Using Command Query Shortcuts
You can use Komodo's Run Command shortcuts to have a dialog box prompt you for
input data for a command, whenever it is run. These queries can specify default values.
You can also set them to prompt only if no value could be determined automatically.
For example, you could create a command that searches Google for the current selection
and have it display a pop-up dialog box to ask for a search term if nothing has been
selected.
Query shortcuts come in two forms. First, there is a new shortcut,
"%(ask)," which always prompts the user for data. Second, every shortcut can be
modified to prompt only if no valid value could be determined using the "orask" modifier.
It is a good idea for Windows users to enclose all Komodo shortcuts
(with the exception of %(browser) ) in double
quotation marks. This is necessary to ensure that any spaces in filenames or file
paths are interpreted correctly.
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The full syntax of the %(ask) shortcut is:
"%(ask[:NAME:[DEFAULT]])"
where "NAME " is an optional name to use when prompting
in the dialog box and "DEFAULT " is an optional default value to place in the dialog box.
This is best illustrated with some examples. Start with the following:
- Select Tools|Run Command.
- In the Run field, enter the command:
echo Your favorite number is "%(ask)"
- Click the Run button to run the command. The Interpolation Query dialog box
will be displayed.
View
Example
- Enter your favorite number and click OK to finish running the
command.
You can refine this shortcut by adding a more meaningful name than "Value 0" and a
more appropriate default value.
- Select Tools|Run Command.
- In the Run field, enter the command:
echo Your favorite number is "%(ask:Fav Number:42)"
- Click the Run button to run the command. The Interpolation Query dialog box will now
look like this:
View
Example
- If your favorite number does not happen to be 42, enter a different number and click
OK to finish running the command.
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Any Run Command shortcut can be modified to prompt the user for a value if one
cannot be determined automatically. The full syntax of the modified shortcut is:
"%(SHORTCUT:orask[:NAME])"
where "NAME " is an optional name to use when prompting in the dialog box.
In the previous step we created a shortcut
to search for the selected word on Google with the command:
%(browser) http://www.google.com/search?q="%W"
However, if nothing has been selected and there is no word under your cursor, the command will fail.
In this case, it would be better if the command prompted you for a search term.
- Ensure that your cursor is not positioned over a word.
- Select Tools|Run Command.
- In the Run field, enter the command:
%(browser) http://www.google.com/search?q="%(W:orask:Search for)"
- Click the Run button to run the command. The Interpolation Query dialog box will prompt you for a
search term.
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