**Created**:: [[2023-02-21 Tuesday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc **Duration**:: 6:21  # Summary In this video, the presenter discusses recent quality-of-life improvements made to the Obsidian-Excalidraw application, specifically focusing on updated keyboard shortcuts. These changes were made to enhance compatibility with Mac OS, and while some old shortcuts will no longer function, the new ones promise a better user experience. The presenter highlights various shortcuts and drag-and-drop functionalities that users should adapt to for a smoother workflow. # Key Takeaways - Many existing keyboard shortcuts for Visual PKM tools did not function properly on Mac OS, prompting a redesign. - New shortcuts have been tailored to align better with Obsidian standards, improving usability for Mac users. - Users will need to relearn some shortcuts and drag-and-drop actions, which now accommodate new functionalities for inserting images and links. # Content One of the side benefits of the visual thinking workshop is that I get to see how other people use my tools. I get to see what they struggle with, and this is how I learned that many of my clever keyboard shortcuts simply do not work on Mac OS. So, I finally decided to get myself a MacBook, and I did some extensive testing and reworking of all my shortcuts, modifier keys, drag-and-drop actions, etc., to make them work on Mac OS. Additionally, I took the opportunity to rework these shortcuts to better align with Obsidian standards. I'm sorry, there's a side effect to all of this: the old shortcuts no longer work or are going to achieve different outcomes, so you might need to relearn the shortcuts that you use. However, I think the end result is going to be a much smoother, much better Excalidraw experience. So, let's look at some of these changes very quickly. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=0) First of all, let's look at the shortcuts. I'm going to be using the Windows shortcuts; otherwise, I get confused with my fingers. But here on the other side, you can see the equivalent Mac shortcuts. So first, if I control-click a link, that is going to open the page in a new window. If I control and shift-click the link, then it's going to open in the same window. Now, if I control and ALT-click the link, then it's going to open in the panel on the side, and if I hold down the control, ALT, and shift buttons together, then it's going to open in a new window. Additionally, I don't have a markdown file, but if I hold down the control and the Meta or Windows key, then it's going to open the markdown properties. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=60) Now, in terms of drag-and-drop actions, if I'm dragging and dropping from the internet—for example, if I'm dragging items from this page—then by default, if I drag an item, it's going to insert the image with a link to the URL. So, this image is not going to be saved to your Vault; it's going to be placed here with a link to the image on the internet. In this case, this image is now not in my Vault; it's from the internet. Now, if I hold down the control key when I drop the file, then you can see that the tooltip up there says "insert Link." In this case, Excalidraw is going to insert a link to the file. So, if I now let go of the mouse button, then you can see that here I have a link to the file itself. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=120) Finally, when I drop this object and hold down the shift button, it is going to import the image to my Vault. This means that this is going to be saved in my attachments folder, and this file is going to be created and stored in my Vault. The benefit of this approach—which is what I usually use—is that even if the file is removed from the internet, I will have a copy of it. Then finally, I want to show you the drag operations from the Obsidian file manager. If I drag a file, then by default, Excalidraw is going to insert a link to the file. However, if I press the shift button, then it is going to insert it as an image embed. If it's a markdown file, then it will be inserted as a markdown embed. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=180) Maybe let me just drag something else. I'm going to drag this image, so if I hold down the shift key, it's going to insert the image itself; if I just simply drag this and let go, it's going to insert the link to the file. I have this additional option to anchor the image size to 100. I have a separate video that explains this about the deconstruction of images and why this is useful. So if I hold down the control and ALT and then let go, then the image is going to be embedded at 100% of its size. Now, a bit of a useful tip when dragging from the file manager is that you first drag it without pressing any keys. Just hold the mouse button and drag, then you apply the shortcut that you want to do. So, I am now pressing the shift key and then I let go of the mouse button, and then I let go of the shift key—that's how you insert the file on Mac OS. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=240) What I experienced is that when I drag a file from external sources, I need to wait a second until the default Mac drop action—with the green background and white plus sign—disappears. Then, I can press my shortcut. So, you might need to wait one or two seconds before your modifier key is recognized by Excalidraw, but with a little practice, I think you will get the hang of it; it feels pretty natural. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=316) So, that's all I wanted to share today. The update seems little because it's only the keyboard shortcuts that changed; trust me, this took me several days of work and lots of hassle working through these keyboards. It is a big change. I hope everything works; I did my best to test it throughout. If you find any issues, please let me know on GitHub, and I'll try to get back to you with an updated release as soon as possible. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=379) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description #excalidraw #obsidianmd Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ Keyboard shortcuts map: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/blob/master/images/excalidraw-modifiers.png ------- If you find the plugin and/or my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt If you'd like to request a feature or report a bug, please raise it on GitHub: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you want to connect, you can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. Links: --------- My blog: https://zsolt.blog/ Obsidian: https://obsidian.md Excalidraw-Obsidian 1.8.16 release notes: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/releases/tag/1.8.16 ## YouTube Transcript [one of the side benefits of the visual](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=0) [thinking Workshop is that I get to see](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=2) [how other people use my tools I get to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=4) [see what they struggle with and this is](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=7) [how I learned that many of my clever](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=10) [keyboard shortcuts simply do not work on](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=12) [Mac OS](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=15) [so I finally decided to get myself a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=17) [Macbook and I did some extensive testing](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=20) [and reworking of all my shortcuts](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=24) [modifier Keys drag and drop actions Etc](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=27) [to make them work on Mac OS and as well](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=30) [I took the opportunity to rework these](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=35) [shortcuts to better align with obsidian](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=38) [standards so I'm sorry there's a side](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=41) [effect to all of this the old shortcuts](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=44) [no longer work or they are going to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=47) [achieve different outcomes so you might](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=49) [need to relearn the shortcuts that you](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=52) [use however I think the end result is](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=55) [going to be a much smoother much better](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=58) [exculatory experience so let's look at](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=61) [some of these changes very quickly so](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=64) [first of all let's look at the shortcuts](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=67) [and I'm going to be using the windows](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=69) [shortcuts otherwise I get confused with](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=71) [my fingers but here on the other side](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=74) [you can see the equivalent Mac shortcuts](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=76) [so first if I control click a link that](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=79) [is going to open the page in a new](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=82) [window](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=85) [if I control and shift click the link](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=86) [then it's going to open in the same](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=89) [window](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=92) [now if I control and ALT click the link](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=94) [then it's going to open in the panel on](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=98) [the side and if I hold down the control](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=102) [alt and shift buttons together then it's](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=105) [going to open in a new window](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=108) [and additionally here I don't have a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=112) [markdown file but if I hold down the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=114) [control and The Meta or Windows key then](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=117) [it's going to open the markdown](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=120) [properties](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=122) [now in terms of drag and drop actions if](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=124) [I'm dragging and dropping from the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=127) [internet so let's say I'm dragging items](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=129) [from this page](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=132) [then if I drag an item](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=134) [by default it's going to insert the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=139) [image with a link to the URL so this](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=141) [image is not going to be saved to your](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=145) [Vault it's going to be placed here with](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=148) [a link to the image on the internet so](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=151) [in this case this image is now not in my](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=154) [Vault it's from the internet now](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=157) [if I hold down the control key when I](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=160) [drop the file then you can see that the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=166) [tooltip up there says insert Link in](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=168) [this case](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=171) [excalator is going to insert a link to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=172) [this file so if I now let go the mouse](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=175) [button then you can see that here I have](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=177) [a link to the file itself](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=180) [and finally when I drop this object and](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=184) [I hold down the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=187) [shift button then this is going to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=189) [import the image to my Vault so this is](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=193) [going to be saved in my attachments](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=196) [folder and this file is going to be](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=198) [created and stored in my world](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=201) [the benefit of this approach and this is](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=204) [what I usually use is in this case](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=207) [even if the file is removed from the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=211) [internet I will have a copy of it](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=213) [and then finally I want to show you the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=217) [drag operations from the obsidian file](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=220) [manager so if I drag a file then by](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=223) [default excalator is going to insert a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=227) [link to the file however if I press the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=230) [shift button then it is going to insert](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=235) [it as an image embed or if it's a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=240) [markdown file then as a markdown embed](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=242) [and maybe let me just drag something](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=245) [else I'm going to drag this image so if](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=248) [I hold down the shift it's going to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=250) [insert the image itself if I just simply](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=253) [drag this and let go it's going to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=257) [insert the link to the file and I have](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=259) [this additional option to Anchor the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=263) [image size to 100 I have a separate](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=265) [video that explains this about the the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=268) [deconstruction of images why this is](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=272) [useful so if I hold down the control and](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=274) [all](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=276) [and then let go then the image is going](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=277) [to be embedded at 100 of its size now a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=280) [bit of useful tip when dragging from the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=285) [file manager you first the drag I'm now](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=288) [not](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=291) [pressing any keys I just hold the mouse](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=292) [button and I drag and then I apply the](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=295) [shortcut that I want to do so now I'm](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=299) [pressing the shift key and then I let go](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=301) [of the mouse button and then I let go of](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=304) [the shift key and that's how you insert](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=307) [the file on](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=310) [Mac OS what I experienced is when I drag](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=312) [a file expe if I drag a file from](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=316) [external then I need to wait a second](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=319) [until the default Mac drop action with a](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=322) [for me green](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=326) [background white plus sign disappears](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=328) [and then I can press my shortcut so you](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=332) [might need to wait one or two seconds](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=335) [before your](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=337) [modifier key is recognized by X](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=339) [collateral but with a little practice I](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=343) [think you will get the hang of it it](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=345) [feels pretty natural](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=347) [so that's all I wanted to share today](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=349) [the update seems little because it's](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=351) [only the keyboard shortcuts that changed](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=355) [trust me this took me several days of](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=357) [work and lots of hassle working through](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=360) [these keyboards it is a big change I](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=363) [hope everything works I did my best to](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=366) [test it throughout if you find any](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=369) [issues please let me know on GitHub and](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=371) [I'll try to get back to you with an](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=374) [updated release as soon as possible](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=376) [thank you](https://youtu.be/9HlipSIzRhc?t=379)