[texworks] newbie texworks scripting questions

[Paul A Norman]

Hi Tim,

I'll cover what I can here, but there are some file issues needing
some one else to jump in.

Some information here: http://twscript.paulanorman.com/docs/index.html

Python.

You'll be caught both ways when you say that users might not have
Python, under  TeXworks (Tw)  Python is a plugin which may or may not
be present either, and some script features have not been available to
some plugins, I do not know what the current status is on that.

With Tw QtScript (native to any installation) you can load files
directly into memory from disk without them needing to be in an open
document window first.

You can write out to disk from script memory without reference to an
open Tw document.

Standalone script requires User to initiate directly, a hook script
responds to a Qt signal from the underlying C++ application, and is in
that sense like an internet browser event - it is a response to
something that happens (though all events/signals are at some part of
their life chain initiated by a User action).

Standalones are initiated at present by User through either a Script
(sub) menu item (scripts are self assigning to menus according to
where they are saved in the Script folder directory tree) or a
possible Short cut key sequence. Plans are for toolbar buttons,
context menu, and other options as well.

You could load libraries or other scripts from disk and eval() them in
memory, and direct script invocation form other scripts has been
canvassed here.

Python freeze.

Depending on platform/permission issues you can call any ting your
system will execute form a Tw Script system() call, and optionally
wait for a return code and or a returned string from your executable.

Your questions raises the issues of which of the TW File functions
return TW.target objects (like window.document in browsers).
Some do not. I have not had cause to work with them all as yet. The
C++ code is available on
http://code.google.com/p/texworks/source/browse/trunk  to troll
through, or you can experiment testing for TW.target.text to see if
you get the contents of the editor window that you expect.

There is an application object present called TW.app which loosely
corresponds to the browser window object.

And TW.target which as mentioned loosely corresponds to the
window.document object.

TW.target represents the current document, whether focussed by the
User or in Script, and has a function TW.target.typeset() (document
would need a saved name on disk first though!)

Of course you could process/save your text in/from script memory to
disk named as you wish, and then uses TW.system() to execute the
necessary pdflatex etc TeX utilities directly, you would have to be
confident of the results as this would not use any of the Tw console
responses to errors .

TW.app has these calls

TW.app.newFile();
http://twscript.paulanorman.com/docs/html/files/newFile.html
Creates a new file and sets the focus in the editor. Returns a
TW.target object ??

TW.app.open();
http://twscript.paulanorman.com/docs/html/files/open.html
Presents the open file dialogue.
>From that point scripting looses 'contact' with the function.
Does not receive a file filter nor a suggested file name, but will not
allow the dialogue "Ok" button to be enabled unless the User chooses
an actual file.
Upon success, opens the chosen file in a new editor window, (returns
no value — for neither success nor failure).
That editor window does not become the new TW.target.

Moved to top level for security reasons:
TW.openFileFromScript(QString,int,bool)

The TW.target object has some similar calls, but there has been little
discussion/information here about those yet (and some may be
obsolete?) ...

TW.target.newFile()
TW.target.newFromTemplate()
TW.target.open()

You can check out what is already available for each of these (not
much) at http://twscript.paulanorman.com/docs/index.html

Hope this helps,

Please share back any gleanings/discoveries or further questions.

Paul

On 2 July 2011 03:19, Tim Arnold <jtim.arnold at gmail.com> wrote:
> hi,
> I would like to write a script for TeXWorks and I have a few questions
> before getting started.
> I have a system outside of TeXWorks now that I've written in Python;
> the system does two things:
> (1) parses a tex file, modifies it, writes out a *.ltx file and
> compiles that file; the original tex file is not compiled.
> (2) parses a tex file, extracts info from it and writes that output to
> a *.txt file for other uses.
>
> I want to rewrite this capability as a TeXWorks script so it is easily
> usable for others. My questions:
> * I suppose I should write it as a standalone script, not a hook script?
>
> * Probably I should rewrite my system in JavaScript so users do not
> need a Python installation?
> * What if I write it as a python executable using Python freeze (no
> system Python needed), would that work?
>
> * Is it possible to switch the current document? I'm guessing that
> compiling the modified file, step (1) above, will be the hardest
> thing--any suggestions? Maybe parse, write a new file, and
> automatically open and compile the new file?
>
> thanks for helping out a newbie scripter.
> --Tim Arnold
>