Spotlight Search with Modifier Key is broken?

[soulbarn]

Hi - 

 

I believe the modifier-key driven spotlight search in Alfred 2.1.1 is broken. I use CMD-Space to activate Alfred. I type in a search term. I hit Control-Enter and that's supposed to open a spotlight window with the search term I typed in. Instead, it opens a search window with the first result in Alfred's results window. This only happens if I've got a file whose name contains the term I'm searching for. See the images below; I hope this explanation is clear. It does not happen if the search term doesn't partially match an existing file name, i.e., if I search for 'notaknownfilename", Alfred gives me the google search option as default, and correctly modifies to spotlight search if I hit control (same behavior if the search term is a known contact name.)

 

I've attached two screenshots. Hope they're helpful.

 

Here's the standard, no-control key alfred search for a term that partially matches existing files:

 

 

 

Here's the same search with the control (spotlight) modifier pressed. If I hit enter, I get a list of files matching the first filename in the list, rather than a spotlight search window containing just the searched-for term.

 

 

 

 

Am I being clear? What's going on here? Thanks!

[Andrew]

Hi - 

 

I believe the modifier-key driven spotlight search in Alfred 2.1.1 is broken. I use CMD-Space to activate Alfred. I type in a search term. I hit Control-Enter and that's supposed to open a spotlight window with the search term I typed in. Instead, it opens a search window with the first result in Alfred's results window. This only happens if I've got a file whose name contains the term I'm searching for. See the images below; I hope this explanation is clear. It does not happen if the search term doesn't partially match an existing file name, i.e., if I search for 'notaknownfilename", Alfred gives me the google search option as default, and correctly modifies to spotlight search if I hit control (same behavior if the search term is a known contact name.)

 

I've attached two screenshots. Hope they're helpful.

 

Here's the standard, no-control key alfred search for a term that partially matches existing files:

 

 

Here's the same search with the control (spotlight) modifier pressed. If I hit enter, I get a list of files matching the first filename in the list, rather than a spotlight search window containing just the searched-for term.

 

 

Am I being clear? What's going on here? Thanks!

 

If you just hold down the ctrl key, do you see the subtext as "Find similar files to 'abc' in Spotlight'?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[soulbarn]

Yes—if I hold control and the search term matches (all or in part) an existing file, I see "Find Similar files..." when holding control. If the searched text doesn't match anything—IE, I type in gibberish—I see the Google search as a default, and with control down I see "Search for 'gibberish' in Spotlight." So the behavior only occurs if the search term exists in my filesystem. 

 

thanks.