Command-line tool integration

[edf]

This was initially suggested in a DA thread

http://www.devon-technologies.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3073

I meant to suggest this for DevonThink, too: For most file formats, there are command line tools to convert them to plain text files (antiword, wv, ps2ascii, …). I would be very happy if I could simply tell DT/DA which command line tool to use to convert (and index) certain file types. And a menu item “Reindex” …

This is a feature I would greatly appreciate. Coming from a Linux and BSD background, I am used to using command line tools for everything. Being able to use document converters (xpdf-utils, antiword, etc) and generators (htmldoc, ImageMagick, gnuplot) from within DT would be fantastic.

I’ve been thinking of solving this with ‘do shell script’ in applescript, and that might be a way to solve ionos’ import/index problem.

My recent experience with TextMate has had me pining for some of its features in DT Pro. Regarding command line utilities, TextMate has two commands under its Text menu: “Execute line inserting result” and “Filter through command…”.

‘Execute line’ is straightforward: the current line is executed in a shell and the output pasted into the document. Useful for quick inserts of directory contents, system uptime, a grep of a log file, or a quick calculation. Overall, not very interesting.

‘Filter through command’ opens a dialog where you type in the command (with history), select the Input (None, Selection, or Document), and select the Output (Discard, Replace Selection, Replace Document, Insert as Text, Show as HTML, Show as Tooltip, Create New Document). I hope I am not leaving too much to the imagination by not detailing the huge possibilities for data manipulation that such a dialog or mechanism would provide

Of course, given that I use DT for indexing a bit of my own source code (combinging code, docs, and the research material the code is based on … super good!), what I really would like would be to use TextMate as the embedded editor in DT, or at least to have some form of syntax highlighting in the embedded. Currently I just use TextMate as the external editor, so looking at code quickly in DT is, well, not so quick.

Back on topic, though, what is the consensus on using command line tools from within DT? An integrated feature? An extension to importing/indexing? Or something better left to Applescript?

[annard]

@edf

Back on topic, though, what is the consensus on using command line tools from within DT? An integrated feature? An extension to importing/indexing? Or something better left to Applescript?

Some people were complaining on the forum that we already offer too many ways to enter data into our applications. First of all we have extensive AppleScript support through which one can invoke shell scripts.
And there are lots of 3rd party options. I use TextExtras to send selected text to shell scripts and I’m sure there are different Services that do the same but then using Ruby, Perl or Python or .

Also, we have pretty decent Automator support that people can use to automate tasks without any programming since these can be “attached” to the Scripts menu.

[edf]

That’s ok, I applescripted it

http://www.devon-technologies.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=15754#15754

[annard]

I love it when a plan comes together! Very nice!