When and how to use "Junction"?

[chrillek]

I don't quite understand how "Junction" is supposed to work. The text and image in the documentation are not helping, either.

Consider two script filters with four outgoing connections (enter, ctrl+enter, fn+enter, opt+enter) to four other actions.

 

Would I simply connect the two script filters to the left side of the junction (incoming) and the connections to the four actions to its right side? If so, how are the modifiers (ctrl, fn, opt) handle – does junction simply "know" what to do? Or is it not suitable to organize this kind of setup?

Edited November 12, 2022 by chrillek

[vitor]

The junction utility is for tidying up. You use it when multiple triggers would go to the same object and you want an intermediate object so the connections are more organised.

[chrillek]

6 hours ago, vitor said:

You use it when multiple triggers would go to the same object

While in the official page on "Junction" (https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/utilities/junction/) the image clearly suggests that it connects two triggers to four objects. Seemingly without using modifier keys to select the different objects.

 

And I'm still not sure if/how the modifiers will or will not be passed through the junction. See the image below from the DEVONthink workflow. I'd love to tidy that up – can Junction do that, and if so, _how_?

[vitor]

51 minutes ago, chrillek said:

the image clearly suggests that it connects two triggers to four objects. Seemingly without using modifier keys to select the different objects.

You can connect an object to how many others you want. One trigger connected to four different objects means that on trigger, all four connected objects will run. There are no modifiers thrown into that mix.

 

In your example, I see multiple objects use a ⌘ modifier to the same output. You can connect those objects to the junction, the the junction to the final object.

[chrillek]

Works as described. But I suggest adding a more in-depth explanation to the documentation, like "in the image, both triggers run all four connected objects". Or perhaps choosing a simpler example?