File Buffer enhancements

[flowflow]

I think the file buffer feature could be much more useful and a great replacement for Yoink and similar apps if the following features would be added: 

 

• Allow dragging files into the buffer (i know i can drag a local file into Alfred, and use CMD+up to add it to the buffer. Yoink lets me drag images directly from the browser to the buffer)  
• Show Thumbnails for files in the buffer
• Allow action on individual files (not only all) in the buffer 
• Allow removing individual files (not all/the last added) from the buffer
• A CLI for adding files to the buffer

 

Thanks for your consideration! 

 

[Andrew]

Most of these things are possible, especially with the additions in 4.1.

 

20 minutes ago, flowflow said:

Allow dragging files into the buffer

 

While dragging in isn't possible, in 4.1, you can configure a workflow for a hotkey combo to add the selected file (or typed path) directly to the file buffer using the new File Buffer action

 

21 minutes ago, flowflow said:

Allow action on individual files

 

Again, this is possible using the same method as above, but wiring into the new Action in Alfred action. Alternatively, if you find a single file in Alfred and press right, then it will action that single item rather than alt+right to action all

 

22 minutes ago, flowflow said:

Allow removing individual files

 

If you hover over the item you want to remove, hold alt, then click that single item, it will remove it.

 

23 minutes ago, flowflow said:

A CLI

 

See the File Buffer and Action in Alfred workflow objects.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[flowflow]

Hi, thanks for your quick reply!

 

15 minutes ago, Andrew said:

While dragging in isn't possible, in 4.1, you can configure a workflow for a hotkey combo to add the selected file (or typed path) directly to the file buffer using the new File Buffer action

 

as i wrote: "(i know i can drag a local file into Alfred, and use CMD+up to add it to the buffer. Yoink lets me drag images directly from the browser to the buffer)"  

So that is a different use case. The file may not be "in" Alfred yet. 

 

19 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Again, this is possible using the same method as above, but wiring into the new Action in Alfred action. Alternatively, if you find a single file in Alfred and press right, then it will action that single item rather than alt+right to action all

 

I do not understand that… i have files in my buffer already, i do not want to search for them again. how do i select an individual one of them? 

 

21 minutes ago, Andrew said:

If you hover over the item you want to remove, hold alt, then click that single item, it will remove it.

 

👍ah, great. Did not see that. 

 

21 minutes ago, Andrew said:

See the File Buffer and Action in Alfred workflow objects.

 

 

My feature request is a CLI that i can trigger from the command line, not only from within Alfred.  Something like:

$ alfred -add "/path/to/file.png

 

[Andrew]

@flowflow The workflow objects I describe allow for what you describe:

 

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/actions/file-buffer/

and...

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/actions/action-in-alfred/

 

You can configure an Alfred hotkey to take a selection in any app and add it to Alfred's buffer. As for the CLI, you can use an External Trigger or Inbound Configuration to provide scripting access using AppleScript / Javascript (from the command line) to any point within a workflow, including the file buffer:

 

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/inbound-configuration/

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/triggers/external/

 

The thing you can't do is single out an item in the buffer to action though.

[luckman212]

@Andrew I love these new File Buffer enhancements. Thank you!  Is there possibly a bug with File Action ==> File Buffer ?  I'm seeing a strange issue where, for some reason, passing a file from a File Action into an "Add passed-in files to File Buffer" workflow object results in just emptying the entire file buffer contents. I have checked the debug outputs from "selected (Finder) objects" and my File Action—and textually they are identical, but for some reason only the "selection in macOS" hotkey path works:

 

I uploaded a test workflow here

any idea?

 

[Andrew]

@luckman212 Do you have the option to clear the file buffer after actioning? If so, the action of actioning a workflow File Action in the Actions panel is clearing the buffer.

 

You are better off using the buffer shortcut keys than a File Action, then you can keep the clear option enabled.

 

[luckman212]

@Andrew Ah, yes I did have that enabled. I didn't consider or realize that activating a File Action from Alfred's navigation was considered "actioning the items in the buffer". To me they are separate functions, but that's fine, I worked around it by deactivating that checkbox and then creating a separate trigger for clearing the buffer.

[Andrew]

@luckman212 actually, taking a second look at this, Alfred shouldn't be clearing the buffer contents after actioning, unless you are actioning the buffer itself. I'm going to look at what's going on here, as there is some behaviour which isn't quite right.

[Andrew]

@luckman212 this behaviour should now be fixed in the 4.3 b1199 pre-release, so you should be able to return back to your original way of doing things  

[luckman212]

Thanks @Andrew ! I updated to 1199 first, then quickly saw 1201 came out and so updated again.

 

But, for me anyway, the buffer is still getting erroneously cleared after passing files from a File Action into a File Buffer step. Currently I have "Clear after actioning" enabled and "Clear if buffer isn't used for 5 minutes" disabled in prefs:

 

one more (unrelated) thing:  this notification appeared after the 1199 update, not sure where this setting is in the UI, or if anything needs to be adjusted

[deanishe]

7 minutes ago, luckman212 said:

this notification appeared after the 1199 update, not sure where this setting is in the UI, or if anything needs to be adjusted

 

The notification is erroneous. It's for a hidden, experimental setting, but was accidentally shown when the setting is off.

 

Don't worry about it.

[Andrew]

@luckman212 I should have this behaviour fixed later today, it's an interesting area of logic because of the option I mentioned.

[Andrew]

@luckman212 could you update to b1203 and let me know how you get on. If it's still not working for what you're doing, could you let me know exactly what you're doing, as it could be something I've overlooked, thanks!

[luckman212]

yes! it's working now as of 1203!  🎉

very much appreciated.

 

here is the updated workflow I'm using, in case you or @Vero want to play with it

https://dsc.cloud/b854da/File-Buffer-Test-v2.alfredworkflow