Automation April: Creating Show Notes from GoodLinks

This month is the second annual Automation April, a celebration of automation on Apple platforms hosted by the team at MacStories. It’s a time for the community to share ideas and learn together as we try to make our devices work for us. And it’s a lot of fun.

I like to tinker with Shortcuts year-round. I’ve created several that have made my devices more personal and certain tasks much simpler in my daily workflows. But recently, I’ve been working on something that I thought might be beneficial to other people as well, and so I decided to share it as a part of this special month-long event.

My shortcut is called Show Notes from GoodLinks, and it’s meant to help podcasters, YouTubers, and other creators generate show notes automatically from content they’ve saved in GoodLinks. I’ve been using it for the past couple of months to quickly make episode notes for my podcast Magic Rays of Light, and it’s been really helpful.

How It Works

At a high level, Show Notes from GoodLinks pulls links from tags you select in GoodLinks, combines them with introductory and closing text that you provide, and saves the formatted show notes in the Notes app. It’s pretty simple when you break it down.

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The list of tags is the basis for your show notes.

It all starts with a list of the tags you’d like to pull from. You enter these tags when you first install Show Notes from GoodLinks, and the list can be edited anytime at the top of the shortcut. You can list as many tags as you like. I have eight tags in my list, and they correspond to the segments on my podcast. Some might just have a single podcast tag in GoodLinks that they’d like to pull from, and that works, too.

Once you’ve got your list of tags set, the shortcut checks to see where you’d like your show notes to be saved to. You can point the shortcut to an existing note, enter the name of a new note you’d like to create, or leave the note name blank and let the shortcut automatically generate a note for you. I have a persistent note called Show Notes that is updated every time I run the shortcut, but you can create a new note each time you run the shortcut if you prefer.

Next is the introductory text. Many podcasts and channels have a fixed bit of information that they like to include at the beginning of show notes, and that can be entered here. If you’d prefer to enter custom introductory text each time you run the shortcut, you can change this text variable to Ask Each Time. Either way, the shortcut adds your introductory text to the top of the show note.

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These two repeat loops bring your links in the show notes.

After the introductory text comes the main section: links. Using nested repeat loops, the shortcut will loop through each tag in your list and add every link in that tag to the show notes. It’s a lot of fun to watch your note magically fill with all the links you’ve been saving! At the end, you have a nice, clean list of all of your links.

Then the shortcut will optionally add closing text to the show notes. Like the introductory text, this can be the same every time you run the shortcut, or you can set it to Ask Each Time.

Finally, the shortcut will open your show notes so you can see them in all their glory.

That’s how Show Notes from GoodLinks works. It’s not too complicated, but it saves a lot of copying, pasting, and formatting that usually goes into making show notes. Since I’ve started using it, I’ve been able to store all of my links nicely in GoodLinks and quickly extract them when the time comes.

Side Note: The Problem with Tags

This shortcut does highlight one issue with using tags as a primary organizational structure: Tags disappear when they have no content.

In this use case, that presents a problem because Show Notes from GoodLinks looks for the same tags each time it runs, but users will likely clear out their links from the app once their show notes have been created. Especially for shows that publish on a regular schedule, show notes are constantly being cleared out and started from scratch to keep the content fresh and relevant.

So if empty tags in GoodLinks disappear and the nature of show notes requires that links be deleted regularly, how does one ensure that the correct tags are available in GoodLinks each time the shortcut is run? This was an issue I had to work through when I first tried using GoodLinks for this purpose.

Here’s the solution I came up with: I added a random link to GoodLinks and tagged it with each of my tags, marked it as read, and then adjusted a couple of settings in GoodLinks to make it disappear. By choosing Hide Read Links in each tag view and changing the setting Badges > Links & Tags to unread only, I was able to hide this junk link and make my tags appear empty. But since they technically have a hidden link in them, the tags no longer disappear, even when they appear to have zero links. (I also changed the Mark As Read setting to Manual to make sure the links I want in my show notes don’t accidentally get marked as read and hidden.)

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You’ll want to adjust this toggle if you’re using a hidden link to create permanent tags in GoodLinks.

This solution also requires one adjustment to Show Notes from GoodLinks. The Get Links action has a parameter called Include Read Links that is on by default. If you use my solution to create empty tags in GoodLinks, you’ll want to toggle this parameter to off. Otherwise, the hidden junk link will be exported each time the shortcut is run.

Of course, the other option would be to manually recreate your tags each time they get cleared out, but that leaves a lot of room for error. It’s unfortunate that GoodLinks relies only on tags to organize links rather than allowing users to create custom, permanent folders. But that’s an option the developer is considering, so I hope it changes soon and I no longer have to rely on my workaround.

In the meantime, it works well. Now that it’s set up, I don’t even notice it anymore, but it is something to keep in mind when using this shortcut.

Next Steps

I created Show Notes from GoodLinks with the hope of making it useful to as many people as possible. In its current form, I think it’s something a lot of people could benefit from. One thing I love about it, though, is that it can also be adapted to fit other peoples’ specific use cases as well.

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My customized version of Show Notes from GoodLinks uses a dictionary rather than a list to store tags, allowing the addition of prefixes to links in the show notes.

One extension I’ve added to my own version of the shortcut is link prefixes. For certain segments of my podcast, I want links to have a word or phrase in front of them. If Sigmund and I are discussing a trailer on the podcast, I want to the word “Trailer:” to appear in front of the link in our show notes. I accomplished this by storing my GoodLinks tags in a dictionary rather than a list with the tags as keys and the prefixes as values. Then when I add those links to my show note, I can automatically put the prefix in front of them.

This shortcut can also be used with link-saving apps other than GoodLinks. I originally built it to work with Anh Do’s upcoming app Interlink before switching to GoodLinks. By changing one action (the Get Links action), the shortcut can pull links from Interlink when it’s released. I’ve also tried subbing in an action from Anybox in place of GoodLinks and believe it can work with a bit of finessing, though I ended up deciding not to pursue it myself. I’m hopeful the shortcut will be compatible with other apps in the future as well.

Another way I’ve customized the shortcut to fit my use case is by adding a Delete Links action at the end to remove all unread links from GoodLinks. This wasn’t something I was comfortable including in the public version of the shortcut because I didn’t want anyone to accidentally lose any data, but it’s saved me from having to go in and manually clear out GoodLinks every week. Just another example of getting my devices to do the work for me!

I’m sure there are many other ways Show Notes from GoodLinks can be customized to fit the needs of others. I’m always open to ideas, and if you end up giving the shortcut a try and putting on your own spin on it, I’d love to hear about it.

This is the first shortcut I’ve ever made that I felt like truly had a use case outside of my own personal workflow, and I’m happy to be sharing it. If you’d like, you can download Show Notes from GoodLinks and try it yourself. It’s saved me a ton of time and effort lately, and I hope it can do the same for someone else.

Thanks for reading, and happy Automation April!

Safari Extensions

It’s been a year and a half since Apple added Safari extension support to iOS and iPadOS, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how popular they are. If you’ve never used one, a Safari extension is a tool that adds functionality to the web browser on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. They’re really cool.

I recently revamped my approach to Safari extensions, removing a few that I didn’t find useful anymore and taking on a couple that I thought might make my browsing experience better. Here are the Safari extensions I’m using right now:

• Mapper: I use Apple Maps for navigating, but most address links online send you to Google Maps. Rather than copying and pasting addresses from the web, I use Mapper. It automatically redirects any Google Maps links to Apple Maps. This extension alone has saved me so much time and so many headaches. ($2 one-time purchase.)

• Vinegar: I enjoy watching YouTube videos, but I don’t love YouTube’s video player. Vinegar automatically replaces YouTube’s player with the standard Apple video player, which I find easier to use. I’ve been using this extension ever since it came out, and I can’t imagine watching videos online without it. ($2 one-time purchase.)

• Baking Soda: What Vinegar does for YouTube, Baking Soda does for other videos you come across in Safari. I love the ability to watch any video online in the standard Apple video player. ($2 one-time purchase, or available in a bundle with Vinegar for $3.)

• Noir: Some website offer a special dark mode to match your device’s display settings. For everything else, there’s Noir. It will detect when your device is in dark mode and automatically darken the websites you visit if they don’t have a dark theme of their own. ($3 one-time purchase on iPhone and iPad; separate $3 one-time purchase on Mac.)

• 1Blocker: I don’t have an issue with online ads per se. Everyone has to pay their bills. But some websites have gotten out of control with overwhelming, intrusive ads that keep me from enjoying the content. 1Blocker removes the ads on those sites while enabling me to allow them on the websites I know are respectful and just trying to keep offering good content. (Free ad-blocking; $15/year to unlock other features like blocking web and app trackers.)

• Banish: Banish blocks those annoying “Open in App” banners on websites like Reddit and Google Docs. Sometimes I just want to use the web! ($3 one-time purchase.)

• Hush: This is the latest addition to my collection, and it’s working great so far. Hush blocks cookie notice on websites so you don’t have to click the “Accept” button every time you shop online or read the news. (Free.)

• Web Inspector: There isn’t a built-in webpage inspector in Safari on iPhone and iPad, but that’s okay because Web Inspector fulfills that need nicely. I like this one because it includes the ability to search a page’s code for specific text, which makes it easy for me to find exactly what I need. (Free.)

• Amplosion: Have you ever clicked on a news article in Google results and been taken to a weird, Google-ified version of the page rather than the actual website? I haven’t for a long time, thanks to Amplosion. It redirects you away from AMP pages to the real sites you’re trying to access. ($2 one-time purchase.)

Most of these extensions are available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. And last year, Apple added the ability to sync extensions across devices, making it easy for me to have a consistent Safari experience no matter what I’m using.

These tools have made web browsing a lot nicer for me. I’m glad that Apple added this extensibility to Safari, and I’m endlessly grateful to the developers who took the time to make these great tools.

Do any of these Safari extensions interest you? I’d love to know if you decide to try any on my list. And if I’m missing out on a good one, please let me know. Thanks for reading!

Use What Works For You

The iPad is a never-ending source of debate within the Apple community. Is it an actual computer? Can you get real work done on it? Is it the future? We can’t ever seem to decide.

In the wake of Stage Manager’s controversial rollout and a low-key update to the iPad Pro last fall, there’s been a new wave of opinions on the iPad’s place in Apple’s lineup and the lives of its users. Some of those who’ve long been the iPad’s biggest apologists are now looking elsewhere to meet their computing needs. Others are simply souring on the platform’s potential to ever be more than it currently is. The overall vibe on the iPad right now is pretty negative.

I found this all discouraging at first. As someone who’s used the iPad as their main computer for several years, I’m pretty attached to it. I have a lot of love for the platform because of all that it’s enabled me to do. So to see many people I respect feeling down on the iPad was jarring to me.

This led me to wonder if I had become stuck in my ways. I thought, “Am I in the wrong for continuing to use this device that I love so dearly? Am I letting my positive feelings toward the iPad cloud my judgment? Should I considering moving away from it, too?”

I’d be lying if I said I don’t get a bit of a thrill from being on the cutting edge. That’s what being an iPad user has felt like for a long time. But now, the general consensus is that the iPad is the old way. It’s dying. It’s time to move on.

But the more I considered this idea, the more sure I became that that isn’t the right approach for me. The reason I use the iPad is that it works for me. The hardware, the operating system, the input mechanisms, the apps—they all come together to enable me to do the things I love to do. There’s no reason to give up on that just because others might.

The truth is that I could switch away from the iPad right now. I could put it in a drawer, walk away, and never pick it up again. I’ve got a work-commissioned MacBook Pro and and iMac at home that would be more than capable of doing what I need them to do. A lot of my favorite apps even run on the Mac, and I’m sure I could find decent substitutes for the ones that don’t.

So why am I still so attracted to the iPad? There are a lot of reasons. iPadOS makes more sense to me than macOS does. I can use it more naturally and efficiently because I just connect with it. Being able to use touch and the Apple Pencil as input methods in addition to a trackpad and keyboard means I have the ultimate flexibility. And there’s still nothing quite like holding my computer tablet-style and being able to directly touch what I’m working on with my hands.

At the end of the day, the iPad is what works for me. Maybe it doesn’t work for everyone, and that’s okay. We each have to find and use whatever system works best for us. I can’t fault someone for finding a better fit for them, just like I hope no one will fault me for my choice.

Other people finding use elsewhere doesn’t diminish the value of my setup or what I’m able to do with it. That’s the beauty of technology: It’s personal, and everyone can use it to create the solutions they need. So as much as I understand why many are turning away from the iPad, I’m choosing to lean into it even more. And I can be confident in that decision knowing it’s the best one for me.

Dark Mode

It’s not often that I add a new feature to the website at this point, but last night, I implemented something that’s long overdue: dark mode! Now, the appearance of the blog will change based on your device’s setting. Whether you prefer light mode, dark mode, or (like me) switching between the two, you’ll get a matching look here.

I’m really excited about this change. Ever since I started using the Noir Safari extension to force my site into dark mode at night, I’ve loved the way it looks and wanted to make it available to everyone. But since Squarespace doesn’t support offering sites in dark mode, I didn’t think it was possible. Then I stumbled upon this plugin from Code + Tonic, and I knew I had to give it a try. After a bit of tinkering, I think the result is pretty great.

I invite you to switch your device to dark mode and give the new theme a try. And of course, if you have any thoughts on the look, I’d love to hear them.

Honoring Developer Alex Hay →

I was saddened to hear that Alex Hay, developer of apps like Toolbox Pro and Logger, passed away recently. His work was not only a great resource for the Shortcuts community, but an inspiration to everyone who seeks to make their devices work for them. He was also a generous and kind person in general, always willing to help others with his deep knowledge.

The team at MacStories have decided, with the blessing of Alex’s family, to dedicated the upcoming Automation April event to his memory. In his touching article remembering Alex, John Voorhees shared beautiful words about his impact and legacy. This sentence in particular struck a chord with me:

[Developers] are the artists of our time, and their imagination, creativity, and passion are what inspire us.

I couldn’t say it any better. Independent app development is a difficult profession, but it makes life better for so many people in myriad ways. I’m so thankful for people who choose to pursue it.

Alex Hay was one of the developers who had an impact on my life through his work, and he will be missed. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Alex.