Script Filter and relative path (SnippetsLab Search)

[vquest]

Hi,

 

 I'm trying to understand the script filter object. Looking at the script filter in the SnippetsLab Search workflow they don't actually have the script in the filter text field. There is this line:

./SnippetsLabAlfredWorkflow --action=search --query="{query}"

I'm wondering what's going on here. I assume the script filter code is embedded into the SLAlfredWorkflow executable. How is that executable made?

[Stephen_C]

6 hours ago, vquest said:

./SnippetsLabAlfredWorkflow

If you right click on the workflow name in Alfred Preferences and select Open in Finder you'll find the script in the workflow folder. See, for example, the Alfred help page on the Run Script Action under the heading External Scripts.

 

Stephen

[vquest]

7 minutes ago, Stephen_C said:

 you'll find the script in the workflow folder.

Thanks, but there is no script. There is the SnippetsLabAlfredWorkflow executable. I'm assuming that any user made scripts have been embedded into that?

[Stephen_C]

1 minute ago, vquest said:

I'm assuming that any user made scripts have been embedded into that?

Yes, that's certainly possible.

 

Stephen

[vquest]

29 minutes ago, Stephen_C said:

Yes, that's certainly possible.

 

Stephen

I think I'm beginning to understand it.

The ./SLAW --flag is a script. It points to the executable in the workflow directory. That's about all I understand though.

[Stephen_C]

Yes, that's right: see, for example, this post from Alfred's developer.

 

Stephen

[vquest]

15 minutes ago, Stephen_C said:

Yes, that's right: see, for example, this post from Alfred's developer.

The executable interests me. How is that created? It doesn't exist for any other workflow that I have installed. Is it created the author of the workflow, or is it generated by Alfred?

[Stephen_C]

2 minutes ago, vquest said:

Is it created the author of the workflow, or is it generated by Alfred?

The author of the workflow will have created it. What you're seeing is typical of the more complex (i.e. sophisticated!) workflows.

 

Stephen

[vquest]

1 minute ago, Stephen_C said:

The author of the workflow will have created it. What you're seeing is typical of the more complex (i.e. sophisticated!) workflows.

 

Stephen

So they write a bash or zsh script, or perhaps python or something else, and turn it into an executable independent of Alfred?

[Stephen_C]

It will be an executable script created by the author of the workflow (in whatever scripting language he or she may be using) which Alfred will execute as part of the relevant workflow.

 

Stephen

[vquest]

1 minute ago, Stephen_C said:

It will be an executable script created by the author of the workflow (in whatever scripting language he or she may be using) which Alfred will execute as part of the relevant workflow.

 

Thanks.

[vitor]

That one is not a script, but a compiled executable. Probably written in Objective-C or Swift. The difference is mostly technical. Everything @Stephen_C explained still applies.

[vquest]

17 hours ago, vitor said:

That one is not a script, but a compiled executable. Probably written in Objective-C or Swift. The difference is mostly technical. Everything @Stephen_C explained still applies.

I guess it would be compiled as a command line app? I'm familiar with Swift but I have never built a CLI app.