https://github.com/ruslanlap/communitypowertoysrunplugin-quicknotes
QuickNotes is a plugin for [Microsoft PowerToys Run](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys) that allows you to quickly create, manage, and search notes directly from your PowerToys Run interface. Simply type `qq` followed by your note text to save it,
https://github.com/ruslanlap/communitypowertoysrunplugin-quicknotes
csharp dotnet notes plugin powertoys powertoys-run powertoys-run-plugin windows
Last synced: 2 months ago
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QuickNotes is a plugin for [Microsoft PowerToys Run](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys) that allows you to quickly create, manage, and search notes directly from your PowerToys Run interface. Simply type `qq` followed by your note text to save it,
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/ruslanlap/communitypowertoysrunplugin-quicknotes
- Owner: ruslanlap
- License: mit
- Created: 2025-03-24T21:20:49.000Z (2 months ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-24T23:19:30.000Z (2 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-24T23:23:19.010Z (2 months ago)
- Topics: csharp, dotnet, notes, plugin, powertoys, powertoys-run, powertoys-run-plugin, windows
- Language: C#
- Homepage: https://ruslanlap.github.io/ruslanlap_buymeacoffe/
- Size: 24.7 MB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# đ PowerToys Run: QuickNotes Plugin
⨠QuickNotes for PowerToys Run â¨
Create, manage, and search notes directly from PowerToys Run
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes/stargazers)
[](https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes/issues)
[](https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes/releases/latest)
[](https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes/releases)
## đ Table of Contents
- [đ Overview](#-overview)
- [⥠Easy Install](#-easy-install)
- [⨠Features](#-features)
- [đŦ Demo Gallery](#-demo-gallery)
- [đ Installation](#-installation)
- [đ§ Usage](#-usage)
- [đ Data Storage](#-data-storage)
- [đ ī¸ Building from Source](#ī¸-building-from-source)
- [đ Project Structure](#-project-structure)
- [đ¤ Contributing](#-contributing)
- [â FAQ](#-faq)
- [⨠Why You'll Love QuickNotes](#-why-youll-love-quicknotes)
- [đ License](#-license)
- [đ Acknowledgements](#-acknowledgements)
- [đ ī¸ Implementation Details](#-implementation-details)
## đ Overview
QuickNotes is a plugin for [Microsoft PowerToys Run](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys) that allows you to quickly create, manage, and search notes directly from your PowerToys Run interface. Simply type `qq` followed by your note text to save it, or use various commands to manage your notes collection.
## ⥠Easy Install
Quick Installation Steps:
1. Download using the button above
2. Extract to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\PowerToys Run\Plugins\
3. Restart PowerToys
4. Start using with Alt+Space then type qq
## ⨠Features
- đ **Quick Note Creation** - Instantly save notes with a simple command
- đ **Powerful Search** - Find notes with highlighted search terms
- đˇī¸ **Tag Support** - Add #tags to notes and search by tag
- đ **Pin Important Notes** - Pin critical notes to keep them at the top
- đ **Sorting Options** - Sort notes by date or alphabetically
- âī¸ **Easy Editing** - Modify existing notes with a simple interface
- đī¸ **Note Management** - Delete individual notes or clear all notes
- âŠī¸ **Undo Delete** - Restore recently deleted notes
- đž **Backup & Export** - Create backups of your notes collection
- đ **Clipboard Integration** - Copy notes to clipboard with a single click
- đ **Theme Support** - Works with both light and dark PowerToys themes
- âąī¸ **Timestamp Recording** - Each note is saved with a timestamp for easy reference
- đ **Notification System** - Get confirmation when notes are saved, edited, or deleted
- đ **URL Detection** - Automatically detects and allows opening URLs in notes
- ⨠**Text Formatting** - Format notes with Markdown-style syntax for bold, italic, and highlights
- đˇī¸ **Customizable Tag Style** - Toggle between bold or italic formatting for tags
- đĄ **Command Auto-suggestions** - Get real-time command suggestions as you type use Tab key it's easy
## đŦ Demo Gallery
đ Creating Notes
Simply type qq followed by your note text to save it instantly
đ Searching Notes
Use qq search <term> to find notes with highlighted matches
âī¸ Editing Notes
Edit existing notes with qq edit <number>
đī¸ Deleting Notes
Delete notes with qq del <number> or all notes with qq delall
đž Exporting Notes
Create backups with qq backup or qq export
đ Copying Notes
Copy notes with timestamp included
Copy notes without timestamp and tags
đ Viewing Notes
View note details with qq view <number>
â Help Command
Get help on available commands with qq help
⨠Text Formatting
Format your notes with **bold**, *italic*, ==highlight==, and #tags
đĄ Command Auto-suggestions
Get command suggestions as you type for faster note-taking
## đ Installation
### đ Prerequisites
- [Microsoft PowerToys](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases) installed
- Windows 10 or later
### đĨ Installation Steps
1. Download the latest release from the [Releases page](https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes/releases/latest)
2. Extract the ZIP file to:
```
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\PowerToys Run\Plugins\
```
3. Restart PowerToys
## đ§ Usage
1. Open PowerToys Run (default: Alt + Space)
2. Use the following commands:
| Command | Description | Example |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| `qq ` | Create a new note | `qq Buy milk and eggs` |
| `qq help` | Show help information | `qq help` |
| `qq search ` | Search notes (matched words highlighted) | `qq search milk` |
| `qq searchtag ` | Search notes by tag | `qq searchtag work` |
| `qq view ` | View note details | `qq view 1` |
| `qq edit ` | Edit a specific note | `qq edit 2` |
| `qq del ` | Delete a specific note | `qq del 3` |
| `qq delall` | Delete all notes | `qq delall` |
| `qq undo` | Restore last deleted note | `qq undo` |
| `qq pin ` | Pin a note to the top | `qq pin 4` |
| `qq unpin ` | Unpin a note | `qq unpin 4` |
| `qq sort date` | Sort notes by date | `qq sort date` |
| `qq sort alpha` | Sort notes alphabetically | `qq sort alpha` |
| `qq backup` or `qq export` | Backup notes (opens folder and file) | `qq backup` |
| `qq tagstyle bold` | Set tag style to bold | `qq tagstyle bold` |
| `qq tagstyle italic` | Set tag style to italic | `qq tagstyle italic` |
### đ¯ Quick Tips
- Press Enter on a note to copy it to clipboard
- Right-click on a note for additional options (copy, edit, delete, pin/unpin)
- Add #tags to your notes (e.g., `qq Meeting with John #work #important`)
- Use `qq searchtag work` to find all notes with the #work tag
- Notes are automatically saved with timestamps
- Pinned notes always appear at the top of your notes list
- Sort notes with `qq sort date` (newest first) or `qq sort alpha` (A-Z)
- Add `desc` to sort in reverse order (e.g., `qq sort date desc`)
- Use `qq undo` to restore the last deleted note
- URLs in notes are automatically detected and can be opened via the context menu
- Use `qq help` anytime to see all available commands
- Type any command partially to see auto-suggestions (e.g., type `qq s` to see `search`, `sort`, etc.)
- Format your notes with Markdown-style syntax:
- **Bold text**: Use `**text**` or `__text__`
- *Italic text*: Use `*text*` or `_text_`
- ==Highlighted text==: Use `==text==`
- #tags are automatically formatted based on your tag style setting
- Toggle tag formatting style with `qq tagstyle bold` or `qq tagstyle italic`
- **Intelligent Copy Options**:
- Press Enter on a note to copy clean content (without timestamp and tags)
- Use Ctrl+C to copy the full note with timestamp
- Use Ctrl+Shift+C for clean content (alternative to Enter)
- Right-click menu provides all copy options with clear descriptions
## đ Data Storage
QuickNotes stores all your notes in a simple text file at:
```
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\QuickNotes\notes.txt
```
Each note is stored with a timestamp for easy reference in the format:
```
[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS] Your note text here
```
Pinned notes are stored with a special prefix:
```
[PINNED] [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS] Your important note here
```
## đ ī¸ Building from Source
### đ Prerequisites
- Visual Studio 2022 or later
- .NET SDK
### đ¨ Build Steps
1. Clone the repository:
```
git clone https://github.com/ruslanlap/CommunityPowerToysRunPlugin-QuickNotes.git
```
2. Open the solution in Visual Studio
3. Build the solution:
```
dotnet build -c Release
```
4. Find the output in the `bin/Release` directory
## đ Project Structure
The QuickNotes plugin has a clean, modular architecture designed for maintainability and extensibility.
High-level project structure overview
For a detailed breakdown of the project structure, see the [structure.md](structure.md) file.
## đ¤ Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)
3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature'`)
4. Push to the branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)
5. Open a Pull Request
## â FAQ
How do I update the plugin?
Download the latest release and replace the files in your PowerToys Plugins directory. Restart PowerToys afterward.
Can I sync my notes across devices?
The plugin doesn't have built-in sync, but you can place the notes.txt file in a cloud-synced folder and create a symbolic link to it.
What if I accidentally delete all my notes?
If you've created backups using the qq backup command, you can restore from those. Otherwise, you might be able to recover from Windows File History if enabled.
Can I change the storage location?
Currently, the storage location is fixed. A future update may add customizable storage locations.
## ⨠Why You'll Love QuickNotes
- **⥠Lightning Fast** - From thought to saved note in under 3 seconds
- **đ Smart Search** - Find notes with highlighted search terms as you type
- **đ§ Distraction-Free** - No need to switch applications or contexts
- **đ Seamless Workflow** - Create, find, edit, and manage notes without leaving your keyboard
- **đ Clipboard Integration** - Copy any note to clipboard with a single keystroke
- **đ ī¸ Powerfully Simple** - Sophisticated features hidden behind simple commands
**Powerful context menu features: Edit notes, Copy to clipboard, Pin important items, Delete notes, and Detect URL and Open URLs directly from your notes in your browser**
**Feature Ideas We'd Love to See:**
- ~~Tag system for notes~~
- ~~Easy copy notes~~
- ~~Autosuggestions commands~~
- ~~Rich text formatting~~
- Cloud sync options
- Reminder functionality
- Git integration
- More effect
- More styled
- ~~Notes to be pinned~~
## đ License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
## đ Acknowledgements
- [Microsoft PowerToys](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys) team for creating the extensible PowerToys Run platform
- All contributors who have helped improve this plugin
- Icons and visual elements from various open-source projects
## đ ī¸ Implementation Details
The QuickNotes plugin is built around a robust and well-structured implementation in the `Main.cs` file, which serves as the heart of the plugin. Here's what makes it special:
### đī¸ Architecture
- **Modular Design**: The code follows a clean, modular approach with well-defined responsibilities
- **NoteEntry Structure**: Uses a dedicated class to handle note metadata (timestamps, pinning status, etc.)
- **Command Pattern**: Implements a command-based architecture for all operations
### đ Key Components
- **Command Processing**: Centralized command handling via the `GetCommandResults` method
- **Text Formatting**: Rich text formatting with support for bold, italic, highlighting, and tags
- **Context Menu**: Comprehensive right-click options for each note
- **File I/O**: Robust file operations with proper error handling
- **Theme Support**: Adapts to PowerToys light/dark themes automatically
### 𧊠Notable Features
- **Timestamp Management**: Automatically adds timestamps to notes and provides options to display or hide them
- **Tag Detection**: Identifies and formats #tags with customizable styling (bold or italic)
- **URL Detection**: Uses regex to find and make URLs clickable in notes
- **Undo Functionality**: Tracks deleted notes to enable undo operations
- **Sort Capabilities**: Implements flexible sorting by date or alphabetically
- **Autocomplete**: Provides intelligent command suggestions as you type
The implementation prioritizes user experience with features like:
- Clean content copying (stripping timestamps and tags)
- Intelligent display of pinned vs. regular notes
- Comprehensive error handling
- Helpful tooltips and notifications
- Flexible search capabilities
This robust architecture makes QuickNotes not just a simple note-taking plugin, but a powerful productivity tool that seamlessly integrates with PowerToys Run.
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