solved Python script and Alfred variables

[jalvarado]

Hello,

 

I am building a workflow in Alfred to copy a file with a Power Point template to a directory and name it based on a file I have selected through a universal action.
The idea I am employing can be seen in the following figure.

 

I am trying to perform the operations with a Python script, but for reasons I don't quite understand, sometimes the value of the file name is None and at other times the directory name is None. It's as if both variables cannot be read at the same time.

 

The python script code is

 

import sys
import os
import shutil

 

fileName = str(os.getenv("fileName"))
path = str(os.getenv("path"))

 

baseFilePath = "/Users/johnny.alvarado/Documents/CUB - MS DS/Template.pptx"
destinationFilePath = path + "/" + fileName + ".pptx"

 

#shutil.copy(baseFilePath, destinationFilePath)

sys.stdout.write(destinationFilePath)

 

 

configured as

 

 

The variable assignments

 

 

the debug results I get

 

Could someone guide me on how to solve this problem?

 

Environment information:

- Mac OS Sonoma 14.0

- Alfred 5.1.13

 

Thank you,

 

Johnny

Edited October 22, 2023 by jalvarado
To add the environment information

[Stephen_C]

I must say the way I'd do it (ignoring for a moment the Python as it's years since I used it) would be to have a single stream from your universal action, Get Path Basename, save that as a variable, Get Path Dirname, save that as a variable and then use Arg & Vars to feed both variables to a Split Arg utility in turn to feed them to your Python script.

 

You may also like to check this Alfred help page Reading Environment Variables (if you've not already checked it) on passing variables to (among others) Python.

 

Stephen

[vitor]

3 hours ago, Stephen_C said:

I must say the way I'd do it (…) would be to have a single stream from your universal action

 

You are absolutely correct. The issue is precisely that there are two streams instead of one, so two different things are activating the Python script, each missing half of the information.

[jalvarado]

Hi Stephen and Vitor,

 

Thank you for helping me.

 

My interpretation of your suggestion is the following

 

With the split Arg utility configured as

 

However, it still doesn't work

 

It seems to me that my remaining problem is how to share the original input to the second automation task.

 

Johnny

[vitor]

No, you’re still splitting streams. You need everything in one continuous line.

[Stephen_C]

To give you a general idea of how to configure things in a single stream take a look at this workflow in the Alfred gallery: New Folder. (Full disclosure: it's one of my own workflows. However, it's carefully annotated to show how the various variables are saved and then, where necessary, combined.)

 

Stephen

[vitor]

Also, in Alfred Preferences → Workflows you can press the + on the bottom left and do Getting Started → Stream Order to see a workflow which teaches more about this.

Finally, see the Getting Started Guide for an interactive tutorial on making a workflow.

[jalvarado]

Thank you Stephen and Vitor.

 

I got it.  It is working now!

 

Have a great day!