Quick reference
Everything you need at a glance: every keyboard shortcut, where each button lives, and answers to common questions.
Keyboard shortcuts
Anywhere
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+G | Cycle the project views: detail list, icons, titles |
| Alt+Left / Alt+Right | Back / Forward |
| Mouse back / forward buttons | Back / Forward (Windows) |
| Ctrl+F | On the project list, go to the search box; inside a project, search in the current note |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Inside a project, open the search panel |
| Ctrl+N | Inside a project, open the New task window (except in the fullscreen editor) |
| Esc | Close a dialog, the New task window, the history panel or the fullscreen editor; clear the project search or the task filter; cancel a drag |
In the Tasks tab
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter (in the New task window) | Create the task, todo list or board |
| Ctrl+click | Add a task to the selection, or remove it |
| Shift+click | Select a range of tasks |
In a note
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+S | Save a checkpoint |
| Ctrl+B / Ctrl+I / Ctrl+U | Bold / Italic / Underline |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo |
| Ctrl+F | Open the search bar |
| Ctrl+H | Open find and replace |
| Enter / Shift+Enter (in the search bar) | Next / previous match |
| Esc (in the search bar) | Close the search bar |
Where things are
| To | Go to |
|---|---|
| Create a project | + New Project, on the project list |
| Edit, archive or delete a project | The project's ⋮ menu (right-click in the icon view) |
| See archived projects | Archives button in the toolbar |
| Change a task's color | The status dot on the task's row |
| Add a task, todo list or Kanban board | + New Task, at the right end of the tabs (Ctrl+N) |
| Add a child task | The + button on the parent's row, or right-click, Add child task |
| Edit or delete a task | The edit and ✕ buttons on the task's row |
| Compare tasks | Select them, then the Compare button under the task list |
| Put tasks in a folder | Select them, right-click, Move to folder |
| Write why a task is orange or red | The signal button on its row, or right-click, Properties… |
| Record a follow-up on a blocker | Right-click the orange task, Followed up |
| See when a task was blocked, and why | Right-click, Properties…, History tab |
| See a note's earlier versions | History, in the Notes toolbar |
| Attach a file | Files tab, Attach File, or drag a file onto the tab |
| Set up Markdown sync | Project menu, Edit Project, MD folders |
| Change theme or language | Gear button, Preferences |
| Install plugins | Gear button, Manage Plugins |
| Check for updates | Gear button, Check for Updates |
| Give a note the whole window | Fullscreen editor, in the Notes toolbar |
| Save a note as a .md file | Export as Markdown, in the Notes toolbar |
| Restore an archived project | Archives button, open the project, Restore |
| Branch tasks into a new project | Select them, right-click, Branch into new project… |
| See which projects share a task | Hover over the ⑂ marker on its row |
| Consult the Yi Jing | The task's 易經 tab, then Cast |
| Jump to a parent, sibling or child task | The breadcrumb at the top of the window |
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I click the status dot of some tasks?\ Their color is calculated, not set. That is the case for tasks with child tasks, todo lists, Kanban boards and Kanban cards. Change the color of their children, or of the card's steps, instead.
Why is my project red when most of its tasks are green?\ The last top-level task in your own order is red. If that approach was replaced, add the new task after it, or drag the current task to the bottom.
I sorted my tasks by date and the project color looks wrong.\ Sorting only changes the display. Colors are calculated from your own order. Click the sorted column header until the sort arrow disappears to see that order.
Should I mark finished tasks green?\ Green means the flow is going, so a task that finished well can stay green. When the whole project is finished, archive it.
I deleted text from a note by mistake. Can I get it back?\ Yes. Open History in the Notes toolbar, click a card from before the deletion, and click Restore.
Can I recover a deleted task?\ No. Deleting a task removes it with its notes and history. Set abandoned work to red instead of deleting it.
Where are my files, and can I move them?\ All data, attachments included, is in the Andon data folder: %AppData%\Andon on Windows, ~/.config/Andon on Linux. Its location is fixed: the folder can't be moved elsewhere.
How do I back up Andon?\ Close Andon and copy the whole data folder. Andon also keeps its own backups from before each update.
Can I use Andon on two computers?\ Not at the same time. To move your work, copy the data folder (chapter 15). Don't sync the data folder live with a cloud service while Andon is running: the databases can be damaged.
Can I export a whole project?\ No. You can save a single note as a .md file with Export as Markdown (chapter 7). To keep a copy of everything, back up the data folder.
Does Andon send my data anywhere?\ No. Your projects stay on your computer. Andon goes online only to check for updates (quietly at each start, and when you click Check for Updates), to list and download plugins when you use the Plugin Manager, and to fetch images when you paste content that links to images on the web.
Is a branch a copy of the tasks?\ No. Branched tasks are shared: they are the same tasks in both projects, and a change in one shows in the other. See chapter 12.
What happens if I delete a task that is shared with another project?\ It leaves only the project you delete it from. The other project keeps it, with its notes and history.
Why did my project turn orange when nothing in it changed?\ It may hold a task shared with another project, and that task, or one of its child tasks, turned orange there. Look for the ⑂ marker.