My files always expand every level when opened. There should be a user preference to not expand on opening. Or, a preference to open the ones that were opened when the file was saved.
Option to open in collapsed state is interesting idea. I might add. Would anyone else want or use that option?
I do plan to add add this eventually, but in the meantime Bike will restore collapsed state for documents that you leave open when quitting Bike. See the section “Window Restoration” here:
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I wonder if the number of those who found it useful would be increased by making the option value an integer number (expanded to level N on open) rather than an on-off boolean checkmark ?
I think I personally might find an opening state like:
a little too information-free (I remember it jarring, for some reason, with OPML imports to Omni’s outliner – perhaps a feeling that I had to click at least once before I could see anything useful at all ?)
But a default of expanding to level 2 (or level 3) might yield something more like a Table of Contents.
I’m experimenting, FWIW, with the expand to level N script below:
Expand disclosure triangle to view JS source
(() => {
"use strict";
// Ver 0.2
// -------- EXPAND A BIKE OUTLINE TO LEVEL N. --------
const nLevel = 2;
// main :: IO ()
const main = () => {
const doc = Application("Bike").documents.at(0);
return doc.exists() ? (
expandedToLevelN(nLevel)(doc)
) : "No documents open in Bike";
};
// ------------- OUTLINE EXPANSION STATE -------------
// expandedToLevelN :: Int -> Doc -> IO Int
const expandedToLevelN = n =>
doc => {
const bike = Application("Bike");
bike.collapse(
doc.rows.where({
level: {">=": n}
})
);
bike.expand(
doc.rows.where({
level: {"<": n}
})
);
return n;
};
// MAIN ---
return main();
})();
(To test in Script Editor, set the language selector at top left to JavaScript)
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PS not sure how feasible an init file, or an on_open script event, might look at some point …
Can you list a few apps that support AppleScript event handlers now days? It looks pretty strait forward to call a given script, but I’m curious how apps guide the user to setting everthing up.
The first thing that comes to mind is the event handling in DEVONthink smart group scripts:
Automation : Smart Rule Scripts
Also, OmniGraffle object event scripts:
Apple’s own folder events:
Mac Automation Scripting Guide: Watching Folders
and, perhaps most widely used ?
Noodlesoft’s Hazel
Depending on the content it may be useful but not as a generic preference. org-mode has a similar preference (what level to show when opening) that can be specified by file.
Some files I’ll open and navigate to the branch I need, because every time it could be different, other files - such as drafts I am working on I want them expanded (or the way I have left them at last save).
Definitely. To me Bike should launch in the state it was closed, having to open files, then collapse all, then find where I was and expand appropriately is, while tolerable, not the most enjoyable experience.
2 Likes
An afterthought – the DEVONthink osascript interface list of event types which can be bound as triggers to DEVONthink’s smart rules (which may themselves be defined by scripts).
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Great!
is it also possible to make Bike remember my choice when opening? I collapse all rows, close Bike, then open it again → all rows are expanded.
This should already be happening if:
-
You leave the document open when you close Bike … ie it won’t work if you first close the document and then close Bike. But if you close Bike with documents open then those documents (and expanded state) should be restored.
-
Make sure the “Settings > Document > When close Bike Close Documents” is NOT checked.
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I see… yes, it works as you described above. I usually have only 1 window opened with several tabs. would be nice if you could close and reopen the window → and the tabs would show content as before closing Bike.
if you could close and reopen the window → and the tabs would show content as before closing Bike.
It gets a bit complex … because a window’s tabs can be:
- Tabs that contain different views on the same document
- Tabs that contain completely different documents
With work I might be able to make it so that:
- Close window with multiple views of the same document
- Re-open that document manually (this is already working as described above if you just close Bike.app and reopen it) and it will create a window with the same tabs. I don’t think it I could make it work so that opening one document opens the other documents that were in the tabs.
Eventually I expect that I will add a “workspace” feature to Bike. Where instead of opening a specific file you open a folder and through that folder can open and mange multiple Bike files. I think that might really be what you are wanting?
2 Likes
yes, I think that would be ok, since I only use one folder with a few files (so could just open that only folder). thank you.
In the latest preview release Bike will store expanded state even for closed documents: Bike 1.16 (Preview) - #11 by jessegrosjean
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