BetterTouchTool doesn't seem like it is script based?

Configuration Help & General Discussion
1

Is it fair to say that Keyboard Maestro is much more script based where within the script you can define triggers whereas BetterTouchTool is much more trigger based.
I don't even see where you can define scripts to be used in different places or for one script to call another.

2

Hi @menashehertz, using Reusable Named Triggers in BTT, you can define "scripts" that can be used in different places such that it can be called from other "scripts". Reusable Named Triggers in BTT are similar to Macros in KM.

For example, you could create a new Reusable Named Trigger, give it a name, and then assign one of BTT's scripting actions (e.g. Run Real JavaScript, Run AppleScript / JXA, Execute Shell Script) to it. Now you can reference and trigger this action from:

  • Any BTT trigger (e.g. Keyboard Shortcut, Trackpad, a Floating Menu, etc.)
  • Any script defined in BTT
  • Any script defined outside of BTT

I suggest reading the docs as well as these relevant topics:

  1. Reusable Named Triggers docs: Reusable Named Triggers · GitBook
  2. Scripting BTT docs: Scripting BetterTouchTool · GitBook
  3. I feel so dumb but I still can't quite grasp 'Named Triggers' are how to use them.

Hope this helps!

2 Likes
3

can you describe, maybe with an example, what you mean by script based? BTT supports a lot of scripting, but I don’t know KM well enough to say anything about it.

4

First of all thank you very much for a superior useful product. I really like it.

I am learning the product and didnt see named triggers. but I find it a bit unintuitive. correct me if I am wrong but these are really scripts/macros or as refered to, automations. while the rest rest of the options are user based triggers.

I kind of feel that the way of navigating to them is a bit confusing. They should be in their own section.

Also, was there a way of grouping and subgrouping them?

Thanks

Steven

5

Thank you. You gave me a very good starting point to begin to understand.

6

Everything that executes an "Action Sequence" is called a "Trigger" in BetterTouchTool. (Or defined the other way around, every "Trigger" in BTT has an "Action Sequence" assigned. Triggers can be many things, e.g. keyboard shortcuts, trackpad gestures, scripts, system events or the mentioned "Named Triggers" (to name a few). What makes named triggers useful is that they can easily be triggered via scripts or from other action sequences, so if you have an action sequence which you want to trigger from multiple places, setting it up as named trigger often makes sense.

You can group them by creating folders.

7

OK, I see how you're looking at it. Thanks about folders. I totally missed it.