When creating a note, the first line is automatically copied into the title and this is very convenient. But if you edit an already created note and change the first line, the title does not change. It is not comfortable. I suggest changing the title when changing the first line when editing an already created note.
You're absolutely right: This isn't quite consistent. But I disagree about the convenience of this feature. When the first line of the note body happens to be very long, it isn't easy to change, especially on mobile. Just my 2 cents: I'd prefer a default value of "untitled" right from the start.
For context, here is the current behavior:
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It operates the same as, for example, Google Docs. I.e., that initial title is a punt as to what you want to call the note. That first line is not the title. But a title was generated as a working starting point. After that, the note and the title are separate things.
Now, under the covers, the title IS the first line, but that line is hidden from you unless you open the note in an external editor. And then, indeed, if you edit that no-longer-hidden first line in an external editor and then save it, it will change the title I the joplin note.
Hope that made sense.
Can you spare me the hassle of having to deal with the title? I've tried many note apps and haven't seen a title anywhere at all. The first line is always taken as the title of the note and I don’t need to think about the title. All I need from joplin is to quickly write down a note and not think about anything else.
If it is impossible to change the architecture, and the title cannot be removed, then you can change the interface, making it more convenient. In the note-taking apps I tried, there was most likely a title too, but it was seamlessly “glued” to the body of the note. That is, I write the first line/heading, press enter and continue writing the second line. I think this is how most note-taking apps do it, although I could be wrong. This does not change the internal architecture in any way, but makes the interface more convenient and faster. Is it possible to do at least this?????
If you mean, "I don't want my cursor to start in the title field …" There is a setting for that.
Tools > Options > Note > "When creating a new note" > select "Focus body"
Otherwise, the behavior is as you describe: You start typing in the body of the note, and the title for the note in the menus and in the title field are generated from that first line. If you click away from the note and come back, editing the first line no longer edits the title. This is a common pattern for these kinds of applications.
If you absolutely don't want to see the title of the note in that area above the note itself, you can just hide it by editing userchrome.css and adding this line to the end of it:
input.title-input {
visibility: hidden;
}
or make it fade to the background if you still sense you may want to see it:
input.title-input {
opacity: 5%;
}
Or some such.
Note, you have to completely exit Joplin and restart it to enable CSS changes to the interface itself (you have to quit, not just close the application).
There is no such setting on Android, so this is bad advice. I configured it this way on the PC, but it doesn’t solve anything.
What's the point of hiding the title in the editor if it should still appear as the name of the note? I still need to change it when editing, because it itself does not change. I don't understand your advice.
"So this is bad advice?"
No. You presented a poorly articulated question. This is the very first time you mentioned Android. And your question was convoluted anyway. But we tried regardless.
Here's some additional advice: Show some appreciation when someone steps up to try to help, whether you deserve it or not.
Geez. People. Moving on.
4 Likes
Actually, for me, the first level heading being the file title sounds alright. When implementing the VSCode plugin, this is the default behavior, and I think I've gotten used to it.
Ever since I moved from Evernote I've always just seen Joplin as using an email-style method of defining a title or subject. With email the subject line is separate to the message body. Unlike email, Joplin tries to help by initially suggesting a title / subject based on the first line of the message body. To be honest I did not think much about it, I just accepted it. That said, I have no problems with either design.
I have noticed that this feature has recently come to the fore more than it has in the past and that could be because more people are moving to Joplin from apps that do things differently. However Joplin has its own ways of doing things and other products have theirs. I see it that if Joplin does not do something the same way as someone else's app it's not really Joplin's fault or problem. Sure, Joplin may think that something is a good idea and "appropriate" it at some point. I just don't think that they are obliged to make changes because people want all the features / methods of their previous app without actually using that app.
Not trying to be contentious, just expressing an opinion.
4 Likes
I have the same feeling, about an email style, a subj and a body, of Joplin notes. And continuing the analogy, let's see what happens, for ex. in the Thunderbird, when I type the subject and press Enter - I move to the second line - to the body.
In Joplin - nothing happens after Enter- I still remain in the subject. For what purpose?
So, it would be good 1) to add to the Android version an option: where will be focus, in a subj or in a body, when a new note being created. As it done for the Desktop version.
2) When I press "new note" cursor must be placed in appropriate field, according to the settings, and editing mode must be already activated: keyboard appeared, I start to type subj, press Enter, which moves me to the body. and so on. This will speed up entering data.
As for constantly changing subject of a note, which will repeat the first line of the body, regardless of whether this is the first edit or not, I think such a specific behavior could be moved out to the plugin. Which support we will see in the upcoming version 3 for Android.
3 Likes
I support this, I already created a thread about it.
1 Like
My 2 cents: I like the behavior exactly as it is currently.
1 Like
Having the title change if the first line changes would cause a huge number of lost notes for me. When I give it a title it better stay that way no matter what I do with the note body. I often create a note, give it a title and then paste in the contents. Changing the title automatically would really screw up the data. When the title changes it should only be from a deliberate action on the part of the user.
And that's my three cents worth (value adjusted for inflation.)
1 Like