Create New File Workflow

[jdfwarrior]

Pedro Lobo and I discussed something similar to this for a workflow he was working on and I decided to throw a workflow together to do the same thing for creating a new file. I think there may be some others that are similar but, this is just kind of my spin on it. Would appreciate it you guys would give it a read and let me know your thoughts. Can you think of a better way to do this? Got any ideas of how to make this better?

 

Read my post here on creating a new file in Alfred 2 via workflows.

 

If you guys think this is a solid way to do this and like it, I can go ahead and post it this weekend. Just give me some feedback.

 

Thanks

[Florian]

Could you explain exactly what is it that you are trying to do?

 

The way I understand it:

 1. you action Alfred on a folder

 2. you enter a name (and end it with an extension)

 3. on enter, it creates a file as named and then reopen Alfred for you on this file

 

is that correct?

If yes, I'd just do a "touch" and it'd be much simple, no? And I don't understand exactly why you would want to open alfred on an empty file but that might just be me.

 

I guess I didn't get exactly what you are doing here.

[anas]

Very interesting and just this weekend I was thinking of throwing together something similar. 

 

A few comments and maybe things I was considering for my own take on this

 

1. Depending on the file extension create it with some standard headers that you always use with that extension.

2. How about instead of opening Alfred for you on the file, opening the file with the default associated with the extension. 

[palobo]

Hey Guys, obviously each person has their own distinct way of working so not all workflows will fit with you. Having said that, I can very easily find use cases for this particular workflow and even think of 1 or 2 ways to tweak this to work in tandem with other workflows.

1. Navigate to / choose folder in Alfred, Action this workflow, create a new file and then Alfred is opened on this file. From here I can "Open With..." and choose another app other than the default;
2. Action another workflow on the newly created file.

Really, there is much more that could be achieved with a little imagination (something that this forum has in abundance)

[jdfwarrior]

Could you explain exactly what is it that you are trying to do?

 

The way I understand it:

 1. you action Alfred on a folder

 2. you enter a name (and end it with an extension)

 3. on enter, it creates a file as named and then reopen Alfred for you on this file

 

is that correct?

If yes, I'd just do a "touch" and it'd be much simple, no? And I don't understand exactly why you would want to open alfred on an empty file but that might just be me.

 

I guess I didn't get exactly what you are doing here.

 

Touch is actually what its doing. It's just that, the way I did it allows you to select a folder to create the new file in, and then give a new as well. You wouldn't have to type the path in Alfred.  You just select a folder, enter a name, and the new file is created. Then, last step, it navigates back to that file so you can action it. That way you can open it, move it, or any other custom action that you have available.

[jdfwarrior]

Very interesting and just this weekend I was thinking of throwing together something similar. 

 

A few comments and maybe things I was considering for my own take on this

 

1. Depending on the file extension create it with some standard headers that you always use with that extension.

2. How about instead of opening Alfred for you on the file, opening the file with the default associated with the extension. 

 

In reference to 2nd comment, I think what I may do is adjust it so that, by default it does do something like that. Pressing enter will open the newly created file, but then also have other actions via modifier keys that will allow you to navigate back to it in Alfred (what it does now), or just create the file and not perform any other action. That's kinda why I wanted some additional input from you guys. It was 1:20am when I posted this originally and my brain was fried

[jarhead]

This is perfect. Could you possibly add options to open the newly created file in different editors or apps?

 

Also, any progress on updating AlfredTweet to work with version 2? This is the only reason I continue to run Alfred v1 since I use it all of the time.

 

Thanks David for your great additions to Alfred & support.

[jdfwarrior]

This is perfect. Could you possibly add options to open the newly created file in different editors or apps?

 

Also, any progress on updating AlfredTweet to work with version 2? This is the only reason I continue to run Alfred v1 since I use it all of the time.

 

Thanks David for your great additions to Alfred & support.

 

It would be tough for me to cover every base and add options for it to open in different editors. The easiest solution would be to make it open in the default, or to make it do as it does now and simply navigate back to it in Alfred so that you can choose what you want to do with it. This would give you the ability to "Open With" and choose the app that you want to open it with.

 

For AlfredTweet, I hope to make some more progress on it this week. I have follow/unfollow, block/unblock, tweet, now playing, and listing recent mentions all working. What else do you think should be included. I would be willing to bet most people didn't use half the stuff I stuck in there

[twinpeaks]

Look forward to this! Here is a workflow which does much less than your workflow idea but I simply took a v1 script and made it into a workflow for v2. All credit are given in the file to original developer http://johnfraney.ca - Phyllstein already posted a much more advanced "Touch" workflow, and...

 

This is nothing compared to what David and Pedro are thinking of... but, if you want a workflow that works by writing a file to your frontmost finder window file and then opens it in default editor in 3 steps check it out:

 

1) enter keyword

2) entering filename and extension

3) pressing enter and have it open in default editor of the extension.

 

http://d.pr/f/sPkT

 

All credit to johnfraney.ca who made the original script for v1. Again, it is not what Pedro and David have planned, not even close as flexible or useful but simple so I thought I'd post it.

Not trying to steal any thunder... really, I didn't even make this.

[jdfwarrior]

Technically, I could make my workflow do the exact same thing that you are referring to. I just chose not to because I saw the Phyllstein had already posted that. I didn't want to step his toes or anything. 

 

Since some of you are interested in this, I'll post it in an hour or so and let you guys try it out.

[phyllisstein]

This seems like a neat idea! Definitely much simpler and more intuitive than the way I'd worked out, which requires that the user store "favorite" paths and all that jazz. I look forward to playing with it!

[jdfwarrior]

Ok, someone try it out... 

 

Download

 

Remember... select a folder in Alfred, right arrow for actions, "New File Here" is the name of the action. Select it, then you'll be prompted for the new file name, type, press Enter. If you need to make another/more, that path is saved, so just pop open Alfred and type 'newfile <filename>' and it will create it.

[jarhead]

For AlfredTweet, I hope to make some more progress on it this week. I have follow/unfollow, block/unblock, tweet, now playing, and listing recent mentions all working. What else do you think should be included. I would be willing to bet most people didn't use half the stuff I stuck in there

 

I use AlfredTweet primarily to tweet without having to jump to Tweetbot when sharing a link. I shorten the current link in my browser with CloudApp (using Ctrl+Opt+R) and then use AlfredTweet to post to twitter. Works great when I'm in the middle of another project. Takes all of 5 seconds. I do use AlfredTweet at times for mentions.

[jarhead]

Ok, someone try it out... 

 

Download

 

Remember... select a folder in Alfred, right arrow for actions, "New File Here" is the name of the action. Select it, then you'll be prompted for the new file name, type, press Enter. If you need to make another/more, that path is saved, so just pop open Alfred and type 'newfile <filename>' and it will create it.

 

Works great. Thanks.

[jdfwarrior]

Maybe I could add an option to AlfredTweet to grab the url of the front browser window, shorten it and then provide the tweet box with the url already in it I'll think about it..

[jarhead]

Maybe I could add an option to AlfredTweet to grab the url of the front browser window, shorten it and then provide the tweet box with the url already in it I'll think about it..

 

That would be great. I use my own URL with CloudApp. I would use this workflow multiple times a day.

[Florian]

Works great. Good thinking.

 

Could you make the script filter with argument optional but valid="no" when query is empty so that we can see the path it's going to create a file to before typing its name?

[jdfwarrior]

Works great. Good thinking.

 

Could you make the script filter with argument optional but valid="no" when query is empty so that we can see the path it's going to create a file to before typing its name?

 

Sure, good idea.

[twinpeaks]

Very nice! I really like it. would it be possible to add a hotkey wire/option to make it open the file after creation? For instance holding "fn" opens the file after creation... That would be splendid. Obviously it's not done but what a great start. Always on the cutting edge you two!

[jdfwarrior]

Very nice! I really like it. would it be possible to add a hotkey wire/option to make it open the file after creation? For instance holding "fn" opens the file after creation... That would be splendid. Obviously it's not done but what a great start. Always on the cutting edge you two!

 

Yeah someone else mentioned the same thing. It can definitely be done. I'm sure i'll add some more stuff to it and repost with updates

[twinpeaks]

Thanks, an open feature would be extremely useful. Much appreciated for considering it.