Rich Text Support for Clipboard History *plus* Paste as Plaintext Hotkey

[deanishe]

My feature suggestion is that clipboard history should support rich text and there should also be CMD+OPT+V (or some other user-configurable Hotkey) that strips any formatting and pastes plaintext.

The lack of this feature is the main reason I don't use Alfred as a clipboard manager. I don't need rich text a whole lot, but when I do, Alfred isn't up to the job.

 

(For anyone that's interested, I use Keyboard Maestro to implement Paste as Plaintext.)

Edited September 6, 2016 by deanishe
Make post clearer

[rounak]

@OP

Just for the sake of knowledge, were you unable to create a work-around using Alfred?

 

@<developers> <!OP> 

   (Meaning: Reply to developers and not OP) 

1. Personally, I think, Clipboard Managment, Text Expansion, Snippets etc are best left to other apps since Alfred is never going to match their capabilities. Its not surprising that Snippets does not have {} variables support. In fact, it shows that they merely intended to include it half-baked so as to compete with rival launcher apps in terms of number of features, which is not wrong.

 

2. Its understable to include them in Alfred so as to boast numerous features. 

 

3. Take, Keyboard Maestro for example, how wonderfully it handles dates. Just yesterday, I used the the result of this macro in my AppleScript-- %ICUDateTimeMinus%3%Months%dd.MM.yyyy%

It gives me the date 3 months before today's date. And it is so readable. Just change 3 and Months to any other number and criteria (e.g. Days) respectively. More Details about the dates in Keyboard Maestro.

It saves one, so much of code in the main script and time. If I were not to buy Keyboard Maestro, I would request workflows for the same (created using shell command date) instead of asking Alfred to implement it.

Another example of Karabiner app comes to mind. Its handling of keyboard shortcuts within elements of an app and scoping keyboard shortcuts for apps which do not have dock icon is unmatched besides numerous other benefits like virtual mouse keys.

 

4. I am not saying they should not be improved but these must be last on the todo list. The developer's primary focus must be on   

a. correct basic mistakes by giving a fresh look at the app. For example, once you remove the tick for "Run applescript instead of opening", there remains no shortcut to run them. As soon the tick is removed, the shortcut which opened them must now be used for running them.

b. on the ability to let Alfred utilise *everything* else available in the OS efficiently

c. add more features to workflows

d. improve the Buffer which is so important for everyday use

e. put more effort in Documentation and Error Reporting. I have not found anywhere what "argv" contains. How are the parameters delimited? Even if it is present somewhere, I can show you a lot of places where is not referenced and should have been. The facts that External Scripts section does not mention: "No applescripts" and Alfred gives permission and path error when trying to run them made me waste a considerable amount of time for re-checking permissions and path.

 f. honestly, I can go on but if I have not made a point up to now, then I won't do any better ahead.

 

Edit 1 : I was going to say, that I overlooked the fact that Alfred will be able to perform actions on Clipboard items (and hence the need for feature requests regarding Clipboard are justifiable) but on turning on Clipboard I find that actions cannot be performed on clipobard items. So, that is a feature you must work on first if you really do need to work on Clipboard (which I personally don't believe you should).

Edited September 6, 2016 by rounak

[deanishe]

I think you should probably start a new thread for your issues regarding Alfred's documentation.

You make some worthwhile points, and a thread that's supposed to be about the clipboard history isn't really the right place for them.
 

I have not found anywhere what "argv" contains. How are the parameters delimited?

FWIW, asking how the parameters are delimited doesn't make a lot of sense because argv is an array.
 
argv[0] is the path to the running program, argv[1] is the first program argument, argv[2] the second etc. That's a fundamental of UNIX.
 
What Alfred puts in argv is clearly an Alfred matter, but like with your External Script/AppleScript issue, how argv works is in UNIX/OS X territory and not specific to Alfred. Please bear that in mind.

[rounak]

I should have started new threads to describe each issue (feature request) in detail. Here, may be the only relevant thing to say is and which you skipped to answer:

Were you unable to create a work-around using Alfred?

 

Why can you not use pbpaste workflow? Is it because, it is not possible to reach individual Alfred clipboard items? If that is the case, a general fix like access to clipboard items would be better than a special fix customised for your needs.

[deanishe]

I'm not following you. Alfred straight-up doesn't support rich text in its clipboard history. No workaround will let you paste rich text.
 
Instead I use a different program that does support rich text, and if I want to paste that as plaintext instead, i.e. what Alfred always does, I use a KM macro.

[rounak]

Alfred straight-up doesn't support rich text in its clipboard history.

 

Never mind. The first line in this thread was "Basically, clipboard history supports rich text but". Clearly, I have made assumptions which were incorrect. Ignore my previous comment. 

[deanishe]

Never mind. The first line in this thread was "Basically, clipboard history supports rich text but". Clearly, I have made assumptions which were incorrect. Ignore my previous comment. 

 

Ah right. Now that you mention it, it really isn't very clear, is it? There an unspoken "My feature suggestion is that…" before that. I should make it explicit.

Edited September 6, 2016 by deanishe

[Chris Spiegl]

This seems to be duplicated in the following forum post. I'd love to see the Rich Text support for the clipboard history as well. Hope that it is coming someday ?.

 

[Jeff F]

I clearly didn't do all of my homework and wrongly assumed that Alfred's Clipboard feature supported rich text. That's actually one of the primary reasons I paid for the Powerpack. I'm now feeling a little sheepish and annoyed and guessing I need to find another product to handle this for me. Maybe Alfred will still end up being useful for other automation tasks but can't help feeling like I wasted some money here. 😕