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Parameters

To support snippet parameters, SnipKit requires special parameter syntax in your scripts.

Info

The parameter syntax used by SnipKit ensures that your scripts remain fully functional even when not executed via SnipKit. All parameter information is described through comments, making it a consistent way to document your scripts.

Tip

SnipKit Assistant helps you write snippets using the correct parameter syntax.

Parameter Names & Descriptions

Example snippet
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# some comment
# ${VAR1} Name: First Output
# ${VAR1} Description: What to print on the terminal first
echo "${VAR1}"

Each comment which corresponds to a variable starts with # ${<varName>} with <varName> referring to the variable name used in your script (e.g., VAR1 in the example).

  • Line 1 is ignored by SnipKit since it does not adhere to this pattern.
  • Line 2 defines the name of the parameter as displayed by SnipKit when presenting you parameter input form.
  • Line 3 describes the usage of the parameter. As of now, the description will be used as a placeholder value for an empty parameter input field.
  • Line 4 uses the parameter. It does not correspond to the parameter syntax and belongs to your script.

Default parameter name and type

If you don't specify a parameter name, the name of the variable will be used instead, e.g., VAR1 in the example. In case you don't provide a type (e.g., PASSWORD or PATH - see below), the default is TEXT

Default Values

You can define a default value for each parameter:

Example snippet with a parameter default value
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# some comment
# ${VAR1} Default: Hello World!
echo "${VAR1}"

This way, the input field for parameter VAR1 will be automatically filled with Hello World.

Pre-defined values

You can add multiple pre-defined values for a parameter in order to ease filling the input form:

Example snippet with pre-defined values for a parameter
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# some comment
# ${VAR1} Values: One + some more, "Two",Three,  ,
# ${VAR1} Values: Four\, and some more, Five
echo "${VAR1}"

The example defines the values One + some more, "Two", Three, Four, and some more, and Five. Empty pre-defined values will be omitted.

Demo

You can define multiple lines starting with ${<varname>} Values: to list pre-defined values. The listed values will be joined by SnipKit. Each value must be seperated by the next via the character ,.

Attention

If the value contains a comma itself, it needs to be escaped via \,.

Passwords

A parameter can be marked to be a password. In this case, the actual characters of the input will be masked.

Example snippet with a PASSWORD parameter
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# ${PW} Name: Login password
# ${PW} Type: PASSWORD
login ${PW}

Demo

Marking the parameter PW as password happens in line 2 by defining Type: PASSWOPRD.

Paths

Often, parameters are a path to a file or a directory. In this case, SnipKit is able to provide you with autocomplete suggestions:

Example snippet with a PATH parameters
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# ${FILE} Name: File path
# ${FILE} Type: PATH
git ls-files "${FILE}" | xargs wc -l

Demo

Marking the parameter PW as password happens in line 2 by defining Type: PASSWOPRD.