Jump to content

Skimmer: PDF actions for Skim


Recommended Posts

Sure

 

skimmer:///Users/edelgrosso/Library/Application%20Support/Evernote/accounts/Evernote/delgross/external-edits/302AB6D3-0995-4E71-9812-16757E0D587E/Untitled.pdf?page=1

Ok. This is actually a problem with Evernote. It's a bit convoluted, but essentially Evernote will move your internal PDF every time that you open it and/or annotate it. So you open it once, and it puts it in path path/to/pdf/x, then you export the annotations where the links are are to path x. However, it only lives in path/to/pdf/x temporarily, so when you go and click those links, nothing is there. Thus the error.

In order to fix this right now, you will have to keep a local copy of the PDF (i.e. not in Evernote). I will investigate if there is some way for me to find a stable location for your Evernote pdfs.

Link to comment

Sure

 

skimmer:///Users/edelgrosso/Library/Application%20Support/Evernote/accounts/Evernote/delgross/external-edits/302AB6D3-0995-4E71-9812-16757E0D587E/Untitled.pdf?page=1

OK. I should have a solution in version 2.2.1, which I've just pushed to Packal. It appears that Evernote renames the temporary directories to temp_dir.backup after you fiddle with the PDF. So, my new URL handler will try the original Evernote path, but if there is an error, it will try the .backup path instead. So, you will see the same dialog box saying that the file doesn't exist, but if it does actually exist, once you select "Ok", it will open the PDF.

Link to comment

OK. I should have a solution in version 2.2.1, which I've just pushed to Packal. It appears that Evernote renames the temporary directories to temp_dir.backup after you fiddle with the PDF. So, my new URL handler will try the original Evernote path, but if there is an error, it will try the .backup path instead. So, you will see the same dialog box saying that the file doesn't exist, but if it does actually exist, once you select "Ok", it will open the PDF.

 

Perfect.

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Stephen,

 

Kind of wishing I had not updated skimmer to 2.2.1, export notes no longer works. (Then again this may not be the issue)

 

I deleted skimmer and reinstalled, without tweaking a thing: export notes is not working, get url is working,  debugging help ... does not appear to give access to any folders,

 

Starting debug for 'Skimmer'
 
[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "test.py", line 8, in <module>
    from dependencies import html2text
ImportError: No module named dependencies
 
Is there is a hint where to find the required dependencies? These questions are guesses as I try to figure it out without doing any background on python,
 
Thanks.
 
Best, 
Link to comment

Debug reporting:


 


[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: action_export-notes.scpt: execution error: Can’t get _color of {}. (-1728)


 


I decided to change the colours in the config PDF. I opened up Skimmer’s Helper


 


The option to open PDF, which opened 


 


skimmer_config_new


 


… which does not have Textual Catergories on page 2, where as


 


skimmer_config_new_embed


 


also found in the folder: user.workflow.A02A36F8-535E-433A-8D7D-0D9D8E426638


 


… does.


 


Can modify skimmer_config_new_embed in Acrobat Pro but not in Skim.


 


Can modify skimmer_config_new in Skim.


 


I set new colours, Set Highlights, ... then used these colours in a PDF I am reviewing, export, get the same Debug reporting on export.


 


 


Thanks,


 


Best,

Link to comment

I set new colours, Set Highlights, ... then used these colours in a PDF I am reviewing, export, get the same Debug reporting on export.

It looks like the annotations didn't survive with the export of the workflow. I had skimmer_config_new_embed in the folder for some tests. You have to modify skimmer_config_new in Skim to set the Highlight Colors. Cannot do it in Acrobat. It appears that since Skim annotations are extended attributes, they won't make it thru the uploading and importing that Alfred does. So, you are going to have to make your own version of the Config page 2.

In order to get things working for now, you will need to annotate the Help PDF yourself. Highlight the six "Highlights" with your preferred colors. Then create 6 Text Notes. For each note, number it (1 thru 6 followed by a period [.] and a space) and then give the text you want for that color. Simply ensure that it looks like the image in the post above.

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Hi the workflow is great, but I have some problems with with workflow in my current setup. It doesn't:

  • Open the root folder
  • Set the color of the highlighting
  • Extract the highlighting to evernote

Here the log of the debug:

 

 Starting debug for 'Skimmer'

 

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "test.py", line 8, in <module>

    from dependencies import html2text

ImportError: No module named dependencies

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 0: /Users/Nicola/Library/Application Support/Alfred 2/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.D07DEC9B-3466-4332-BA40-661CE04AB7C2/set_highlight.scpt: execution error: Skim got an error: Can’t get document 1. Invalid index. (-1719)

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: action_export-notes.scpt: execution error: Can’t get _title of {_color:{54998, 48059, 60138, 65535}}. (-1728)

 

 

 

 

 

I thought the main problem was html2text, so I installed it throughout python, but I do think it was quite a good idea, mostly because it didn't resolve the problem!

Any ideas?

Thanks :)

 

P.s. this is the screen of the PDF with the highlights (skimmer_config_new):

skimmer.png

Edited by wendellpbloyd
Link to comment

Hi the workflow is great, but I have some problems with with workflow in my current setup. It doesn't:

  • Open the root folder
  • Set the color of the highlighting
  • Extract the highlighting to evernote
Here the log of the debug:

 

 

I thought the main problem was html2text, so I installed it throughout python, but I do think it was quite a good idea, mostly because it didn't resolve the problem!

Any ideas?

Thanks :)

First, what version of the workflow do you have? Second, what version of Skim do you have? Third, you did have the config PDF open when you tried to set the highlighting colors, correct? The second error in the debug log would suggest that Skim wasn't open (or at least a Skim document wasn't open).
Link to comment

First, what version of the workflow do you have? Second, what version of Skim do you have? Third, you did have the config PDF open when you tried to set the highlighting colors, correct? The second error in the debug log would suggest that Skim wasn't open (or at least a Skim document wasn't open).

yep, sorry, forgot to mention :)

Last version of Alfred+Skim+Skimmer.

 

update: 

Just try leaving the PDF with the highlights open, and well, it worked perfectly. Thanks for the support, I owe you a couple of beers :)

Link to comment

I will have to add more beers, because I have another problem!

When I try to click on the PDF link from Evernote:

link.png

 

I get the error -10810 telling me that "the application "_skimmer" can't be opened.

CoreServicesUIAgent.png

 

CoreServicesUIAgent.png

I did not change the path for the PDF, so I sincerely do not have any idea what the problem is about

 

Any solution? :)

Link to comment

I will have to add more beers, because I have another problem!

When I try to click on the PDF link from Evernote:

link.png

 

I get the error -10810 telling me that "the application "_skimmer" can't be opened.

CoreServicesUIAgent.png

 

CoreServicesUIAgent.png

I did not change the path for the PDF, so I sincerely do not have any idea what the problem is about

 

Any solution? :)

This is unfortunately an unknown error. So, we need to learn more about what's happening when. Does this happen everytime you click a Skimmer link? What are your Gatekeeper settings? When you open the workflow folder and double click the _skimmer.app, what happens?
Link to comment

Just did, and now everything works perfectly!

 

Thanks again :)

Perfect. I need to update the documentation. Seems that the app only works once you launch it first. Likely, it needs to be launched in order to register the URL scheme with the system.
Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Update: Version 3 is now live on Packal. It includes a major update to the annotation exporting feature. Now, you can export as either HTML or Markdown, to either Evernote or the Clipboard. Plus, highlights are now grouped together by color (and thus by whatever text tag you give said color), and these groups are sorted alphabetically. User-customization of export is also rebuilt, making it more customizable where it needs to be, but less customizable where it doesn't.

Also, a new option under sk:help to launch the URL Handler app so that Skimmer's custom URL scheme is registered with the OS (you might need to alter you Gatekeeper settings for this, as this is an "unsigned app").

All in all, this is a great update. Hope you enjoy.

stephen

Link to comment

Hi Stephen,

 

I updated to the 3.2 but it seems like I cant change the highlight colors and the textual category from the Help PDF. It was easy to do it on the previous version (2.1)

 

The result when the note was exported becomes like this:

 

 

Screen%20Shot%202014-09-18%20at%2014.52.

Help please :)

Thank you very much and I adore Skimmer! It has helped my workflow a lot!

Link to comment

Hi Stephen,

 

I updated to the 3.2 but it seems like I cant change the highlight colors and the textual category from the Help PDF. It was easy to do it on the previous version (2.1)

In 3.2, the help PDF is not a Skim PDF but a regular PDF, so you will need to "File -> Convert Notes..." first, then alter the highlight colors and text categories.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...