Template Workflow

[raguay.customct]

This workflow allows you to create templates with Handlebar syntax. To use the workflow, you have to have Node.js installed first. I recommend using Homebrew to install it.

 

Once Node.js is installed, go to your snippets directory in Alfred Browser and select the “Set Template Directory” file action. This tells the workflow where your templates (or snippets) are to be kept.

 

You then run the “tp:install” to install the example templates and a default global.json file. This file should be edited to match your needs. Any data item added to this file is then passed to the Handlebar render as data. All templates have to have the “.txt” extension. If you want data to be associated with a template, then place a JSON file with the same name as the template in the the template directory with the ".json" extension. It will be loaded and used along with the global json file.

 

When you run “tp:expand” or “tp:exptext”, it will list all of your template files in the template directory. When you select one, it will be expanded with any json file with the same name and the global json file data. The “tp:expand” will put the result into your clipboard and the topmost application. The “tp:exptext” will give it to TextExpander (if you have it installed) to expand and place in the topmost application. With the “tp:exptext” command, TextExpander will also expand any of it’s macros in the template file. I mostly use it for placing the cursor after expansion. These two commands also have an associated Alfred Browser File action. These macros also have the option to use the clipboard for a template. If the clipboard is used for a template, only the global json file will be used as the data. All of the Handlebar helpers are usable in any of the modes.

 

The “tp:open” command opens the template/snippet directory in Alfred Browser. If you press the Command key, it will open it in the Finder.

 

The “tp:editglobal” will open the global.json file in your template directory with the default editor for JSON files.

 

The “tp:create” command requires a name. A file with that name and a “txt” extension is created in the template directory and opened in the default editor for files with a “txt” extension.

 

The “tp:createclip” command is the same as the “tp:create”, but this command takes the current clipboard contents as the text for the file. It is then opened in the default editor for “txt” files.

 

The “tp:edittemplate” command will give a list of templates. When you choose one, it is opened in the default editor for a file with the “txt” extension.

 

The “tp:edittemplatedata” command will give a list of templates. When you choose one, it’s corresponding JSON file is opened in the default editor for a JSON file.

 

There are two special helper function for Handlebars defined. They are:

 

{{save <name> <text>}}

This command creates a helper named “<name>” with the expanding text of “<text>”. It also places the given “<text>” at the point of definition. This allows you to create text snippets on the fly inside the template. Very handy.

 

{{clpboard}}

This helper command places the current clipboard contents at the point in the template.

 

 

The following data expansions are defined as well:

 

{{cDateMDY}} gives the current date in Month Day, 4-digit year format

 

{{cDateDMY}} gives the current date in Day Month 4-digit Year format

 

{{cDateDOWDMY}} gives the current date in Day of Week, Day Month 4-digit year format

 

{{cDateDOWMDY}} gives the current date in Day of Week Month Day, 4-digit year format

 

{{cDay}} gives the current date in Day format

 

{{cMonth}} gives the current date in Month format

 

{{cYear}} gives the current date in 4-digit year format

 

{{cMonthShort}} gives the current date in Short Month name format

 

{{cYearShort}} gives the current date in 2-digit year format

 

{{cDOW}} gives the current date in Day of Week format

 

{{cMDthYShort}} gives the current date in Month day 2-digit year format

 

{{cMDthY}} gives the current date in Month Day 4-digit year format

 

{{cHMSampm}} gives the current date in h:mm:ss a format

 

{{cHMampm}} gives the current date in h:mm a format

 

{{cHMS24}} gives the current date in H:mm:ss 24 hour format

 

{{cHM24}} gives the current date in H:mm 24 hour format

 

{{filename}} gives the name of the template file. If the clipboard was expanded, then it gives nothing.

 

Let me know if you need more pre-defined macros or have some great templates to add to the default set. The default set mostly just shows how to create basic Handlebar templates. Please visit Handlebars website for more information on the Handlebar format.

 

Packal:    http://www.packal.org/workflow/template-workflow

My GitHub page: https://github.com/raguay/MyAlfred

My Home Page: http://customct.com

Version:   1.4

Date:        09/30/2015

Edited September 30, 2015 by raguay.customct

[raguay.customct]

Sorry, just edited the description. It was missing some details. Let me know if you find this useful or not!

[raguay.customct]

I just updated the workflow to use a Haskell made directory lister for the templates. It now shows the templates and the filtering 100% faster. Let me know if you see anything else to improve.

[raguay.customct]

If you download version 1.2, please re-download version 1.3. I had forgotten about the option to use the clipboard as a template. Version 1.3 should have that now.

[raguay.customct]

Just fixed another bug. It is version 1.4 now.