The third in an n-part series on "How I Use Quicksilver".

Define words

Thanks to the built-in dictionary on a mac (and optionally dict.org), I can select a word anywhere (or manually enter it in the input box), tab to the second pane, type 'dict', and get my definition right quick.

Note that this is on the weaker side of quicksilver tips; there are so many ways to get word definitions on a mac that just about anyone can do it effortlessly. Right clicking on a word usually gives a dictionary option, and the spotlight-inclined among you can type a word into spotlight to get the definition most of the time.

The second in an n-part series on "How I Use Quicksilver".

Send a file via email.

This one has been done to death in screencasts, but I do it so much I'd be remiss if I failed to mention it.

As many technology oriented people do, I send a fair bit of email with attachments. Dozens of different workflows accommodate this, but I like to involve quicksilver.

I activate this workflow in one of two ways. I either a) select a file that I wish to send in Finder, or b) I wish to send a file that is in a common location that I know is in quicksilver's catalog.

Once I have my file selected in quicksilver, I'll usually compress the file into a zip archive to get past stupid MTAs like exchange. Doing this is a quick procedure: {tab} c o m p [highlights 'compress using...'] {tab} z i p [highlights 'zip] {enter} (wait a second for quicksilver to reappear with my file selected).

At this point, I'm ready to fire off an email. One {tab} gets me to the middle box, I type 'e m a i l', tab again, then type some letters of the recipient's name, finally hit {enter} and I'm done.

In my day job, I measured I do this about 5 times a day, and without any "nifty" workflow in place, it took me about 40 seconds to navigate to my mail app, compose an email, get the name in the 'to' field, click 'attach', find the file in the following dialog, and finally send it. Even more time was required if I wanted to zip the file first.

On the other hand, quicksilver takes about 7 seconds to do this on a slow day.

The first in an n-part series on "How I Use Quicksilver".

Shorten a URL

I have a trigger set up to take whatever I have highlighted in my system, and put that in the first pane of quicksilver. (It happens to be Cmd+/ )

From there, I have to type 'sho' which will select 'ShortenUrl.rb'. (It took one trial to get quicksilver to learn that.)

Finally, I hit enter, and wait for a fraction of a second, and quicksilver comes quickly back with the shortened URL.

I can effortlessly copy this to the clipboard for later use. Or, I can then use this to post to a chatroom within colloquy [or emacs] if I so desire. Look for that in a later post.

Average time saved: 3 seconds.