How to make a script filter accept any input

[xanimus]

Following situation:

 

• I have written a bash script to provide me a list of text suggestions
• Each text has an abbreviation
• When typing the abbreviation, I want the script filter to suggest the full text (basically setting the suggestion's autocomplete to "${query}${suggestion}")
• This way, I can build a sentence quickly, from multiple text suggestions

 

My problem is, that when I type text for which there is no suggestion, and I press enter, the workflow step sends an empty string to the next step because it thinks my selection is empty. How can I make the script filter use the entire input field content as output, if no suggestion was selected?

 

I have multiple problems

1. I know I can make the text itself into a suggestion, but that is slow (the script has to run each time)
2. I have to run the script each time anyway, since I need to set "${query}${suggestion}" as autocomplete, or otherwise it will replace the entire content of the input field
3. Can I make the script filter pass the entire input field value, if no selection matches or my typing is too fast for the script to finish?
4. I would even prefer a solution with "Alfred filters results"

 

Thanks!

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by xanimus

[vitor]

Welcome @xanimus,

 

This is sounding like an XY problem. Can you give real example uses of the Workflow? Why not instead use Snippets or a List Filter Input connected to a Copy to Clipboard Output?

 

Maybe what you want is to use a Keyword Input with the same keyword as your Script Filter, so that when the latter doesn’t have results, you’ll act on the former. Or setup a Fallback Search Triggers. See a previous post for more information (replace File Filter with Script Filter).

[xanimus]

I worked around it by having two hotkeys. One that takes random input, and one for the script filter with 'Alfred filters results'.

 

Is there a way I can set one item to always match (i.e. match any query) and always use the query as title/arg (all this when using 'Alfred filters results')?

Edited August 22, 2022 by xanimus

[vitor]

Alfred filters results is simple and concerned with speed. That kind of custom behaviour has to be handled in your code.

[xanimus]

I see, too bad. Thanks!