. Prefers Growl. Type timer into the context field (on the right) and in the command field type a number of minutes and, optionally, a message. After the time has elapsed Growl will pop up your message. Great for quick reminders like "Leave for a meeting" in 15 minutes. Great for pomodoro.

Some uses

Threshold has been updated a bunch. Fewer bugs, more contexts, more power, more tricks, some UI changes...

Also, (slightly) better documentation. There's still no graphic instruction, but the instruction are definitely more detailed, more correct, and easier to read...

Download Threshold here.

Some new contexts:

Spotlight: opens a spotlight search in a finder window. Combine it with all the Threshold path tricks and you can open a spotlight search for pdfs in your Documents folder with just "do/ name:pdf" and "spotlight" in your context field.

is.gd: shortens urls

url: just that, enter a url, hit enter, and boom.

math: a calculator, based on the unix utility bc

there's also been some work on keywords (type them into the command field):

"this" grabs whatever is selected in your current application and brings it into Threshold's text field. Great for creating notes and emails.

"grab" snaps the Finder's frontmost window to the foreground and feeds its path into Threshold

"one" closes all open Finder windows, but the frontmost one, and resize the frontmost window for a refreshed finder.

"fiwi" closes all open Finder windows but two, and resizes the two to stretch horizontally across your screen. (inspired by the great applescript application http://tr.im/EaUx)

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