I used to write scratches (things I am doing "right now"/logs) using my writing apps such as KeepIt/Curiota/DT etc.

The problem with that method is the scratchpad note gets lost in the jungle: and often get lazy to find the note, and to add items to it. For that, I am thinking use very simple app for this purpose: to write scratches.

What I want is an app that satisfies the following 5 requirements:


a) note menu item: I should be able write from the menu item; and the menu item should be independent of the big note app
b) transparent storage: to a mac folder
c) expandable window: no rigid windows
d) Should be sticky (floating) over other apps
e) text formatting: should support either markdown or rtf formatting


Thus far, I have tried a number of simple apps. Here is my comparison of those apps.

1. FiveNotes:

√- note menu item
x- transparent storage:
x- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
√ text formatting


2. Antnotes:

√- note menu item
x- transparent storage:
√- expandable window
√ Can be sticky (floating)
√ text formatting

This is better than Fivenotes because notes can be exported; and has a global shortcut to show the notes. I can use the export command to make the Scratch visible to Spotlight; by overwriting the old version. This is not as good as directly editing a text file. But, is better than having no way of making the file available to spotlight.


3. Unclutter:

√- note from menu item
x- transparent storage:
√- expandable window
√ Can be sticky (floating)
x text formatting—-it supports only plain text. This is the major issue I have about this app.

4. Quick notes:

- I couldn't find this for macos 10.13.


5. FromScratch:

x- note from menu item
x- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
√- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
x formatting


6. Clipto:
This more or less like Obsidian: a complex system with internal storage.


7. Handynote:
- This is similar to Antnotes.


8. Tyke:
—no formatting
√- note from menu item
x- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
√- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
x formatting


9. Mininote Pro

√- note from menu item
x- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
√- expandable window
√ Can be sticky (floating)
√ text formatting (rtf of markdown)
This is similar to Antnote: there is no much difference between these two.
From function perspective: Antnotes = Mininote Pro


10. Sticky:

x- note from menu item
x- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
√- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
√ formatting
—-there is no advantage over the Antnote except the sync with Evernote feature.

11. Notelife (formerly SOHO notes):
- it also has a menu item (Flash). But, it is not possible to create or edit notes from the menu item. It can only search items.
- the Flash also requires the main app to run; much similar to Scrivener's scratchpad.


12. Evernote:
√- note from menu item
x- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
x- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
x formatting


13. Devonthink:
√- note from menu item
√- transparent storage (txt, md or rtf)
x- expandable window
x Can be sticky (floating)
√ formatting


Thus far, Antnote and Mininote Pro come closest to my needs. Still, they miss the transparency requirement.

Have I missed another app that could satisfy these requirements?

Have you looked at Tab Notes? I think it meets all your requirements... I don't use it, but I remembered it when reading your post.

SnipNotes meets my needs, which sound similar to yours

SnipNotes is fantastic. Mac and iOS and Apple Watch apps and unlike some apps like UpNote it has a real menubar app from which you can enter notes, even if the app is not running.

https://www.snipnotes.de/en/

I also use the free Tot app on my Mac for super-quick notes on the fly, usually while on a call or website. (There's a companion iOS app but it's a pretty unreasonable $20 so I passed on it.) I have no idea where the notes text resides on my machine though.

https://tot.rocks/

Dellu wrote:

Have I missed another app that could satisfy these requirements?

... Thank you, Dellu, for posting about scratch pads, note-taking.
Very interesting to me because I take notes frequently.

... Observations:

... I wondered: "Dellu asks for an app, but are there other, more efficient ways to meet those requirements?"

... #1: Your list of possible apps seems very short, quite limited.
May I ask what was the source for the list above?

...#2: Your requirement for "sticky/floating" suggest you are a mouse-user, rather than a fluent touch-typer.
Is that correct, or not?

... The app I am using is DEVONthink.
The user-interface is torture, but everything else about it is superb (for taking and retrieving notes).

Apple Notes' quick note feature might tick most boxes

a) note menu item: slides in from the corner you define in Mission Control; default lower right
b) transparent storage: not transparent; but export is easy; and syncs across all Apple devices
c) expandable window: quick notes does this
d) Should be sticky (floating) over other apps: quick notes does this
e) text formatting: should support either markdown or rtf formatting: RTF, not markdown

Free.

#1: Your list of possible apps seems very short, quite limited.
May I ask what was the source for the list above?

The thing is: I was comparing apps that are either free to use, or have some trial periods (or the apps that are already in my arsenal). I didn't want spend a lot of money on an app that I might not use it in the end.

#2: Your requirement for “sticky/floating” suggest you are a mouse-user, rather than a fluent touch-typer.
Is that correct, or not?

The reason for the floating feature is not that I cannot type fast. What rather I want to is the scratchpad window to stay on the corder of my window so that I can scratch on it the whole day. Assume I am writing sth, and I have a could of ideas I want to put on paper, and my wife asked me to do sth. To avoid the breakage of ideas, I will scratch what I have been doing, and what I need to do when I return to my table.

The problem with DT for this kind of purpose is you have to go to the database to find your Scratchpad. That is not what I want. I want it to be simple, and always visible.

Paul Korm wrote:

Apple Notes' quick note feature might tick most boxes

a) note menu item: slides in from the corner you define in Mission
Control; default lower right
b) transparent storage: not transparent; but export is easy; and syncs
across all Apple devices
c) expandable window: quick notes does this
d) Should be sticky (floating) over other apps: quick notes does this
e) text formatting: should support either markdown or rtf formatting:
RTF, not markdown

Free.

Thank you Paul. I am totally embarrassed: totally overlooked Apple's note App--I never realized that has the floating feature; and the point of the transparency is to be able to find the terms/phrases inside the scratchpad using Spotlight.

Thank you Stephen; Tab Notes sounds interesting. But, I cannot try it because the developer doesn't seem to offer a trial.

And thanks for mry53 and satis for suggesting SnipNotes. I have read a lot of great things about this app. It seems to satisfy all the requirements that I posted. But, the problem again is the developer has no trial; cannot try to before I buy it. That is a "BUY and TRY" is a huge NO to me because I might not like it ultimately.

SideNotes is one of my preferred quickies (I don't put quick notes in Apple Notes any more, because I've got thousands of notes in there! But it's a good solution)

If I'm doing fast drafts of small-scale stuff, I tend to use GrowlyNotes (because of the infinite whiteboard capability).

For very brief, efficient notes I use one of the options you mention, UnClutter. It's brilliant.

IME, the best notetaking app is a code editor, like NotePad++ for Windows. The reason is that they allow unlimited text files with strong search routines using regx; everything you need for coding AND for a note app.