Link to a Smart Folder (or: linking to hashtags)

joaoalm · 2024-11-18T16:59:05+00:00

First of all, thank you for coming up with F ✱ N and for sharing it with the world. I’ve been implementing your workflow very consistently* I’m specially f...

jimbo

Mine still runs on my MacBook but isn't working on the iPhone. Perhaps it's a problem with IOS 18.3 public beta that I'm running. Could someone paste an image of a shortcut that does work on both platforms.

Roland53

joaoalm Hi, I got the shortcut running, but I don't find a way to include hit in the note. I don't see your result, plus I'm not a expert in shortcuts 😳 can you give me a hint?

tvillemw

Roland53 Type the name of your folder or shortcut (actually any word will do), select the name, tap on it, select from the popup menu Add Link. You'll get a box with two fields. Where it says Link To, type

    shortcuts://run-shortcut?name=

After the = sign type the name of your shortcut. If your shortcut's name has spaces replace the spaces with %20.

-J-

A shortcut to generate al link for a shortcut 😋

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/2602030826f4403f95020cdbbfc85100

Copy the result and paste in your note. You can change the name afterwards.

joaoalm

-J- great

nogu

Hi everyone.

I use the current operating systems iOS 18.1.1 and macOS 15.1.1.

The shortcuts only work for me if I create or edit them on the respective device.

A shortcut created on iOS to open the smart folder projects - only works on iOS. If I edit the command in shortcuts on macOS, it works on macOS but not on iOS and vice versa.

I have already rebooted both devices afterwards. But no improvement.

Does anyone have a similar problem?

jahumada55

This does not seem to be working for me. It either works on my Mac or my iPhone but not both. When I fix it in macOS (by removing the shortcut and creating a new one with the same name) it works in macOS, but then it breaks in the other platform (iPhone). When I do the reverse (fix it in iOS) then it breaks in MacOS. Any thoughts?

AitoHikari

jahumada55

Yeah I'm having the same issue got it set up on my Mac's end, when over to the iPhone and all linked folders would not work, remade the shortcut on iOS and then did not work on macOS anymore….

GretchenCawthon

There’s a workaround for this… Get the device details and then use an if statement to set the folder for each device. I’m attaching a screenshot, but essentially you’ll need to create the shortcut on one device, then sync it to the other device and update the folder selection on that device.

Note: since the folder has the same name in both locations, I had to choose a different folder on the second device first to “clear” it and then choose the original folder again. For more than 2 devices, add an additional if statement.

James-Ashby

GretchenCawthon This works for showing folders on an iPad and an iPhone. Thanks for the tip!

Also, it turns out you can use this technique to open another app from a note using a shortcut with the open app action. I can now open my password manager from my ✱ Home note.

jahumada55

GretchenCawthon nogu I tried this shortcut to be able to open a smart folder for iPhone, iPad and Mac. But when I reset the folder on the iPhone, it does not work on the iPad and vice versa (it does work on the Mac). I know I need to setup another if statement for the IPhone or iPad but should it be nested within the first one? or a separate one? Thank you!

SteveNewcomb

GretchenCawthon

This is awesome. I googled forever. Finally found a link to this note in this YouTube. https://youtu.be/SI0ynZxqZ1A?si=pWzGg3s1tSPBwiTI

nogu

Good idea, why didn't I think of that? 😅

I'll implement it right away.

update => works perfect 👍

CrimsonCrow

Matthias

I am not a newbie to computers but I am a total novice creating shortcuts in Shortcuts App. I am stymied by this thread. I can not for the life of me figure out how to implement this. Is the point that we are creating link in a note that when clicked on will open an entire folder? If I understand the intent, I am still at a total loss how to implement it. Any help would be great since you seem very excited about it— "This is going to make so many people very happy!!!"

mettlerr

CrimsonCrow Yes, the intent is to open a folder or hashtag filter directly via a link. As this can't be done with a link which is picked up by the Notes app directly, the workaround is:

Create a shortcut in the Shortcuts app which will open a specific folder or tag filter view in Notes
Link to the created shortcut in the note

Clicking the link will activate the shortcut, which will in turn open the folder or tag filter view in Notes.

CrimsonCrow

mettlerr
Phew! Thanks! Once I fully understood the concept, I think I actually created my first shortcut in Shortcuts app.

This may be slightly off the topic of this thread but, is there a way to not have the Shortcuts App open every time I run a shortcut from Notes links? (and other places too but for this forum I'll stick to only discussing the Notes app?

mettlerr

CrimsonCrow The Shortcuts app has to open, as it is called with the link in your note. It has to open to handle and interpret what the link wants from it, so I don’t think there is a way to prevent that.

You will have to live with the short screen/app changes, I am afraid.

GazzaBruno

I am struggling to understand this. Could someone please take the time to show step-by-step how to set this up?

Overall I love this system and really want to fully implement it. But even the early steps setting up hashtags and collections and hubs have been slow work for me. I hope a beginner's user manual eventually comes out showing novice users how to do it.

tvillemw

It sounds like you need help with the Shortcuts app which is separate from Notes.

Once you've opened the Shortcuts app, look for a plus sign to create your own shortcut. There will be a field that asks to Search Actions. Enter Notes there for a list of actions you can use in Notes, the action you want is Show Notes Folder. Select it to add that action to your shortcut, then click on the highlighted word Notes for a list of your folders and smart folders. Select the folder you want to show. Give your new shortcut the name you want to use in links from your notes.

James-Ashby

Goal: Create a link in a note that will open a folder (including a Smart Folder) in notes

2 steps:

Create a shortcut that will open a folder in notes: see the response above. You might want to avoid including spaces in the shortcut name.
Add a link in the note that will run the shortcut using this format: shortcuts://run-shortcut?name=<name of shortcut>

James-Ashby

James-Ashby If you want the link to work on multiple devices you may need to add logic to the shortcut to check for the device being used. Here is an example of this sort of shortcut which will open the same folder (called _NextActions) on an iPhone or an iPad:

![](blob:https://forum.myforevernotes.com/dd1c8674-a3c7-44cb-a741-53317a85fa29)

To make the shortcut work you need to edit the shortcut on both platforms pointing the shortcut to the desired folder for that platform.

James-Ashby

jahumada55 I think you just need one more if after the first otherwise

GretchenCawthon

jahumada55 they will need to be nested like this. The last one defaults to my MacBook so no device name is needed.