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Comment by anselmio | Hacker News Reader

The new Shortcuts app by Apple (must be downloaded separately: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/workflow/id915249334?mt=8) is definitely interesting. An example from the description: "Run custom scripts in Safari with the new Run JavaScript on Web Page action".

Edit: Just discovered that there's also "Run Script Over SSH" that takes input passed to a shell script (stdin) and returns the output from the shell script (stdout).

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The "new" app is actually not so new, and it was previously called Workflow (https://www.workflow.is/). Looks like they bought it and rebranded it as Shortcuts.

The bought it early last year. https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/22/apple-has-acquired-workflo...

I never used it before, or maybe once on my iPad. But did it have as tight an integration before? I assume Apple added some iOS level things that really put it over the top. The Siri shortcut for sure. Either way I’ve already spent a couple hours with it today just hacking random scripts together. It’s great!

Minor note for former Workflow users, it appears that the old Workflow app automatically updates to Apple's new Shortcuts app when you install the release version.

I'd been on the public beta and was surprised to see Shortcuts preinstalled when I updated.

Anyone notice any major downsides, regressions, feature removals? The original app was powerful but quite complicated to use, I imagine Apple dumbed it down a bit for widespread adoption.

I lost most of my publishing shortcuts, which was expected, but lost the complication in the Apple Watch and its button launcher, which was critical for my commutes...

They added the ability to record a custom Siri command to trigger a workflow, perhaps that might help.

No, they also broke all forms of watch input. There is zero UI for shortcuts on the watch, so I can’t tap a complication and use a simple menu to fetch ETAs for public transit anymore.

You missed what the parent was saying - assign your shortcut a Siri phrase and then use it in your watch. I’ve been doing that since the Shortcuts beta started and it’s fine.

It doesn’t work when the background actions require some form of interaction

> Run custom scripts in Safari with the new Run JavaScript on Web Page action

Does this mean it's possible to have a javascript run after page load every time? This would effectively make it possible to have a browser extension. Previously it was limited to "action extensions" — which had to be manually activated on every single page. This could take 2-3 taps, and obviously they were hardly ever used.

I think you have to manually trigger it.

I'm loving the new Shortcuts app, but I've found bugs.

The "Get current location" action doesn't seem to work reliably outside of the Shortcuts app itself. Particularly not within Siri.

Is it a location services privacy issue?

It looks awesome. I can put that shortcut as a separate app. Very promising.

I tried `Calculate tip` from gallery.

> How much is the bill?

> Your tip is $2.500,00 and your total is $2.550,00

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