Aliases

Why should you use aliases?

For example, if you'd like to create file in the Sublime Text Packages directory, on Windows, you'd have to type ~/AppData/Roaming/Sublime Text 3/Packages and then, the name/path of your file. Because you have access to those aliases

Alias Name	Value (changes, that's the good part )
project_extension	sublime-project
project_name	FileManagerDocs.sublime-project
file_name	Aliases.md
packages	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages
project_base_name	FileManagerDocs
file_base_name	Aliases
file	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages\FileManagerDocs\wiki\Aliases.md
folder	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages\FileManagerDocs
file_extension	md
project_path	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages\User\Projects
file_path	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages\FileManagerDocs\wiki
project	C:\Users\math\AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages\User\Projects\FileManagerDocs.sublime-project
platform	Windows

You can just type $packages and it's the exact same. Sounds good? Then keep reading

Note

The values are the ones I get when, as you can see, I'm editing this page (Aliases.md), I'm on Windows, the project name is FileManagerDocs.sublime-project etc...

So, the table above shows all the aliases you have access to by default when you use any input shown by FileManager.

When you want to use those prefixes, you have to prefix them with a $, like so: $packages, $project_base_name, etc.

Usage

Note

This variable system is exactly the same as the snippets variables. So, if you already know how to use them, then you can skip this part. Otherwise, then keep reading, what are you waiting for?

As I just said earlier, every aliases have to be prefixed by a $. But you can also wrap the alias' name with some {curly braces}, with the $, like so: ${my var}.

When should you use curly braces? When there is character in the alias name that aren't normally allowed (such as spaces).

string: "Hello $var!"
aliases: 
    - "var": "world"

result: "Hello world!"

string: "Hello ${my var}!"
aliases: 
    - "my var": "world"

result: "Hello world!"

What if I try to use an alias that doesn't exists?

The default value of every aliases are an empty string ''. So, it will be replaced by an empty string.

string: "Hello ${world}"
aliases: 
    - "something": "a value"

result: "Hello "

Changing the default value

If you want to change the default value, in case the alias is not defined, you can do it like so: ${my var:default value}

string: "${my undefined var:my default value} and some text"
aliases: <empty>
result: "my default value and some text"

string: "${my undefined var:my default value} and some text"
aliases: 
    - "my undefined var": "hello"
result: "hello and some text"

Escaping

What if I want to use a literal $?

Just prefix it by an other $!

string: "Hello $$var"
aliases:
    - var: "it doesn't matter"
result: "Hello $$var"

Note

the function sublime.expand_variables escape the $ using a backslash (\). So, for the snippets, you'd have to escape with a \. The problem is that FileManager auto replaces the backslash by forward slashes (because of Windows), and because $ can be in a file name, there's no way to tell if it's an escaped dollar sign, or a path.

Nesting

You can nest them, like so: ${var1:${var2:default}}.

Regex and format string: substitutions

This part is, just as nesting, and default values, probably not of any use for FileManager. I just wanted to mention it because it's useful for the snippets. You can find more info about it on the community powered unofficial documentation

Real example

For example, if you run the fm_create command (alt+n):

$packages/FileManager/FMcommands

It will open the "browser" listing all the commands of FileManager, (because each of them are in a separated file).

Custom aliases

This is the good part. In your settings, you can specify an option: aliases. It has to be an object.

"aliases": {
    "name": "value (with other $aliases if you want to)"
}

Warning

In the name, do not specify the prefixing $. It won't work otherwise.

In your alias' value, you can use other aliases. And those aliases can use others, etc... It's recursive, there's no limit (almost).

"aliases": {
    "st": "$packages", // because being lazy is the first quality of a programmer ;)
    "stu": "$st/User",
}

You see? It's fairly simple, but it saves (at least for me) a fair bit of time! (because I love having a look at the plugins code, okay, but I'm sure you'll find a use too!)

Watch out for infinite loops!

Because aliases can "call" each other, it can make an infinite loop... And you don't want this.

An example of infinite loop

"aliases": {
    "first": "include $second",
    "second": "include $first"
}

As you can see, they're going to call each other over and over again. So, an error message will pop up, telling you that there's been an infinite loop, and you need to check your aliases. It will also open your default browser right here. If you want to disable this last behaviour, add this to your settings:

"open_help_on_alias_infinite_loop": false,

Note

The limit is 100. If there is more than 100 recursions, it will stop, and show up the error message, as explained earlier.

Watch out for the viscous ones! This one is fairly simple, there's only 2 steps. But here's a not-so-well-intentioned one:

"aliases": {
    "first": "include $second",
    "second": "hello $third",
    "third": "show $forth",
    "forth": "loop $first"
}