Proactive Hook notification that Hooks exist in current context

[katie_v]

I would benefit from having an optional operational mode for Hook, in which Hook would sense the context in which I am working (application and document) and automatically pop-up a message that "Hooks exist for this document … " and provide the details. The result would be similar to clicking the Hook menubar icon, but I would like the option to have Hook give me the information without asking.

As Hooks proliferate, it would be helpful if Hook were (optionally) more forthright. I realize there are CPU and other issues with this. But please consider.

Thanks,

Katie

[LucB]

Thank you, @Katie_v. We’ve experimented with variants of this (though not notification-based, that is a new idea). There’s work in progress in 2.3 that , I hope, will pave the way for this. Hook aims to help users stay in context and flow; so I agree it is imperative that it effortlessly provide such contextual information.

[ChemBob]

I really like that idea Katie! I often forget what is hooked and what isn’t.

[MartinPacker]

Let me put it another way: I’d hook much more if I felt I wouldn’t lose stuff. This idea would strongly contribute to that.

[peeja]

Off the top of my head, I think an ideal UX for me would be to see the menu bar item illuminate when the currently hookable thing is hooked to something else. That’s unobtrusive, but just visible enough for me to notice.

[LucB]

Thank you, @peeja , and Welcome to the Hook Productivity Forum .

We ( CogSci Apps) experimented with that in the past but encountered issues. We will revisit.

[katie_v]

This is a good suggestion. The problem is: who watches the menu bar while they are using apps or visiting sites on their computer? It seems not much different than invoking Hook, an action that naturally shows that Hooks exist.

What I am suggesting is not a query (“Do I have a hook here…?”) but a notification (“You have a hook here, BTW…?”). I use “notification” guardedly – Hook should not put these alerts into macOS Notifications – it would fill up the Notification center with junk, become annoying, and thus be turned off and ignored.

Tough UI problem to solve, for sure.

Katie

[peeja]

I’d notice something in the menu bar. I already look there for the system volume, my remaining battery, and the current time. The menu bar is something that’s always visible, which makes it a great place for a passive status indicator. Conversely, I’d be pretty annoyed if some sort of notification popped up every time I opened something I’d hooked.

[LucB]

I think CogSci Apps needs to try to satisfy both preferences. Many don’t want notifications, some do.

It might be that for users of a small monitor, a menu bar icon animation can act as a notification which might satisfy both (or some of both). In this case, I would think it would need to be a double preference.
menu bar icon

• hooked item status indication [ √ ]
  • with animation [ ]

On a big monitor, that might not satisfy those who want a bigger notification.

in any event, CogSci Apps is listening (and we have related ideas in mind).

[Speaking of which, I’m really looking forward to releasing Hook 2.3. Still a bit of dev and some QA to go.]

[MartinPacker]

Menu Bar is problematic. For many years now - on a 15" MacBook Pro - my menu bar has been full to the extent of using Bar Tender to manage it. And some apps wipe out whole swathes of the menu bar real estate.

This seems to me to be a more general MacOS UI problem than just Hook. Maybe Notifications is there answer. I couldn’t say.

[katie_v]

I would be satisfied with a small floating indicator – like a small stoplight button – that is always on top, and which I could move around the screen to suit me, and that lights up when the context I am looking at – browser, a document in an app, etc. – is involved in a hook linkage. Maybe then click the floater to open Hook to show the available links.

I don’t know of any app that does this – buy why not ?

Katie