External_tool

What is IntelliJ external tool?

It's a way to link an external command (eg. apple script or shell script) to run from IntelliJ. Allowing to assign a shortcut within IntelliJ for activation.

Next question: Why would You want to integrate a something like a bash function as an external tool?

Creating IntelliJ plugin is a much higher undertaking then being able to link up to some quick bash functionality.

Why go through apple script to use bash?

Use apple script to activate an existing terminal for the following reasons:

• Allows usage of interactive commands such as fzf
• Allows using preloaded bash environment avoiding having to source bash files and making the external tools work snappy.

How to do it:

Setup apple script

Create an apple script:

Example:

/Users/nkondrat/vintrin-env/IntelliJ/external_tools/fzf_file.applescript

With content like:

on run argv
  if (count of argv) = 0 then
    display alert "No file path provided!"
    return
  end if

  set filePath to item 1 of argv

  tell application "Terminal"
    activate
    do script "intellij_external_tools.fzf_for_file " & quoted form of filePath in front window
  end tell
end run

Note in above example my main Terminal driver is iTerm but I use Terminal for the external tool so that it can be positioned in a way to aligns with how I want it to appear for usage of external tool.

Setup bash function

intellij_external_tools.fzf_for_file is a bash function in my environment that is ready to accept a file.

intellij_external_tools.fzf_for_file(){
  echo.func "${@}"

  intellij.for_given_file.open_at_line_using_fzf "${@}"
}

intellij.for_given_file.open_at_line_using_fzf ()
{
    echo.func "${@}";
    local file="${1:?file}";
    echo "${file:?}" | FileLineReferenceTabbed.create.from_piped_in.file_paths | FileLineReferenceTabbed.fzf | FileLineReferenceTabbed.open_in_intellij
}

Setup External Tool in IntelliJ

In Settings -> Tools -> External Tools add a new tool such as:

Notice how the program is osascript and the first argument is the script that we want to run. THe $FilePath$ is intellij provided argument (you can find a list of available arguments by clicking the + icon).

Note Worthy examples

on run argv
  if (count of argv) = 0 then
    display alert "No file path provided!"
    return
  end if

  set filePath to item 1 of argv

  tell application "Terminal"
--    activate

    do script "intellij_external_tools.copy_file_content_with_file_path " & quoted form of filePath in front window
  end tell
end run

1. SelectionStartColumn - Selected text start column number
2. SelectionStartLine - Selected text start line number
3. Sourcepath - Project source path
4. SourcepathEntry - Entry in the source path the element belongs to
5. TempDir - The directory for temporary files
6. UnixSeparators - Takes a parameter and converts separators to ‘/’. Example: $UnixSeparators(\foo\bar) → /foo/bar/
7. FileRelativeDir - File directory relative to the project file
8. FileRelativePath - File path relative to the project file
9. IsMake - Boolean value according to the performed compilation: true for make, false for force recompile
10. JavaDocPath - JavaDoc output directory
11. JDKPath - JDK path
12. LineNumber - Line number
13. ModuleFileDir - The directory of the module file
14. ModuleFilePath - The path to the module file
15. ModuleName - The name of the module file without extension
16. ModuleSdkPath - Module SDK path
17. ModuleSourcePath - Module source path
18. OSName - The name of the operating system in lowercase
19. OSUser - The name of the operating system user
20. OutputPath - Output path
21. Password - Displays a password input dialog
22. ProjectFileDir - The directory of the project file
23. ProjectName - The name of the project file without extension
24. Projectpath - Project source path
25. Prompt - Displays a string input dialog
26. PyInterpreterDirectory - The directory containing the Python interpreter selected for the project
27. RemoteProjectFileDir - Full path to the project directory on a remote server
28. SelectedText - Text selected in the editor
29. SelectionEndColumn - Selected text end column number
30. SelectionEndLine - Selected text end line number
31. AffectedModuleNames - The names of modules in the scope, comma-separated
32. Classpath - Project’s classpath
33. ClasspathEntry - Entry in the classpath the element belongs to
34. ClipboardContent - The clipboard content
35. ColumnNumber - Column number
36. ContentRoot - Content root path the file belongs to
37. FileClass - Class name
38. FileDir - File directory
39. FileDirName - File directory name
40. FileDirPathFromParent - Path to $FileDir$ from the parent directory with the name passed as a parameter
41. FileDirRelativeToProjectRoot - File directory relative to the module content root the file belongs to
42. FileDirRelativeToSourcepath - File directory relative to the source path root the file belongs to
43. FileEncoding - File encoding
44. FileExt - File extension
45. FileFQPackage - File fully qualified package
46. FileName - File name
47. FileNameWithoutAllExtensions - File name without all extensions
48. FileNameWithoutExtension - File name without extension
49. FilePackage - File package
50. FileParentDir - File parent directory. Takes an optional parameter (name) to find the parent directory
51. FilePath - File path
52. FilePathRelativeToProjectRoot - File path relative to the module content root the file belongs to
53. FilePathRelativeToSourcepath - File path relative to the source path root the file belongs to
54. FilePrompt - Shows a file chooser dialog