While this works
I found no correct way to use a variable, tried:
Apparently, I'm making a mistake with the “%” symbols.
This topic show examples on using variables created by %JSONFromVariables%. It should be the same as %JSONFromDictionary%.
I think you need one more percent sign at the end of your outer token:
%%JSONFromDictionary%%%Variable%local_Dictionary_Name%%%
Run that through Filter with Process Tokens to set your variable to the dictionary's JSON.
The KM wiki shows the technique with the ExecutingInstanceName token:
As I understand it, Keyboard Maestro processes tokens only once, not recursively.
So %Variable%local_Dictionary_Name% cannot supply the dictionary name to %JSONFromDictionary%…% in the same pass.
Escape the outer token by doubling its percent signs:
So the first pass processes the unescaped Variable token and doubled percents change to single percents (unescaped).
This results in a variable that contains the complete JSONFromDictionary token.
A second pass through Filter with Process Tokens processes that token.
Here's a demo that converts the xml () of the first action of the macro (purple, disabled) to JSON (stripping out any data values, disallowed in JSON).
It then creates a km dictionary named, Action_100608076. with that JSON.
After that, it feeds the nested token into a Filter with Process Tokens to get the JSON to a variable again.
It then displays a report of values:
Finally, it deletes the Action_100608076 dictionary.
JSONFromDictionary with variable.kmmacros (11.7 KB)
Addendum:
The wiki gives better explanation, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen it until just now:
NB: The %Dictionary[Dictionary,Key]% token seems to be a token that DOES allow variables to be processed in its parameters in the first pass.
Which is why this works in the values report of the demo:
A key value from Dictionary
MacroActionType
%Dictionary[%Variable%local_Dictionary_Name%,MacroActionType]%
And a variable should also work in the key parameter (occupied by MacroActionType above).
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Many thanks!
For me, the key is “Filter Process Tokens” (which I’ll probably never fully understand).
Surprisingly, it also works without the last “%”:
Follow the processing and you'll see why.
Starting at the beginning of the string, there's a double % which gets processed to a single %:
%%JSONFromDictionary%%%Variable%Local_Dictionary_Name%%
^^
-->
%JSONFromDictionary%%%Variable%Local_Dictionary_Name%%
^
...and the following JSONFromDictionary is literal text. Then another double % to process:
%JSONFromDictionary%%%Variable%Local_Dictionary_Name%%
^^
-->
%JSONFromDictionary%%Variable%Local_Dictionary_Name%%
^
But next is a single % -- if what comes next can be evaluated it will be:
%JSONFromDictionary%%Variable%Local_Dictionary_Name%%
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
%JSONFromDictionary%foobar%
^^^^^^
And finally a single % -- there is no valid evaluation so it is treated as a literal %, leaving:
%JSONFromDictionary%foobar%
That can now be evaluated as "get the JSON object from the Dictionary foobar", as you'd expect.
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