passing argument to ruby script

[steviebraga]

Hi guys,

 

I'm trying to create a simple alfred workflow (Keyword -> Run Script -> Post Notification) using ruby. If I run this scripts in the terminal, it runs just fine, but when I try to run them on Alfred, I get some errors:

ruby start.rb {query}

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: -e:1:in `<main>': undefined local variable or method `start' for main:Object (NameError)

I assumed that ruby wasn't in Alfred path so I tried

/usr/bin/ruby start.rb {query}

and got this error:

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: -e:1: unknown regexp option - b
-e:1: syntax error, unexpected tIDENTIFIER, expecting keyword_do or '{' or '('
/usr/bin/ruby start.rb asda

If I use double quotes on the script name i get this errors:

ruby "start.rb" {query}

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: -e:1: syntax error, unexpected tIDENTIFIER, expecting end-of-input

and

/usr/bin/ruby "start.rb" {query}

[ERROR: alfred.workflow.action.script] Code 1: -e:1: unknown regexp option - b
-e:1: syntax error, unexpected tSTRING_BEG, expecting keyword_do or '{' or '('
/usr/bin/ruby "start.rb" asda
               ^
-e:1: syntax error, unexpected tIDENTIFIER, expecting end-of-input

 

Can someone enlighten me why this is happening?

 

Thanks!

[ctwise]

A few things:

 

1. Alfred isn't running scripts from the command-line. There is no shell environment present, only the GUI environment. So your executable paths aren't present. Even when you run a bash script, bash is being started and stopped with the GUI environment as a non-login shell.

 

2. Any scripts you run using a relative path, e.g., 'start.rb', must be in the workflow directory. Otherwise you need to give the absolute path to the script.

 

3. You can run Ruby (and Python and Perl and Applescript) directly by putting in the code window and choosing the appropriate language from the dropdown.

 

4. The Ruby you're running is the system Ruby, not one you may have installed using RVM (or other tool).

 

5. In general when you're passing the {query} to a script or command you want to double quote it. And then check the Escape Double Quotes script option. Basically, whatever you're wrapping the {query} in needs to be escaped, e.g., backticks, etc.

Edited October 30, 2014 by ctwise

[smarg19]

ctwise makes good points. In simplified form, you should try this:

ruby start.rb "{query}"