Add ability to pass template path with --template

Update jrnl/args.py

docs/tips-and-tricks.md

@@ -74,49 +74,52 @@ jrnlimport () {
 }
 ```
 
-## Using templates
+## Using Templates
 
 !!! note
     Templates require an [external editor](./advanced.md) be configured.
 
-A template is a code snippet that makes it easier to use repeated text
-each time a new journal entry is started. There are two ways you can utilize
-templates in your entries.
+Templates are text files that are used for creating structured journals.
+There are three ways you can use templates:
 
-### 1. Command line arguments
+### 1. Use the `--template` command line argument and the default $XDG_DATA_HOME/jrnl/templates directory
 
-If you had a `template.txt` file with the following contents:
+`$XDG_DATA_HOME/jrnl/templates` is created by default to store your templates! Create a template (like `default.md`) in this directory and pass `--template FILE_IN_DIR`.
 
 ```sh
+jrnl --template default.md
+```
+
+### 2. Use the `--template` command line argument with a local / absolute path
+
+You can create a template file with any text. Here is an example:
+
+```sh
+# /tmp/template.txt
 My Personal Journal
 Title:
 
 Body:
 ```
 
-The `template.txt` file could be used to create a new entry with these
-command line arguments:
+Then, pass the absolute or relative path to the template file as an argument, and your external
+editor will open and have your template pre-populated.
 
 ```sh
-jrnl < template.txt     # Imports template.txt as the most recent entry
-jrnl -1 --edit          # Opens the most recent entry in the editor
+jrnl --template /tmp/template.md
 ```
 
-### 2. Include the template file in `jrnl.yaml`
+### 3. Set a default template file in `jrnl.yaml`
 
-A more efficient way to work with a template file is to declare the file
-in your [config file](./reference-config-file.md) by changing the `template`
-setting from `false` to the template file's path in double quotes:
+If you want a template by default, change the value of `template` in the [config file](./reference-config-file.md)
+from `false` to the template file's path, wrapped in double quotes:
 
 ```sh
 ...
 template: "/path/to/template.txt"
 ...
 ```
 
-Changes can be saved as you continue writing the journal entry and will be
-logged as a new entry in the journal you specified in the original argument.
-
 !!! tip
     To read your journal entry or to verify the entry saved, you can use this
     command: `jrnl -n 1` (Check out [Formats](./formats.md) for more options).
@@ -219,4 +222,3 @@ To cause vi to jump to the end of the last line of the entry you edit, in your c
 ```yaml
 editor: vi + -c "call cursor('.',strwidth(getline('.')))"
 ```
-

jrnl/args.py

@@ -174,6 +174,11 @@ def parse_args(args: list[str] = []) -> argparse.Namespace:
         "Writing", textwrap.dedent(compose_msg).strip()
     )
     composing.add_argument("text", metavar="", nargs="*")
+    composing.add_argument(
+        "--template",
+        dest="template",
+        help="Path to template file. Can be a local path, absolute path, or a path relative to $JRNL_TEMPLATE_DIR",
+    )
 
     read_msg = (
         "To find entries from your journal, use any combination of the below filters."
@@ -372,7 +377,7 @@ def parse_args(args: list[str] = []) -> argparse.Namespace:
         default="",
         help="""
         Overrides default (created when first installed) config file for this command only.
-        
+
         Examples: \n
         \t - Use a work config file for this jrnl entry, call: \n
             \t jrnl --config-file /home/user1/work_config.yaml

jrnl/config.py

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
 import os
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 from typing import Callable
 
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@
 
 
 def make_yaml_valid_dict(input: list) -> dict:
-
     """
 
     Convert a two-element list of configuration key-value pair into a flat dict.
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ def save_config(config: dict, alt_config_path: str | None = None) -> None:
         yaml.dump(config, f)
 
 
-def get_config_path() -> str:
+def get_config_directory() -> str:
     try:
-        config_directory_path = xdg.BaseDirectory.save_config_path(XDG_RESOURCE)
+        return xdg.BaseDirectory.save_config_path(XDG_RESOURCE)
     except FileExistsError:
         raise JrnlException(
             Message(
@@ -89,7 +89,13 @@ def get_config_path() -> str:
             ),
         )
 
-    return os.path.join(config_directory_path or home_dir(), DEFAULT_CONFIG_NAME)
+
+def get_config_path() -> Path:
+    try:
+        config_directory_path = get_config_directory()
+    except JrnlException:
+        return Path(home_dir(), DEFAULT_CONFIG_NAME)
+    return Path(config_directory_path, DEFAULT_CONFIG_NAME)
 
 
 def get_default_config() -> dict[str, Any]:
@@ -120,6 +126,15 @@ def get_default_journal_path() -> str:
     return os.path.join(journal_data_path, DEFAULT_JOURNAL_NAME)
 
 
+def get_templates_path() -> Path:
+    # jrnl_xdg_resource_path is created by save_data_path if it does not exist
+    jrnl_xdg_resource_path = Path(xdg.BaseDirectory.save_data_path(XDG_RESOURCE))
+    jrnl_templates_path = jrnl_xdg_resource_path / "templates"
+    # Create the directory if needed.
+    jrnl_templates_path.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    return jrnl_templates_path
+
+
 def scope_config(config: dict, journal_name: str) -> dict:
     if journal_name not in config["journals"]:
         return config

jrnl/controller.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from jrnl.config import DEFAULT_JOURNAL_KEY
 from jrnl.config import get_config_path
 from jrnl.config import get_journal_name
+from jrnl.config import get_templates_path
 from jrnl.config import scope_config
 from jrnl.editor import get_text_from_editor
 from jrnl.editor import get_text_from_stdin
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@
 from jrnl.output import print_msg
 from jrnl.output import print_msgs
 from jrnl.override import apply_overrides
-from jrnl.path import expand_path
+from jrnl.path import absolute_path
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from argparse import Namespace
@@ -120,9 +121,78 @@ def _is_write_mode(args: "Namespace", config: dict, **kwargs) -> bool:
     return write_mode
 
 
+def _read_template_file(template_arg: str, template_path_from_config: str) -> str:
+    """
+    This function is called when either a template file is passed with --template, or config.template is set.
+
+    The processing logic is:
+        If --template was not used: Load the global template file.
+        If --template was used:
+            * Check $XDG_DATA_HOME/jrnl/templates/template_arg.
+            * Check template_arg as an absolute / relative path.
+
+        If a file is found, its contents are returned as a string.
+        If not, a JrnlException is raised.
+    """
+    logging.debug(
+        "Write mode: Either a template arg was passed, or the global config is set."
+    )
+
+    # If filename is unset, we are in this flow due to a global template being configured
+    if not template_arg:
+        logging.debug("Write mode: Global template configuration detected.")
+        global_template_path = absolute_path(template_path_from_config)
+        try:
+            with open(global_template_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+                template_data = f.read()
+                return template_data
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            raise JrnlException(
+                Message(
+                    MsgText.CantReadTemplateGlobalConfig,
+                    MsgStyle.ERROR,
+                    {
+                        "global_template_path": global_template_path,
+                    },
+                )
+            )
+    else:  # A template CLI arg was passed.
+        logging.debug("Trying to load template from $XDG_DATA_HOME/jrnl/templates/")
+        jrnl_template_dir = get_templates_path()
+        logging.debug(f"Write mode: jrnl templates directory: {jrnl_template_dir}")
+        template_path = jrnl_template_dir / template_arg
+        try:
+            with open(template_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+                template_data = f.read()
+                return template_data
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            logging.debug(
+                f"Couldn't open {template_path}. Treating --template argument like a local / abs path."
+            )
+            pass
+
+        normalized_template_arg_filepath = absolute_path(template_arg)
+        try:
+            with open(normalized_template_arg_filepath, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+                template_data = f.read()
+                return template_data
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            raise JrnlException(
+                Message(
+                    MsgText.CantReadTemplateCLIArg,
+                    MsgStyle.ERROR,
+                    {
+                        "normalized_template_arg_filepath": normalized_template_arg_filepath,
+                        "jrnl_template_dir": template_path,
+                    },
+                )
+            )
+
+
 def write_mode(args: "Namespace", config: dict, journal: Journal, **kwargs) -> None:
     """
     Gets input from the user to write to the journal
+    0. Check for a template passed as an argument, or in the global config
     1. Check for input from cli
     2. Check input being piped in
     3. Open editor if configured (prepopulated with template if available)
@@ -131,8 +201,14 @@ def write_mode(args: "Namespace", config: dict, journal: Journal, **kwargs) -> N
     """
     logging.debug("Write mode: starting")
 
-    if args.text:
-        logging.debug("Write mode: cli text detected: %s", args.text)
+    if args.template or config["template"]:
+        logging.debug(f"Write mode: template CLI arg detected: {args.template}")
+        # Read template file and pass as raw text into the composer
+        template_data = _read_template_file(args.template, config["template"])
+        raw = _write_in_editor(config, template_data)
+
+    elif args.text:
+        logging.debug(f"Write mode: cli text detected: {args.text}")
         raw = " ".join(args.text).strip()
         if args.edit:
             raw = _write_in_editor(config, raw)
@@ -218,45 +294,16 @@ def search_mode(args: "Namespace", journal: Journal, **kwargs) -> None:
         _display_search_results(**kwargs)
 
 
-def _write_in_editor(config: dict, template: str | None = None) -> str:
+def _write_in_editor(config: dict, prepopulated_text: str | None = None) -> str:
     if config["editor"]:
         logging.debug("Write mode: opening editor")
-        if not template:
-            template = _get_editor_template(config)
-        raw = get_text_from_editor(config, template)
-
+        raw = get_text_from_editor(config, prepopulated_text)
     else:
         raw = get_text_from_stdin()
 
     return raw
 
 
-def _get_editor_template(config: dict, **kwargs) -> str:
-    logging.debug("Write mode: loading template for entry")
-
-    if not config["template"]:
-        logging.debug("Write mode: no template configured")
-        return ""
-
-    template_path = expand_path(config["template"])
-
-    try:
-        with open(template_path) as f:
-            template = f.read()
-        logging.debug("Write mode: template loaded: %s", template)
-    except OSError:
-        logging.error("Write mode: template not loaded")
-        raise JrnlException(
-            Message(
-                MsgText.CantReadTemplate,
-                MsgStyle.ERROR,
-                {"template": template_path},
-            )
-        )
-
-    return template
-
-
 def _has_search_args(args: "Namespace") -> bool:
     return any(
         (
@@ -426,7 +473,7 @@ def _change_time_search_results(
     journal: Journal,
     old_entries: list["Entry"],
     no_prompt: bool = False,
-    **kwargs
+    **kwargs,
 ) -> None:
     # separate entries we are not editing
     other_entries = _other_entries(journal, old_entries)

jrnl/journals/Journal.py

@@ -328,7 +328,8 @@ def ask_action(entry):
 
     def new_entry(self, raw: str, date=None, sort: bool = True) -> Entry:
         """Constructs a new entry from some raw text input.
-        If a date is given, it will parse and use this, otherwise scan for a date in the input first."""
+        If a date is given, it will parse and use this, otherwise scan for a date in the input first.
+        """
 
         raw = raw.replace("\\n ", "\n").replace("\\n", "\n")
         # Split raw text into title and body

jrnl/messages/MsgText.py

@@ -97,10 +97,16 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
 
     KeyboardInterruptMsg = "Aborted by user"
 
-    CantReadTemplate = """
-        Unreadable template
-        Could not read template file at:
-        {template}
+    CantReadTemplateGlobalConfig = """
+        Could not read template file defined in config:
+        {global_template_path}
+        """
+
+    CantReadTemplateCLIArg = """
+        Unable to find a template file based on the passed arg, and no global template was detected.
+        The following filepaths were checked:
+        jrnl XDG Template Directory : {jrnl_template_dir}
+        Local Filepath              : {normalized_template_arg_filepath}
         """
 
     NoNamedJournal = "No '{journal_name}' journal configured\n{journals}"

jrnl/override.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from argparse import Namespace
 
+
 # import logging
 def apply_overrides(args: "Namespace", base_config: dict) -> dict:
     """Unpack CLI provided overrides into the configuration tree.
@@ -26,7 +27,6 @@ def apply_overrides(args: "Namespace", base_config: dict) -> dict:
 
     cfg_with_overrides = base_config.copy()
     for pairs in overrides:
-
         pairs = make_yaml_valid_dict(pairs)
         key_as_dots, override_value = _get_key_and_value_from_pair(pairs)
         keys = _convert_dots_to_list(key_as_dots)