Choosing from previously used values or new value every time a snippet is launched

[Gewerd-Strauss]

Hello,

I am writing a template script to embed specific pages of a pdf-file into an open document.

The idea would be to have an initially empty choice-box, and insert the path of the file to be embedded. On subsequent calls, I want the previously used files to be a choice to choose from, or insert a new entry that's not yet present and use that instead.

1. So, on first trigger, I'd see an empty choice box.
2. I type out assets/source1.pdf first, hit enter, and go on writing the rest of my current text.
3. I need to embed assets/source2.pdf, so I relaunch the snippet. I should see a choice box with assets/source1.pdf as an option. I enter assets/source2.pdf and press enter
4. I need to embed source 1 again. Launch snippet, see assets/source1.pdf and assets/source2.pdf as options , filter for assets/source1.pdf and hit enter.
5. and so on

Is something like this even possible?

Right now, I am just using the clipboard as a primitive storage, but considering that lintalist frequently muddies* the clipboard on my end, that's a very... fleeting solution. Especially because editing takes way more time than should be necessary.

    ```pdf
    {
    	"url" : "[[Clipboard]]",
    	"scale" : 1,
    	"range" : [[[Input=Set range]]],
    	"fit" : true,
    	"rotation" : 90
    	
    }
    ```

---

Thank you,
Sincerely,
~Gw

---

* I know it technically shouldn't, paste method is set to 0. I have no clue why that happens, and after many hours of scanning through settings and bundles I don't know why. It happens regardless of what I am running, even on plain notepad with zero other programs or scripts. No clue why.

---

Edit 12.01.2022 12:09:11:

I don't need data persistency beyond a script-restart imo.

[lintalist]

Not perfectly but perhaps close enough. Two methods:

1 automatic increase

Below part 1 and 2 of a snippet, it is uses a counter that automatically increases each time you call the snippet. If you want to reset the counter execute part 2 (shift+enter) in the lintalist gui

Part 1:

pdf
    {
    	"url" : "[[Clipboard]]",
    	"scale" : 1,
    	"range" : assets/source[[Counter=pagepdf|1]].pdf
    	"fit" : true,
    	"rotation" : 90
    	
    }

Part 2:

[[Counter=pagepdf|[[Input=Reset page number to:|0]]|0]][[PasteMethod=2]]

---

2 automatic increase with choice

First we need a function to be able to prepare the options for choice, so add this to "plugins\myfunctions.ahk" and restart lintalist

Range(in,max)
	{
	 loop, % max
	 	output .= StrReplace(in,"ID$",A_Index) "|" 
	 return trim(output,"|")
	}

Part 2 is the same as above, but part 1 calls a function that will prepare a choice list, each time you call it the choices grow - note that "ID$" is a place holder for the A_Index in the function above.

Part 1:

pdf
    {
    	"url" : "[[Clipboard]]",
    	"scale" : 1,
    	"range" : [[Choice=!page|[[Range("assets/sourceID$.pdf",[[Counter=pagepdf|1]])]]]]
    	"fit" : true,
    	"rotation" : 90
    	
    }

[Gewerd-Strauss]

Hmm, I might have described it badly.

I am not looking to programmatically increment page numbers.

    ```pdf
    {
    	"url" : "assets/sourceNumberoUno.pdf", ;; this string should be saved, and allowed to be reselected. So next time I trigger the snippet, I can either enter whatever other source I need, or I reselect the "assets/sourceNumberoUno.pdf". When I enter a new path, it needs to be saved and become an option in subsequent calls
    	"scale" : 1,
    	"range" : [[[Input=Set range]]], ;; this is and should be set manually. Doesn't have to be saved, its just  two numbers and a comma.
    	"fit" : true,
    	"rotation" : 90    	
    }
    ```

[lintalist]

In that case I think you would have to create a new plugin with a CombBox control - https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/GuiControls.htm#ComboBox - the entered data SelectedPageChoice is appended to a global variable that you use in the plugin *PageChoices

Gui, 10:Add, ComboBox, vSelectedPageChoice simple, %PageChoices%

So don't clear PageChoices as you would normally do with other plugin variables, that way it should remember what has been entered so you can select it - as well as type/enter new data.

Documentation:

• https://github.com/lintalist/lintalist/blob/master/plugins/readme-howto.txt
• once you have a working version, expand it with a more advanced ComboBox + autocomplete if that would be useful (just one of various scripts posted, can't recommend anything specific, just for illustration) https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=299969#p299969

[Gewerd-Strauss]

Gui, 10:Add,

Is gui10 free to use to populate and destroy? I don't think there's any documentation on what numbers LL internally occupies - which might be helpful for others writing their own code/plugins.

---

Thank you for the reply.

I'll get to work on this over the coming weeks as its one of the two "wonderful" times of the year that I write exams, so time is extremely preoccupied.