Create workflow search history

[Pete31]

Hi, first off I'm a complete workflow newbie. I'm using a workflow to initiate a search in a new DEVONthink window. Quite often I want to redo a search after some time but DEVONthink's "recent searches" dropdown doesn't list searches that were initiated via AppleScript (and even if they were included I'd still want to use Alfred).

 

What's the easiest way to save workflow queries to later get back to them when using the workflow with a modifier?

 

I know I can use the "Append To File" action or write the query into a file via AppleScript, but I've no idea what format I should write (a newline separated file? CSV? JSON?) because I've no idea what action to use to access the file. Already thought of simply using AppleScript's "choose from list" but finally want to learn how to write an Alfred workflow.

 

 

 

[deanishe]

19 minutes ago, Pete31 said:

What's the easiest way to save workflow queries to later get back to them when using the workflow with a modifier?

 

Alfred can already remember your search history. See Alfred Preferences > Advanced > History.

[Pete31]

3 minutes ago, deanishe said:

Alfred can already remember your search history.

 

Thanks. Should have added that I invoke the workflow via hotkey. Alfred's history doesn't remember these, or am I missing something?

[deanishe]

56 minutes ago, Pete31 said:

am I missing something?

 

Kind of, but it's not obvious. If you right-click on your Keyword or Script Filter, choose Inbound Configuration and set Inbound Mode to "Keyword" (and give your Keyword/Script Filter a keyword), your workflow will open in "normal" mode (keyword + query) even when you use a Hotkey. Then Alfred will remember your queries in its history.

 

If you don’t want the keyword showing up in normal results, put a punctuation mark at the beginning (e.g. :devon)

Edited January 2, 2021 by deanishe

[Pete31]

5 hours ago, deanishe said:

it's not obvious

 

Never would have found this, thanks!

 

However Alfred's history only remembers the last 20 queries globally, not for each workflow. That doesn't help much I'm afraid. Any pointers which action (List or Script Filter) to use? I probably could create JSON via AppleScriptObjC however I hope there's an easier way.

[deanishe]

19 minutes ago, Pete31 said:

Any pointers which action (List or Script Filter) to use?

You probably want a Run Script to save the query and call Devon, and a Script Filter for searching your query history. Remember you can connect two in parallel to your Keyword, so you can save the query and call Devon at the same time.

 

20 minutes ago, Pete31 said:

I probably could create JSON via AppleScriptObjC however I hope there's an easier way.

Just about any other language that supports JSON, tbh. JXA, Python, Ruby, PHP etc.

 

Unless you’re really handy with AppleScript, of course.