PURPOSE
After selecting* some text (in an editor or text field), this macro will display a dialog** which can be used to run one of five options:
- SearchLink
- Gather
- Browser
- SearchLink followed by Gather
- SearchLink followed by Browser
SearchLink, by Brett Terpstra, is a macOS System Service which searches the web to generate Markdown links. This macro runs a command line version of the System Service.
Gather, also by Brett Terpstra, is a command line application which converts webs URLs to Markdown text.
Browser is a shorthand term for the Keyboard Maestro macro Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab.
*If no text is selected, the macro will use the text stored in the System Clipboard.
**The dialog includes three options for the macro Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab:
- New Window If Not Found
0|1- Reload Tab
0|1- Browser
Safari|Arc|Chrome|Brave|Edge|Vivaldi
EXAMPLES
For reference, here's the documentation for SearchLink, Gather, and Browser (Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab macro).
Example 1: SearchLink
If the following text is selected:
"WhichSpace" readme macOS desktop spaces
The macro replaces the selected text with:
[WhichSpace](https://github.com/gechr/WhichSpace/blob/master/README.md)
Example 2: Gather
If the following text is selected:
https://tpcc.org
The macro replaces the selected text with:
[Church in Indianapolis | Traders Point Christian Church](http://tpcc.org)
Current Series
We all have pieces of our lives before Christ that we try to hold onto, but God wants to transform the entire landscape of our hearts. He calls us to be His Church, where the rest of the world can see God's love in action and find refuge in this wild world.
From now through October, we'll study 1 Corinthians to learn how to view every area of our lives and ministry through the gospel lens.
[Watch Messages][1]
[1]: http://tpcc.org/messages
Example 3: Browser
If the following text is selected:
https://apple.com
the Apple homepage is opened.
Example 4: SearchLink followed by Gather
If the following text is selected:
"%TriggerBase%" Keyboard Maestro wiki
the macro replaces the selected text with:
[%TriggerBase%](https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/token/TriggerBase)
The _%TriggerBase%_ token returns the trigger type.
The token will return one of these, which corresponds exactly to the name of each trigger as shown when clicking the New Trigger button:
Hot Key Trigger
Global Macro Palette Trigger
Status Menu Trigger
Typed String Trigger
Application Trigger
Audio Output Changed Trigger
Clipboard Changed Trigger
Clipboard Filter Trigger
Cron Trigger
Dragged File Trigger
Engine Launch Trigger
Focused Window Trigger
Folder Trigger
Gesture Trigger
Idle Trigger
Login Trigger
MIDI Trigger
Mounted Volume Trigger
Periodic Trigger
Public Web Trigger
Remote Trigger
Sleep Trigger
Time of Day Trigger
USB Device Key Trigger
USB Device Trigger
Wake Trigger
Wireless Network Trigger
## See Also
#### Tokens
Example 5: SearchLink followed by Browser
If the following text is selected:
"Baseball Rules" mlb
the macro replaces the selected text with:
[Baseball Rules](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules)
And the URL is opened in the browser.
MACRO DIALOG
The macro dialog buttons can be selected using the keyboard:
| Button | Key | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SL→ B | return | SearchLink followed by Browser |
| S𝗟→ G | l | SearchLink followed by Gather |
| đť—•rowser | b | Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab |
| đť—šather | g | Gather by Brett Terpstra |
| đť—¦earchLink | s | SearchLink by Brett Terpstra |
| đť—–ancel | c | dismiss the dialog |
SANS DIALOG
If the macro is triggered using the secondary trigger, the one that includes the Shift key (⇧), or if the %TriggerValue%* is sans dialog, then the macro will not display the macro dialog and will execute using the previous run options. This mode is useful when one wants to repeatedly trigger the macro with the same options for several text strings.
*This can be set by running the macro using Execute a Macro action (or via AppleScript) and specifying
sans dialogusing the With Parameter.
SETTINGS
local_SearchLinkGemPath : See the SearchLink installation instructions.
The macro dialog includes four options. The following settings dictate the default value of these options*.
local_RichLinks_default : 1 If SearchLink is run and the selected text is within a rich text editor, e.g., TextEdit or Mail, the selected text will be replaced by a rich link (versus a markdown link [title](url)).
local_NewWindowIfNotFound_default** : 1
local_ReloadTab_default** : 0
local_Browser_default** : Safari
*Interactive changes of the dialog options are retained (for subsequent runs of the macro). However, the options can be easily reset to the default settings. For instructions, see the dialog.
**For the last three settings, see Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab.
INSTALLATION OF REQUIRED COMPONENTS
This macro requires three components:
-
SearchLink, v2.3.71+
- Download and install using the standard installation instructions.
- Follow the instructions: Install as a Gem
- Open the macro and confirm that the variable local_SearchLinkGemPath is properly set.
-
Gather CLI, v2.1.6+
-
Activate, Reload, or Open Browser Tab, v4.0+
- Download and install the macro.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The RichLinks option is implemented using an adapted version of a JXA script that is within the macro Copy Markdown as Link, by @ComplexPoint.
TESTED WITH
• Keyboard Maestro 11.0.3
• Sequoia 15.1 (24B83)/MacBookPro18,2
• Mojave 10.14.16/Macmini6,2
• High Sierra 10.13.6/iMac11,1445
VERSION HISTORY
( expand / collapse )
1.0 - initial version
2.0
a) Added the Rich Links setting/option.
b) Interactive changes of the dialog options are retained (for subsequent runs of the macro). However, the options can be easily reset to the default settings.
c) Added the sans dialog mode.
3.0
a) Smart double quotes are converted to dumb double quotes before text is processed by SearchLink.
b) Bug fix: In the macro dialog, the Cancel button can now be properly selected using the c key.
4.0
Properly handles SearchLink version and update information.
-
If the word version is selected when SearchLink runs, the SearchLink version will appear in a dialog.
-
When an new version of SearchLink is available, SearchLink returns the new version information in a prefix comment. For example:
<!-- v2.3.74 available, run SearchLink on the word 'update' to install. -->normal SearchLink output
If this occurs, once per day, the macro will write the comment to the Engine.log and display a notification.
-
If the word update is selected when SearchLink runs:
-
If it is already up to date, the following will appear in a dialog: SearchLink is already up to date [SearchLink vX.Y.Z].
-
If not up to date, the latest version of SearchLink will be installed.
-
Download: Run SearchLink- Gather- Browser.kmmacros (133 KB)
Macro-Notes
- Macros are always disabled when imported into the Keyboard Maestro Editor.
- The user must ensure the macro is enabled.
- The user must also ensure the macro's parent macro-group is enabled.
System Information
- macOS 15.1 (24B83)
- Keyboard Maestro v11.0.3
SearchLink (with RichLink)
SearchLink (Amazon) followed by Browser
SearchLink followed by Gather
SearchLink Help
