Tagging in Shortcuts

[pfarrelle]

I have been experimenting with the URL scheme for DTTG 3 and am able to do most of what I want. However, I can’t see a way to get the metadata of an item beyond the core 10 values:

• size
• dateCreated
• locations
• uuid
• dateAdded
• type
• uti
• name
• itemlink

returned by the item command.

In my case, I would like to first retrieve the current tags and comment values before updating them. I can update these via the update command but I can’t see a way to first see them.

What I am trying to do is provide a UI to update these metadata fields for an existing item. It doesn’t work for me if I can’t do this in stages over time. Say, I start to process an item, then I want to make small additions or changes. I would like to be able to pick up where I left off and not have to start from scratch each time I visit that same item.

If I have missed this functionality I would love to be made aware of it. Otherwise this is a feature request. Hoping for the former …

[pfarrelle]

In retrospect, this should possibly be a new topic - but I don’t know how to relocate the post myself.

[BLUEFROG]

Move to this topic.

Now what have you actually tried?

It doesn’t work for me if I can’t do this in stages over time. Say, I start to process an item, then I want to make small additions or changes. I would like to be able to pick up where I left off and not have to start from scratch each time I visit that same item.

This is also unclear.

• You start to process an item in what way?
• You want to make small additions or changes… when?

[pfarrelle]

Let me try and be more precise.

Assume that I have an item already in DTTG that may or may not contain tags.

I now want to use a web app with a custom UI to access that item and add some tags.

However, I would like to know in that web app what tags, if any, have already been added using a x-callback-url. I don’t know how to do this.

I would then use that information plus the UI to update those tags in the item in DTTG. I do know how to do this using an x-callback-url with the update command.

At a later time I might want to add additional tags and if I can’t get the tags in the web app then I need to enter all tags again because the update command is destructive regarding tags.

[BLUEFROG]

What web app?

[chrillek]

Does the funcion(ality) of x-callback-urls depend on the app that is using them?

[BLUEFROG]

Only whether an app supports using URL schemes.

[pfarrelle]

I am developing a simple app myself using html, css, and JavaScript. Consequently I have full access to any and all DTTG x-callback URLs.

Again my question is can I get the current tags of an item in DTTG using these calls?

[pfarrelle]

Unfortunately no-one has come forward with a way to get the tag values programmatically on iOS.

I would therefore like to add this as a feature request for the DTTG url scheme.

On macOS, this is (easily) done via AppleScript, but on iOS I am stuck right now.

Thanks!

[pfarrelle]

Thanks for moving the topic.

Would it be possible to change the discourse tag from tips to automation and feature request.

I don’t think that I can do that myself.

Thanks.

[Solar-Glare]

If I might make a suggestion, you can change the title of the topic I think. For example into something like:

‘Is it possible to retrieve tags with Shortcuts?’

or

‘Feature request: retrieve tags with Shortcuts’

Like most e-mail clients, the layout of a new topic in this discussion board starts with the subject line. But personally I think the topic title field should be at the bottom, together with the topic tagging.

If I take e-mail as example, I’ve trained myself to first wright the body, then the subject and end with the recipient. That prevents me from sending the e-mail before it’s actually done and makes me think through the subject based on what I wrote in the body.