macOS Shortcuts Skill

macOS Shortcuts Skill

This skill provides integration with macOS Shortcuts, allowing you to list, view, and run shortcuts directly from the command line.

Available Commands

1. List Available Shortcuts

Use the shortcuts list command to display all available shortcuts on the system.

Command:

shortcuts list

When to use:

• User asks to see all shortcuts
• User wants to know what shortcuts are available
• User needs to find a specific shortcut name

Example output:

My Morning Routine
Send Weekly Report
Process Screenshots
Convert to PDF

2. View Shortcut in Shortcuts App

Use the shortcuts view command to open a specific shortcut in the Shortcuts app for editing or inspection.

Command:

shortcuts view "<shortcut-name>"

When to use:

• User wants to see how a shortcut is configured
• User wants to edit a shortcut
• User wants to inspect a shortcut's actions

Important:

• The shortcut name must match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Use quotes around the shortcut name if it contains spaces

Example:

shortcuts view "My Morning Routine"

3. Run a Shortcut

Use the shortcuts run command to execute a shortcut. You can optionally provide input to the shortcut.

Command (without input):

shortcuts run "<shortcut-name>"

Command (with input):

shortcuts run "<shortcut-name>" --input-path <file-path>

Or with text input:

echo "some text" | shortcuts run "<shortcut-name>"

When to use:

• User wants to execute a shortcut
• User needs to run a shortcut with specific input
• User wants to automate a task using an existing shortcut

Important:

• The shortcut name must match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Use quotes around the shortcut name if it contains spaces
• Some shortcuts may require input, while others don't
• The output depends on what the shortcut returns

Examples:

# Run a simple shortcut
shortcuts run "Convert to PDF"

# Run a shortcut with file input
shortcuts run "Process Image" --input-path /​path/​to/​image.jpg

# Run a shortcut with text input
echo "Hello World" | shortcuts run "Translate to Spanish"

Error Handling

If a shortcut name doesn't exist, you'll see an error like:

The shortcut "Name" could not be found.

In this case:

1. First run shortcuts list to see available shortcuts
2. Verify the exact name (including capitalization)
3. Use quotes if the name contains spaces

Tips

• Shortcut names are case-sensitive
• Always use quotes around shortcut names that contain spaces
• Use shortcuts list first if you're unsure of the exact name
• Some shortcuts may take time to execute, so be patient
• Shortcuts can return various types of output (text, files, etc.)

Common Use Cases

1. Listing shortcuts before running: First list all shortcuts to find the exact name, then run it
2. Batch processing: Run shortcuts in loops or scripts for automation
3. Integration with other tools: Use shortcuts as part of larger workflows
4. Quick automation: Access powerful macOS automation without leaving the terminal