Can users create an "alias" of a command to run a ULP?

[samykamkar]

I'm using more ULPs and sometimes using hotkeys, but other times I'm using ULPs that have optional arguments I'd like to enter. "run ulpname arguments" works fine, but it would be nice to create an alias of "run ulpname" to a different command, eg just "ulpname". I can of course adjust the ULP file name to shorten it, but removing the "Run " would be nice as well in some common cases.

Is there a way to do this?

Thanks!

[edwin.robledo]

Hi SamyKamkar,

Your ideas and suggestion are greatly appreciated, by this time you have discovered that you can assign keyboard shortcuts or just command line the ULP using the RUN in front. But there doesn't exist an alias option for ULP, remember that by right clicking the ULP icon, you will have a history of the most recently used ULP's.  I will talk to the team and have them consider your idea as a future option!!

Best Regards,

Ed

[samykamkar]

Hi Ed,

Great, thanks! Right clicking is another great feature, thanks for pointing that out, however I'm more in the keyboard camp and trying to use keyboard as much as possible within Eagle.

If you do consider this suggestion of aliases, I would add the ability to use arguments similar to bash. For example, $0 is alias name, $1 is first argument, $2 is second argument, etc. $* is all arguments, and $# is number of arguments passed.

This way I might have aliases set up like:

"fp" -> "run find.ulp pad $*" (find pads)

"f" -> "run find.ulp $2 value $1" (if i wanted to switch around arguments)

Thanks!

[C.Nicks]

Hey Samy,

Your question inspired me to make a preset launching ulp. You can program in any command as a preset number in the board, schematic, and library independently. The presets will even run in any order you call them sequentially. You could even use multiple copies to have presets call presets.

This ulp could probably be extended to use delimited arguments fairly easily.

Let me know what you think.

For some reason the forum will not accept .ulp extension, so it has been renamed to .txt.

[edwin.robledo]

Hi Cameron.

GREAT STUFF!! Thanks for sharing!!

Edwin

[rachaelATWH4]

Hi Samy,

You could write a one line ulp for each alias. So you would have:

fp.ulp contains

exit(run find.ulp path argv[1];);

and f.ulp contains

exit(run find argv[2] value argv[1];);

I've not tested this as I am away from my laptop and just on my phone but I think it should work.

Best Regards,

Rachael

[samykamkar]

Hi Rachael, thanks for the suggestion!

I primarily don't like typing "run " ('ru' is shorter and will work, but it's still repetitive). I'm fine with creating custom ULPs to handle arguments but if the team is going to add aliases, it would also be nice to have the args available within Eagle itself to more effectively manage.

[rachaelATWH4]

Hi Samy,

Yes I agree, it would be nice to be able to run the ulp as if it were a command without needing the run command and creating aliases seems a reasonable way to achieve this. An alternative which would work with my suggestion above would be to make it so if what you type doesn't match a command it searches the ulp path for a ulp to run, if nothing there then the script path.

Best Regards,

Rachael