Entry Points

Which Folder Is Used

The menu bar and keyboard shortcut ask Finder which folder you're working in (the selected folder, or the folder the front window shows). A Finder window is used automatically only when Finder is the active app, or was within the last 10 seconds. A window left open behind another app is offered at the top of the folder picker instead.

Asking Finder needs your permission once: the first time, macOS asks whether NoteDrop may control Finder. Click Allow. If you declined, NoteDrop says where to turn it back on and shows the folder picker instead. Settings › Filing › Finder shows the status. See Troubleshooting.

Whichever way you start, the note panel shows where the note will be filed and lets you change it before saving.

Menu Bar

Click the NoteDrop icon in your menu bar, then select "New File Note". When a Finder folder will be used without asking, the item shows "In <folder>" beneath it; otherwise the folder picker opens.

Folder Picker

Type a matter number or name to search your matters folder (including matters inside year or letter folders, if that's how it's organised). Results read "number – client – type". Every matter you save a note in appears under Recent, labelled "number – client".

Recent Notes

The menu shows your last 10 notes under Recent Notes, each titled with its matter and recorded time. Click a note to open it; hold ⌥ and click to reveal it in Finder. Note Actions has, for each note:

• Open and Reveal in Finder
• Edit Note… — reopens it in the note panel with all fields pre-filled. Saving overwrites the original file, keeps its original date and sequence number, and stamps it "Amended <date> by <author>".
• New Note in <matter> — starts a fresh note in the same matter.

If you rename or move a note in Finder, it stays in the list and still opens. Clear Recent Notes empties the list.

Unsaved Drafts

Unsaved Drafts (n) lists every draft with its matter, first line and age. Choose one to reopen the note where you left it. Drafts are kept for 30 days.

Keyboard Shortcut

Press ⌃⌥⌘N (Control + Option + Command + N) from anywhere. It uses the Finder folder the same way as the menu bar item above.

Finder Right-Click and Toolbar

With the Finder extension on, right-click a folder and choose New File Note. Right-clicking a file files the note in that file's folder. You can also add the NoteDrop button to a Finder window's toolbar (View → Customize Toolbar…) and choose New File Note for the folder the window shows.

The optional New File submenu (off for new installs) creates blank text, Markdown or RTF files. Turn it on in Settings › Filing › Finder (Show "New File" in Finder's right-click menu).

Services Menu

Without the extension, right-click any folder in Finder and choose New File Note near the bottom of the menu. If you have several services installed, macOS groups them: choose Services → New File Note.

If the item is missing, turn it on in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services → Files and Folders.

Dock Icon

Optional. Enable Show in Dock in Settings › General › Startup, then click the Dock icon to open the same folder picker as the menu bar, with search and recent matters.

Shortcuts, Siri and Spotlight

"New file note for <matter> in NoteDrop", a Shortcuts action, or a matter in Spotlight all open the note panel. See Shortcuts, Siri & Spotlight.

URL Scheme

For links and scripting:

• notedrop://new?matter=013456 opens a new note for the matter with that number in your matters folder. An unknown or ambiguous number is ignored.
• notedrop://new-note?path=/path/to/folder opens a new note for that folder, which must exist and be inside your matters folder.