I'm kind of a complete noob on this, so apologies if theses a rather simplistic question:
I have a macro that I need to pad out the clipboard string (which will always end in "EG") with spaces in a specific way. I need the string to be converted to a 12 character string, with spaces padding between the EG and what comes before. So for instance:
"39283EG" should become "39283_____EG", assuming _ is a space character.
How would I accomplish this in formatting? The input strings will vary in length.
Or (again using an Execute JavaScript for Automation action), and aligning in three different ways.
(Here using "x" as a spacer character for visibility, but you would probably want to switch that to " "):
We can get these three variants:
wordxxxxxxxx
xxxxwordxxxx
xxxxxxxxword
from these three functions:
// https://github.com/RobTrew/prelude-jxa
(() => {
"use strict";
const main = () => [justifyLeft, center, justifyRight]
.map(
f => f(12)("x")("word")
)
.join("\n");
// --------------------- GENERIC ---------------------
// center :: Int -> Char -> String -> String
const center = n =>
// Size of space -> filler Char ->
// String -> Centered String
c => s => {
const gap = n - s.length;
return 0 < gap ? (() => {
const pre = c.repeat(Math.floor(gap / 2));
return pre + s + pre + c.repeat(gap % 2);
})() : s;
};
// justifyLeft :: Int -> Char -> String -> String
const justifyLeft = n =>
// The string s, followed by enough padding (with
// the character c) to reach the string length n.
c => s => n > s.length ? (
s.padEnd(n, c)
) : s;
// justifyRight :: Int -> Char -> String -> String
const justifyRight = n =>
// The string s, preceded by enough padding (with
// the character c) to reach the string length n.
c => s => n > s.length ? (
s.padStart(n, c)
) : s;
return main();
})();
I have to disagree with my friend Chris @ccstone. I don't think this is a "simple task". But then "simple" is a relative term, and clearly varies with the developer.
IAC, I find that JavaScript for Automation (JXA) to be the easiest to write and read.
Below is just an example written in response to your request. You will need to use as an example and/or change to meet your workflow automation needs.
Note that this macro/script provides the following:
The script gets all of its data from KM Variables
The pad length is checked to ensure it does NOT exceed the maximum.
Add Pad of SPACE Just Before Specified Characters at end of String
HOW TO USE
First, make sure you have followed instructions in the Macro Setup below.
See the below "How to Use" Comment Action
This macro is just an example written in response to your request. You will need to use as an example and/or change to meet your workflow automation needs.
MACRO SETUP
Carefully review the Release Notes and the Macro Actions
Make sure you understand what the Macro will do.
You are responsible for running the Macro, not me. ??
. Make These Changes to this Macro
Assign a Trigger to this Macro .
Move this macro to a Macro Group that is only Active when you need this Macro.
ENABLE this Macro, and the Macro Group it is in.
For more info, see KM Wiki article on Macro Activation
.
REVIEW/CHANGE THE FOLLOWING MACRO ACTIONS:
(all shown in the magenta color)
'use strict';
var ptyScriptName = "Add Pad to Middle of String"
var ptyScriptVer = "1.0"
var ptyScriptDate = "2021-05-13"
var ptyScriptAuthor = "JMichaelTX"
var app = Application.currentApplication()
app.includeStandardAdditions = true
var kmInst = app.systemAttribute("KMINSTANCE");
var kmeApp = Application("Keyboard Maestro Engine")
var endStr = kmeApp.getvariable("Local__EndString", {instance: kmInst}) || 'EG';
var sourceStr = kmeApp.getvariable("Local__SourceString", {instance: kmInst}) || '39283EG';
var maxLenStr = kmeApp.getvariable("Local__MaxLength", {instance: kmInst}) || '12';
var maxLen = parseInt(maxLenStr, 10); // convert to integer
var numPad = Math.max((maxLen - sourceStr.length), 0); // num of pad characters
var padToAddStr = ' '.repeat(numPad); // actual pad string
var reSplit = new RegExp(endStr + '$') // RegExp to use in split
// ~~~ Build New String with Pad ~~~
var paddedStr = sourceStr.split(reSplit)[0] + padToAddStr + endStr;
paddedStr;
--------------------------------------------------------
# Auth: Christopher Stone
# dCre: 2021/05/13 13:54
# dMod: 2021/05/13 23:23
# Appl: Keyboard Maestro
# Task: Space-Pad a String on the Clipboard to 12 Characters (simplified).
# Libs: None
# Osax: None
# Tags: @Applescript, @Script, @Keyboard_Maestro_Engine, @RegEx, @Space, @Pad
# Vers: 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------
set padStr to " "
set clipboardText to the clipboard
set stringLength to length of clipboardText
if stringLength < 12 then
set strLenDiff to 12 - stringLength
set thePad to text 1 thru strLenDiff of padStr
set newStr to text 1 thru -3 of clipboardText & thePad & text -1 thru -2 of clipboardText
return newStr
end if
I believe that fails in the case where there's exactly 10 characters before the EG, but perhaps that's not valid input for Javier. (The 2 previous versions, yours and mine, both did work in that case.)
Hey all, I am SO sorry for ghosting you guys, I got really busy with the job for which this Macro was needed, and things have only recently slowed down to the point where I had the bandwidth to revisit workflow stuff. Thank you all for the input and replies, if anything, this thread is telling me that I need to seriously brush up on my RegEx. I'm trying out several of these solutions, thank you all for the help, I really appreciate it.
