Preactions

[Taitava]

Background

I have planned to create a discussion for this a few months, but I've always forgotten it. Then again, this topic will not contain very much stuff that hasn't been discussed elsewhere. The feature itself has been mentioned in other discussions, and this particular discussion is now just about terminology.

This feature has been partly covered in the following discussions:

• A modal for asking values from user (Prompt) #17 (comment)
• {{selection}}: Automatic selecting if nothing is selected #54 (comment)
• Events: Execute shell commands automatically when something happens #60 (reply in thread)

On to the actual topic: What are preactions/preparations

0.12.0 will have a feature named Preactions or Preparations. Basically, it's a list of actions that will be performed before executing a shell command. Preactions can be defined separately for each shell command.

For example, the current Confirm before execution feature, that has been around since 0.4.0, can be thought as a preaction/preparation. It has not been referred to as a preaction or preparation yet, but in 0.12.0 it will be counted as one. It prepares the execution by asking from the user, should the shell command really be executed, or cancelled.

Lately, I have talked more about a modal for asking values from user (Prompt). These Prompts are part of Preactions/Preparations. A prompt will open up just before a shell command is executed. A prompt prepares some of the variables used by the shell command.

A third preaction/preparation will be #54 sometime in the future. It will prepare the shell command execution by selecting some text in the current file, if nothing is selected at the moment of execution.

Which term should be used?

So far, I have named the feature to be Preactions. But that sounds a bit bad English to me, but maybe I'm just not jused to use that word. I might change the name to Preparations.

@FelipeRearden what do you think? 🙂

[FelipeRearden]

Hello @Taitava !!!!!!

I like Preaction and I have some ideas to share ...

• Precommand
• Starter
• Starter Action
• Introduction
• Epilogue
• Introaction 😜

The good thing about Preaction is that Action is a world that everybody in the world knows (like Love, apple and God).

Have a great day!!!!

[Taitava]

Preactions it is, then! 🙂👍

Have a nice day, too! 😎