Does calling choices/macros from an inline script return anything?

[JulianBroudy]

Motivation:

• I would like to have the option to choose which parameters I want when asked to add a task.
• I don't want to have 30+ capture options from which I have to choose which one I want this time.

Goal:

• Create 5 captures, each for 1 needed field with {{DATE:<DATEFORMAT>}}. In another choice add inline script to call them based on the 1st checkbox prompt.

Current Solution:

• Create inline script that gives a checkbox and per each checked box get the appropriate input.

The only option I found to do this is:

1. Create a choice with inline script.
2. Use the following script:

const description = await this.quickAddApi.inputPrompt("Enter task description:");
let output = description;

const options = ["Priority", "Due Date", "Scheduled Date", "Start Date", "Recurrence"];
const selectedOptions = await this.quickAddApi.checkboxPrompt(options, []);

const nldates = this.app.plugins.getPlugin("nldates-obsidian");

if (selectedOptions.includes("Due Date")) {
    const dueDate = await this.quickAddApi.inputPrompt("Enter due date:");
    output += ` 📅 ` + nldates.parseDate(dueDate).formattedString;
}
if (selectedOptions.includes("Scheduled Date")) {
    const scheduledDate = await this.quickAddApi.inputPrompt("Enter scheduled date:");
    output += ` ⏳ ` + nldates.parseDate(scheduledDate ).formattedString;
}
if (selectedOptions.includes("Start Date")) {
    const startDate = await this.quickAddApi.inputPrompt("Enter start date:");
    output += ` 🛫 ` + nldates.parseDate(startDate ).formattedString;
}
if (selectedOptions.includes("Recurrence")) {
    const recurrence = await this.quickAddApi.inputPrompt("Enter recurrence:");
    output += ` 🔁 ` + nldates.parseDate(recurrence ).formattedString;
}
return output;

[chhoumann]

Hi @JulianBroudy

As for your question, only macros will return anything when placed in a capture format. So if I have {{MACRO:script.js}}, and the script returns test, then {{MACRO:script.js}} would be replaced by test in the final output.
Likewise, you could export multiple functions from your script and call them with, e.g., {{MACRO:script.js::exportedFn}}.
Note that I've called the macro script.js.

Personally, I think your current solution is pretty good. Is there a particular reason why you want to separate the script into captures, and then call them from the script?

[JulianBroudy]

Hi @chhoumann, thank you for the prompt reply.

Mainly because this way I only have the option to get the checkbox.

If I have multiple captures each takes a specific variable like due date or start date then I can create a Macro with 2 or 3 mostly used options. As in I mostly use due date alone, or scheduled date with occurrence, or etc. And have this script when I need some other combination.

But I was unable to make it dynamic through the built-in functions (correct me if I'm wrong or missed anything). So, I opted out for the above solution. (💡 Maybe it would be possible to create built-in conditional choices flow in a Macro.)

Looking here, I am unsure whether calling a choice from inline script would return anything. Does it?

Thank you again for your input.

[chhoumann]

That makes sense.

As for your idea: #18
I'm currently thinking about improvements to macros that I want to implement soon. This is one of them.

Calling executeChoice does not return anything. It returns Promise<void>.

I guess you could create a macro with just a script acting as a controller of sorts, export multiple functions from that script file (for code-reuse), and then using those in the captures. After all, calling a macro from a capture (like before, e.g. {{MACRO:script.js::exportedFn}}) can influence the variables accessible through {{VALUE:...}}.

For example, this may be of use:

module.exports = {
    exportedFn: async function (params) {
        params.variables["test"] = "test";
        return `test`;
    },
};

The script sets the {{VALUE:test}} variable to test.
In the capture, my format is:

{{MACRO:script.js::exportedFn}}
{{VALUE:test}}

which evaluates to

test
test