# hs.chooser

Graphical, interactive tool for choosing/searching data

Notes:

# API Overview

Variables - Configurable values

  • globalCallback

Constructors - API calls which return an object, typically one that offers API methods

  • new

Methods - API calls which can only be made on an object returned by a constructor

  • attachedToolbar
  • bgDark
  • cancel
  • choices
  • delete
  • enableDefaultForQuery
  • fgColor
  • hide
  • hideCallback
  • invalidCallback
  • isVisible
  • placeholderText
  • query
  • queryChangedCallback
  • refreshChoicesCallback
  • rightClickCallback
  • rows
  • searchSubText
  • select
  • selectedRow
  • selectedRowContents
  • show
  • showCallback
  • subTextColor
  • width

# API Documentation

# Variables

# globalCallback

Signature hs.chooser.globalCallback
Type Variable
Description A global callback function used for various hs.chooser events
Notes
  • This callback should accept two parameters:
  • An hs.chooser object
  • A string containing the name of the event to handle. Possible values are:
  • willOpen - An hs.chooser is about to be shown on screen
  • didClose - An hs.chooser has just been removed from the screen
  • There is a default global callback that uses the willOpen event to remember which window has focus, and the didClose event to restore focus back to the original window. If you want to use this in addition to your own callback, you can call it as hs.chooser._defaultGlobalCallback(event)
Source extensions/chooser/chooser.lua line 29

# Constructors

# new

Signature hs.chooser.new(completionFn) -> hs.chooser object
Type Constructor
Description Creates a new chooser object
Parameters
  • completionFn - A function that will be called when the chooser is dismissed. It should accept one parameter, which will be nil if the user dismissed the chooser window, otherwise it will be a table containing whatever information you supplied for the item the user chose.
Returns
  • An hs.chooser object
Notes
  • As of macOS Sierra and later, if you want a hs.chooser object to appear above full-screen windows you must hide the Hammerspoon Dock icon first using: hs.dockicon.hide()
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 14

# Methods

# attachedToolbar

Signature hs.chooser:attachedToolbar([toolbar]) -> hs.chooser object | currentValue
Type Method
Description Get or attach/detach a toolbar to/from the chooser.
Parameters
  • toolbar - An hs.webview.toolbar object to be attached to the chooser. If nil is supplied, the current toolbar will be removed
Returns
  • if a toolbarObject or explicit nil is specified, returns the hs.chooser object; otherwise returns the current toolbarObject or nil, if no toolbar is attached to the chooser.
Notes
  • this method is a convenience wrapper for the hs.webview.toolbar.attachToolbar function.
  • If the toolbarObject is currently attached to another window when this method is called, it will be detached from the original window and attached to the chooser. If you wish to attach the same toolbar to multiple chooser objects, see hs.webview.toolbar:copy.
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/chooser.lua line 13

# bgDark

Signature hs.chooser:bgDark([beDark]) -> hs.chooser object or boolean
Type Method
Description Sets the background of the chooser between light and dark
Parameters
  • beDark - A optional boolean, true to be dark, false to be light. If this parameter is omitted, the current setting will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a boolean, true if the window is dark, false if it is light
Notes
  • The text colors will not automatically change when you toggle the darkness of the chooser window, you should also set appropriate colors with hs.chooser:fgColor() and hs.chooser:subTextColor()
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 539

# cancel

Signature hs.chooser:cancel() -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Cancels the chooser
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 805

# choices

Signature hs.chooser:choices(choices) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets the choices for a chooser
Parameters
  • choices - Either a function to call when the list of choices is needed, or nil to remove any existing choices/callback, or a table containing static choices.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • The table of choices (be it provided statically, or returned by the callback) must contain at least the following keys for each choice:
  • text - A string or hs.styledtext object that will be shown as the main text of the choice
  • Each choice may also optionally contain the following keys:
  • subText - A string or hs.styledtext object that will be shown underneath the main text of the choice
  • image - An hs.image image object that will be displayed next to the choice
  • valid - A boolean that defaults to true, if set to false selecting the choice will invoke the invalidCallback method instead of dismissing the chooser
  • Any other keys/values in each choice table will be retained by the chooser and returned to the completion callback when a choice is made. This is useful for storing UUIDs or other non-user-facing information, however, it is important to note that you should not store userdata objects in the table - it is run through internal conversion functions, so only basic Lua types should be stored.
  • If a function is given, it will be called once, when the chooser window is displayed. The results are then cached until this method is called again, or hs.chooser:refreshChoicesCallback() is called.
  • If you're using a hs.styledtext object for text or subText choices, make sure you specify a color, otherwise your text could appear transparent depending on the bgDark setting.
  • Example:
  • lua</li><li>local choices = {</li><li> {</li><li> ["text"] = "First Choice",</li><li> ["subText"] = "This is the subtext of the first choice",</li><li> ["uuid"] = "0001"</li><li> },</li><li> { ["text"] = "Second Option",</li><li> ["subText"] = "I wonder what I should type here?",</li><li> ["uuid"] = "Bbbb"</li><li> },</li><li> { ["text"] = hs.styledtext.new("Third Possibility", {font={size=18}, color=hs.drawing.color.definedCollections.hammerspoon.green}),</li><li> ["subText"] = "What a lot of choosing there is going on here!",</li><li> ["uuid"] = "III3"</li><li> },</li><li>}
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 110

# delete

Signature hs.chooser:delete()
Type Method
Description Deletes a chooser
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • None
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 444

# enableDefaultForQuery

Signature hs.chooser:enableDefaultForQuery([]) -> hs.chooser object or boolean
Type Method
Description Gets/Sets whether the chooser should run the callback on a query when it does not match any on the list
Parameters
  • enableDefaultForQuery - An optional boolean, true to return query string, false to not. If this parameter is omitted, the current configuration value will be returned
Returns
  • the hs.chooser object if a value was set, or a boolean if no parameter was passed
Notes
  • This should be used before a chooser has been displayed
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 584

# fgColor

Signature hs.chooser:fgColor(color) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets the foreground color of the chooser
Parameters
  • color - An optional table containing a color specification (see hs.drawing.color), or nil to restore the default color. If this parameter is omitted, the existing color will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a color table
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 461

# hide

Signature hs.chooser:hide() -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Hides the chooser
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 70

# hideCallback

Signature hs.chooser:hideCallback([fn]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets/clears a callback for when the chooser window is hidden
Parameters
  • fn - An optional function that will be called when the chooser window is hidden. If this parameter is omitted, the existing callback will be removed.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • This callback is called after the chooser is hidden.
  • This callback is called after hs.chooser.globalCallback.
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 199

# invalidCallback

Signature hs.chooser:invalidCallback([fn]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets/clears a callback for invalid choices
Parameters
  • fn - An optional function that will be called whenever the user select an choice set as invalid. If this parameter is omitted, the existing callback will be removed.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • The callback may accept one argument, it will be a table containing whatever information you supplied for the item the user chose.
  • To display a context menu, see hs.menubar, specifically the :popupMenu() method
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 415

# isVisible

Signature hs.chooser:isVisible() -> boolean
Type Method
Description Checks if the chooser is currently displayed
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • A boolean, true if the chooser is displayed on screen, false if not
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 91

# placeholderText

Signature hs.chooser:placeholderText([placeholderText]) -> hs.chooser object or string
Type Method
Description Sets/gets placeholder text that is shown in the query text field when no other text is present
Parameters
  • placeholderText - An optional string for placeholder text. If this parameter is omitted, the existing placeholder text will be returned.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object, or the existing placeholder text
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 331

# query

Signature hs.chooser:query([queryString]) -> hs.chooser object or string
Type Method
Description Sets/gets the search string
Parameters
  • queryString - An optional string to search for, or an explicit nil to clear the query. If omitted, the current contents of the search box are returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a string
Notes
  • You can provide an explicit nil or empty string to clear the current query string.
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 290

# queryChangedCallback

Signature hs.chooser:queryChangedCallback([fn]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets/clears a callback for when the search query changes
Parameters
  • fn - An optional function that will be called whenever the search query changes. If this parameter is omitted, the existing callback will be removed.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • As the user is typing, the callback function will be called for every keypress. You may wish to do filtering on each call, or you may wish to use a delayed hs.timer object to only react when they have finished typing.
  • The callback function should accept a single argument:
  • A string containing the new search query
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 356

# refreshChoicesCallback

Signature hs.chooser:refreshChoicesCallback([reload]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Refreshes the choices data from a callback
Parameters
  • reload - An optional parameter that reloads the chooser results to take into account the current query string (defaults to false)
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • This method will do nothing if you have not set a function with hs.chooser:choices()
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 256

# rightClickCallback

Signature hs.chooser:rightClickCallback([fn]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets/clears a callback for right clicking on choices
Parameters
  • fn - An optional function that will be called whenever the user right clicks on a choice. If this parameter is omitted, the existing callback will be removed.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • The callback may accept one argument, the row the right click occurred in or 0 if there is currently no selectable row where the right click occurred. To determine the location of the mouse pointer at the right click, see hs.mouse.
  • To display a context menu, see hs.menubar, specifically the :popupMenu() method
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 386

# rows

Signature hs.chooser:rows([numRows]) -> hs.chooser object or number
Type Method
Description Gets/Sets the number of rows that will be shown
Parameters
  • numRows - An optional number of choices to show (i.e. the vertical height of the chooser window). If this parameter is omitted, the current value will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a number
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 695

# searchSubText

Signature hs.chooser:searchSubText([searchSubText]) -> hs.chooser object or boolean
Type Method
Description Gets/Sets whether the chooser should search in the sub-text of each item
Parameters
  • searchSubText - An optional boolean, true to search sub-text, false to not search sub-text. If this parameter is omitted, the current configuration value will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object if a value was set, or a boolean if no parameter was passed
Notes
  • This should be used before a chooser has been displayed
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 621

# select

Signature hs.chooser:select([row]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Closes the chooser by selecting the specified row, or the currently selected row if not given
Parameters
  • row - an optional integer specifying the row to select.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 781

# selectedRow

Signature hs.chooser:selectedRow([row]) -> number
Type Method
Description Get or set the currently selected row
Parameters
  • row - an optional integer specifying the row to select.
Returns
  • If an argument is provided, returns the hs.chooser object; otherwise returns a number containing the row currently selected (i.e. the one highlighted in the UI)
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 729

# selectedRowContents

Signature hs.chooser:selectedRowContents([row]) -> table
Type Method
Description Returns the contents of the currently selected or specified row
Parameters
  • row - an optional integer specifying the specific row to return the contents of
Returns
  • a table containing whatever information was supplied for the row currently selected or an empty table if no row is selected or the specified row does not exist.
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 758

# show

Signature hs.chooser:show([topLeftPoint]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Displays the chooser
Parameters
  • An optional hs.geometry point object describing the absolute screen co-ordinates for the top left point of the chooser window. Defaults to centering the window on the primary screen
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 43

# showCallback

Signature hs.chooser:showCallback([fn]) -> hs.chooser object
Type Method
Description Sets/clears a callback for when the chooser window is shown
Parameters
  • fn - An optional function that will be called when the chooser window is shown. If this parameter is omitted, the existing callback will be removed.
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object
Notes
  • This callback is called after the chooser is shown. To execute code just before it's shown (and/or after it's removed) see hs.chooser.globalCallback
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 228

# subTextColor

Signature hs.chooser:subTextColor(color) -> hs.chooser object or hs.color object
Type Method
Description Sets the sub-text color of the chooser
Parameters
  • color - An optional table containing a color specification (see hs.drawing.color), or nil to restore the default color. If this parameter is omitted, the existing color will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a color table
Notes None
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 500

# width

Signature hs.chooser:width([percent]) -> hs.chooser object or number
Type Method
Description Gets/Sets the width of the chooser
Parameters
  • percent - An optional number indicating the percentage of the width of the screen that the chooser should occupy. If this parameter is omitted, the current width will be returned
Returns
  • The hs.chooser object or a number
Notes
  • This should be used before a chooser has been displayed
Examples None
Source extensions/chooser/libchooser.m line 658

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