Shells script - display return.

[dnk]

Hi there, I was wondering what's the best way to display a multiline return for a shell command. For example if I did a LS directory and wanted to show the entire output. Using the traditional methods with a notification will show the first line, but not the rest. I have a work around in play by using the qlmanage command to display a text file in the quick look window. But I feel this is probably not the best way.

Edited June 29, 2013 by dnk

[RodgerWW]

A possible solution is to draw a window with applescript, or a dialog ... with a continue or cancel button. You could even have it time out and disappear.

Perhaps not the 'best' solution, but you can at least format the text a bit with returns and such.

[jdfwarrior]

Hi there, I was wondering what's the best way to display a multiline return for a shell command. For example if I did a LS directory and wanted to show the entire output. Using the traditional methods with a notification will show the first line, but not the rest. I have a work around in play by using the qlmanage command to display a text file in the quick look window. But I feel this is probably not the best way.

 

This is a limitation of Notification Center.  You could use Alfred's built in large text support. The Large Text feature, when sent a small amount of text will appear very large but, the text scales when you pass it more data. Another thing I used to do was (back when Growl was still the big thing to use) I selected a Growl theme that would expand and would pass large amounts of data that way. Also, as mentioned by Rodger, you could display it in a dialog with Applescript. Honestly, if all you are doing is looking at/reading the text and don't need to do anything to it, I think the Large Text feature is probably the easiest.