Subject: Easier Way to Populate Lists from External Files (CSV/TXT) in BetterTouchTool?
Sometimes it can be quite tedious to populate lists in BetterTouchTool — for example, when creating a list of folder paths or items to choose from in a floating menu. Right now, it seems I have to add each item manually, either as separate rules or line-by-line in a list widget.
I’m wondering:
Is there a more efficient way to populate lists in BTT — ideally by referencing a CSV or plain text file that can be easily edited externally?
Example 1 — List for Quick Pasting in Safari
I currently use a shortcut that brings up a list of email addresses, physical addresses, etc., in Safari — allowing me to quickly paste them. However, each item in that list requires its own trigger, even though they all use the same gesture. This quickly becomes messy and hard to maintain.
Example 2 — CSV-Based Script (Workaround)
I’ve created a partial workaround using AppleScript in BTT, which loads a list from a CSV file. I can select and copy an item from it — in this case, I used it to paste items from a price list. While this works, it feels like a hack and isn't very scalable.
Ideal Scenario
What I’d love is something like what Keyboard Maestro offers:
- You can reference a text file for dynamic input
- Or use a variable that contains multiple values
This makes it easy to maintain long lists without touching the UI.
Here are two screenshots from Keyboard Maestro for comparison:
Keyboard Maestro – referencing a list from a text file or variable:
Final Question
Is there a smarter or more dynamic way to create lists in BetterTouchTool — especially ones that can be maintained in a single external file — without needing to update every trigger or button individually?
I don’t have programming skills and often rely on ChatGPT to put together AppleScript or workflows. There might be a better feature in BTT that I’ve overlooked — it's such a powerful tool that it’s easy to miss things.
Any tips, ideas, or workarounds would be much appreciated!
(used chatgpt to make the text more clear)