How to Generate a JSON tiddler from a text tiddler!

Tips & Tricks
#1

Folks,

This was corrected and now works, use the macro and provide the input.txt, but only with the help of @EricShulman and @Mark_S thanks gentlemen.

\define temp() $:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler
\define text-to-json(tiddler)
<$button >Convert $tiddler$ to $tiddler$.json
<$action-createtiddler $basetitle="$tiddler$.json" $savetitle=<<temp>> type="application/json"/>
<$list filter="
[[$tiddler$]get[text]splitregexp[\n]!is[blank]]" variable="row-content">
   <$action-setfield 
         $tiddler={{$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler}} 
         $index=<<row-content>>
         $value=""
    />
</$list>
   <$action-deletetiddler $tiddler=<<temp>>/>
</$button>
\end
<<text-to-json "input.txt">>

Original Post
Once resolved this will be a how to instruction. I will edit the lead post. However I cant get it to work at present. Any help appreciated.

\define text-to-json(tiddler)
<$fieldmangler>
<$button>
Convert $tiddler$ to $tiddler$.json
<$action-createtiddler $basetitle="$tiddler$.json" $savetitle="$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler" type="application/json">
<$list filter="[[$tiddler$]get[text]splitregexp[\n]]" variable=row-content>
   <$action-setfield 
         $tiddler={{$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler}} 
         $index=<<row-content>>
         $value="dummy"
    />
</$list>
</$button>
</$fieldmangler>
Show preview? change to filter?

<$list filter="[[$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler]has[title]]">{{||$:/core/ui/Buttons/edit}} <$link/> {{||$:/core/ui/Buttons/delete}}</$list>
\end
<<text-to-json "input.txt">>

In the above example the input.txt has a number of lines containing single words. I want to use these to create a JSON file so later I can check if a given word matches one in the data tiddler.

Currently the result is only an empty tiddler with type=application/json

  • Could it be the fieldmangler widget, is it needed is it in the correct place.
  • have I a syntax error
  • is the create tiddler too soon for the add indexes to work?

Thanks in advance!

1 Like
#2

Here’s my version of your code. The main problem was “the create tiddler too soon for the add indexes to work?”

The solution is to split the button actions into two parts:

  • create the tiddler in the body of the $button
  • set the indexes in the $button actions="""...""" param

This allows the $action-createtiddler to finish before the $action-setfield’s are invoked

See notes below.

\define temp() $:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler

\define text-to-json(tiddler)
<$button actions="""
   <$list filter="[[$tiddler$]get[text]splitregexp[\n]]" variable=row-content>
      <$action-setfield
         $tiddler={{{ [<temp>get[text]] }}} $index=<<row-content>> $value="" />
   </$list>
   <$action-deletetiddler $tiddler=<<temp>>/>
""">
Convert $tiddler$ to $tiddler$.json
<$action-createtiddler
   $basetitle="$tiddler$.json" $savetitle=<<temp>> type="application/json"/>
</$button>
\end

<<text-to-json "input.txt">>
  • moved temp tiddler name into a macro for code readability (and easier to change if desired)
  • no <$fieldmangler> needed
  • $button actions="""...""" is invoked after “inline” $button actions are completed
  • no “dummy” value needed, just use ""
  • after creating new tiddler and setting indexes, delete temp tiddler to cleanup
  • closing / was missing from $action-createtiddler

enjoy,
-e

1 Like
#3

I see Eric beat me. Oh well. For what it’s worth, here’s my version

\define text-to-json(tiddler)

<$button >Convert $tiddler$ to $tiddler$.json
<$action-createtiddler $basetitle="$tiddler$.json" $savetitle="$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler" type="application/json"/>
<$list filter="[[$tiddler$]get[text]splitregexp[\n]!is[blank]]" variable="row-content">
   <$action-setfield 
         $tiddler={{$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler}} 
         $index=<<row-content>>
         $value="dummy"
    />
</$list>
</$button>

Show preview? change to filter?

<$list filter="[[$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler]has[title]]">{{||$:/core/ui/Buttons/edit}} <$link/> {{||$:/core/ui/Buttons/delete}}</$list>
\end
<<text-to-json "input.txt">>
1 Like
#4

Thanks @EricShulman and @Mark_S

I now have it working, for some reason Eric’s was not working for me however I like the design methods and built a hybrid;

\define temp() $:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler
\define text-to-json(tiddler)
<$button >Convert $tiddler$ to $tiddler$.json
<$action-createtiddler $basetitle="$tiddler$.json" $savetitle=<<temp>> type="application/json"/>
<$list filter="[[$tiddler$]get[text]splitregexp[\n]!is[blank]]" variable="row-content">
   <$action-setfield 
         $tiddler={{$:/temp/text-to-json-tiddler}} 
         $index=<<row-content>>
         $value=""
    />
</$list>
   <$action-deletetiddler $tiddler=<<temp>>/>
</$button>
\end
<<text-to-json "verbs.txt">>
  • Mark what was your change (just close ? />)
  • Eric I could not see why yours did not work
  • Not withstanding that may I ask will the imbedded actions always go first and be completed before the actions parameter in the button?
    • I have an existing “issue” (stemming from the use the cookies Eric helped me with) where I want to save the tiddler, set some cookies then reload. It appeared to never finish saving before reloading. I will try the reload inside the actions parameter.

Thanks so much Gentlemen

[Edited] add \end after the button so this works out of the box

1 Like