How to run shell command and paste its output? SOLVED

[jerry_goyal]

I'm having trouble setting up phraseexpress to run bash shell command and paste its output to text field. I looked all over the forums and docs but found no solution whatsoever.

For example, I want to paste the output of `curl 'https://api.ipify.org'` using bash shell on Windows.

Type: Run program
File Path: C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe
Parameters: curl 'https://api.ipify.org'

Actual output: opens bash terminal window briefly and then closes.
Expected output: paste the output of command `curl 'https://api.ipify.org'` to the text field.

It would open lots of possibilities if we could run bash/powershell/wsl commands and process output into text fields.

[Peter Stotz]

@ jerry_goyal
Maybe it helps if you use the #focus-macro before inserting in the input field?
Peter Stotz
Windows 10 - PhraseExpress v15.0.81

[jerry_goyal]

I don't think that would work because the text is not available at all for pasting it into applications. the command `curl 'https://api.ipify.org'`when executed in bash shell gives the public ip address of PC for ex: (21.123.45.98). But here when using 'run program', phraseexpress is invoking the shell, passing this command as parameter and that's all. The output text is not carried at all to the phraseexpress.

[jerry_goyal]

Friendly ping. Is there any way to run bash/powershell commands and paste the output of commands back in the current application window?

[Technical Support]

Well, a possible solution would be writing the output to a file:

Code: Select all

{#run -file "powershell.exe" -params "-command "curl 'https://api.ipify.org' | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Content > d:\out.txt"" -variablename Windows PowerShell}{#sleep 3000 -variablename Wait}{#insertfile D:\out.txt -variablename Output file}

It is just not very nice, that we cannot wait for the file, so a sleep for 3 seconds is used here.

[jerry_goyal]

Thanks, Although the instant flash of powershell window and 3 second timer ruins the beauty of automation.

May I suggest that shell scripting execution should be supported natively in PhraseExpress.

[Technical Support]

You can decrease the wait time, of course.
We will add shell scripting support to our todo list.