Scratchpad
The Scratchpad is a side panel where you can keep temporary text visible while you work. Unlike Quick Capture, which saves notes to your vault, the Scratchpad is a persistent workspace that stays open alongside your notes. Think of it as a digital sticky note that never falls off your monitor.
Opening the Scratchpad
Section titled “Opening the Scratchpad”| Platform | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| macOS | Cmd+. |
| Windows | Ctrl+. |
Toggle the scratchpad on and off with this shortcut. When open, it appears as a panel in the Ariv interface alongside your current note.
Persistence
Section titled “Persistence”Everything you type in the Scratchpad is saved automatically and persists across sessions. Close Ariv, reboot your computer, come back a week later — your scratchpad content is still there.
This makes it safe to use for anything you need to hold onto temporarily but don’t want to create a full note for.
Global Jot shortcut
Section titled “Global Jot shortcut”Need to add something to your scratchpad without even opening the Ariv window? Use the global jot shortcut:
| Platform | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| macOS | Cmd+Shift+J |
| Windows | Alt+Shift+J |
This works like Quick Capture but for the Scratchpad. A small overlay appears where you can type, and the text is appended to your scratchpad. It works even when Ariv is in the background.
When to use the Scratchpad
Section titled “When to use the Scratchpad”The Scratchpad fills the gap between “I need to write this down” and “this deserves its own note.” Use it for:
Scratch calculations
Section titled “Scratch calculations”Working out numbers, doing quick math, or jotting down formulas you need for the next few minutes.
Temporary clipboard
Section titled “Temporary clipboard”Holding text you need to paste somewhere else — a URL, a code snippet, a name you keep referencing. Instead of switching back and forth between tabs, park it in the Scratchpad.
Draft text
Section titled “Draft text”Writing out a sentence or paragraph before placing it in the right note. The Scratchpad lets you compose freely without committing to a location.
Working notes
Section titled “Working notes”Keeping a running list of things to check, links to follow up on, or reminders for the current work session that don’t belong in a permanent note.
Scratchpad vs. Quick Capture
Section titled “Scratchpad vs. Quick Capture”These two features serve different purposes:
| Scratchpad | Quick Capture | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Temporary workspace | Save thoughts to your vault |
| Creates notes? | No | Yes |
| Visible while working? | Yes, as a side panel | No, it’s a one-time overlay |
| Persistence | Stays until you clear it | Saved as a note immediately |
| Best for | Temporary text, drafts, scratch work | Fleeting ideas, tasks, captures |
Related: Quick Capture — Save thoughts to your vault instantly | Daily Notes — Structured daily journaling and task tracking