Large Type

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
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#1

I dont know if it is called “Large Type” or something else. I am referring to text or address book numbers that can be seen in very large fonts in Leopard----white text in black background. Is there a way to scroll down or up within it.

#2

No

#3

Many Mac OS apps seem to use a way to pop up something in front of the frontmost window.
For example, KeyCue.

what do they use–xcode?
would it be possible to write a script that makes selected text large, colors it white and puts it on a floating black background?

#4

This is most likely written in Objective-C, not in AppleScript

#5

thanks, StefanK.

#6

Hi Lance,

I recommend to take a look at Growl, which can also be accessed via AppleScript.

#7

thanks Martin, seems like that should be the right direction to work in.
i saw a script here: http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?query=counting&story=2007020801072114

i modified it a little to see if i can get only text and i could do that.(i know there is a lot of unnecessary stuff that i have not removed from the script below)

using terms from application "Quicksilver"
	on process text str
		set results to str
		my growlRegister()
		growlNotify("Word Count", results)
		set selection of application "Quicksilver" to str
	end process text
end using terms from

using terms from application "GrowlHelperApp"
	on growlRegister()
		tell application "GrowlHelperApp"
			register as application "Word Count" all notifications {"Alert"} default notifications {"Alert"} icon of application "Script Editor.app"
		end tell
	end growlRegister
	
	on growlNotify(grrTitle, grrDescription)
		tell application "GrowlHelperApp"
			notify with name "Alert" title grrTitle description grrDescription application name "Word Count"
		end tell
	end growlNotify
end using terms from

Can you throw me some hints so that i can use selected text instead of text within Quicksilver?

#8

Selected text in which application? Finder, Microsoft Word, TextWrangler? We need to know from which application we can fetch the text :wink:

#9

i meant the clipboard actually and “Skim” would be fine (if it is not possible with clipboard or if it is easier to do it with Skim)
i have cross-posted here: http://forums.cocoaforge.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18552&p=111107&sid=2e5974166fd0f0907193ff829d67a87a#p111107

(sorry for the delay in mentioning about the cross-post—i thought not many must be using Growl here–so i posted in Growl forum and i thought i would get a solution immediately there but i was wrong)

#10

Try this:


set cptext to the clipboard as Unicode text

tell application "GrowlHelperApp"
	set the allNotificationsList to {"Clipboard Notification"}
	
	set the enabledNotificationsList to {"Clipboard Notification"}
	
	register as application "Clipboard Notifier" all notifications allNotificationsList default notifications enabledNotificationsList icon of application "Finder"
	
	notify with name "Clipboard Notification" title "Clipboard Notification" description cptext application name "Clipboard Notifier"
end tell
#11

Thanks Martin…that is exactly what i wanted.
However, since it suffers the same drawback as “Large Type” in Leopard…which is being unable to scroll down when the clipboard text is so much that it cannot be completely displayed.

As a solution to this, would it be possible to do this:
a. Get selected number of words/lines from the clipboard.
b. Display Growl notification for some time (time sufficient enought to read it)
c. Hide that notification
d. Again, get selected number of words/lines from the clipboard and repeat the above.

#12

Hi Lance,

I guess a small script utilizing Quick Look could suit your needs much better (requires Leopard). You can scroll the content and the window is like a HUD display:


property mytitle : "Lance-O-Preview"

on run
	try
		set cptext to the clipboard as text
		if cptext is "" then return
		set tmpfilepath to my gettmpfilepath()
		my writetofile(cptext, tmpfilepath)
		set qtdtmpfilepath to quoted form of (POSIX path of tmpfilepath)
		set cmd to "qlmanage -p " & qtdtmpfilepath & " >& /dev/null"
		do shell script cmd
		do shell script "rm " & qtdtmpfilepath
	on error errmsg number errnum
		tell me
			activate
			display dialog "Sorry, an error occured:" & return & return & errmsg & return & "(" & errnum & ")" buttons {"OK"} default button 1 with icon stop giving up after 20 with title mytitle
		end tell
	end try
end run

-- I am writing given content to a given file using UTF-8 text encoding
on writetofile(cont, filepath)
	try
		set openfile to open for access filepath with write permission
		set eof of openfile to 0
		set BOM_UTF8 to ((ASCII character 239) & (ASCII character 187) & (ASCII character 191))
		write cont to openfile as «class utf8»
		close access openfile
		return true
	on error
		try
			close access openfile
		end try
		return false
	end try
end writetofile

-- Returns a path to an unused temporary file
on gettmpfilepath()
	set tmpfolderpath to (path to temporary items folder from user domain) as Unicode text
	repeat
		set randnum to random number from 10000 to 99999
		set tmpfilename to randnum & ".txt"
		set tmpfilepath to tmpfolderpath & tmpfilename
		try
			set tmpfilealias to tmpfilepath as alias
		on error
			exit repeat
		end try
	end repeat
	return tmpfilepath
end gettmpfilepath
#13

Yes, you are right about that. Just one drawback though, its black text on white background rather than white text on black background. Still, its very good.
Thanks you, Martin.