Feature Request: Global OS shortcut to insert snippet into application

[pcgeek86]

Summary

It would be awesome if I could use massCode as a general purpose clipboard manager on Windows 11.

Expected Result

Register a global keyboard shortcut, for each operating system, that enables you to search for and inject a code snippet into another running application. For example, while using Google Chrome, I want to insert a massCode snippet into a text editor inside a webpage, in the browser. Pressing CTRL + SHIFT + F10 opens a massCode search box, I type a search term, select the desired snippet with the up/down arrow keys, and then hit ENTER to insert the snippet into the Google Chrome application window.

Actual Result

Feature does not currently exist.

Implementation Details

This document shows how to implement global OS hotkeys in Electron.js: https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/api/global-shortcut

[antonreshetov]

I'm not sure if it's possible to implement the insertion in another application.

As for the quick search, there was already a request. I'll think about the implementation.

[mt3o]

Technically it's possible, the version that's very cross-platform because it relies on java is here:
https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-key-sender
otherwise you need to use native platform calls, so with node it would be: https://koffi.dev/ or https://www.npmjs.com/package/ffi

On the other hand, a very reasonable solution is to have a global shortcut (windows default clipboard manager uses meta+v to trigger the manager) that brings the helper window, and on selecting - just put the contents into the clipboard. This way you don't have to type the content on your own.

https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/api/clipboard
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/clipboard-api-in-electronjs/

The window for selecting the snippet on global shortcut should be a frameless window
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/frameless-window-in-electronjs/

[pa-0]

FYI - I copied / pasted this from the documentation in Electron linked in the initial comment above by @pcgeek86:

Note

The shortcut is global; it will work even if the app does not have the keyboard focus. This module cannot be used before the ready event of the app module is emitted.