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Date: 2025 09-September 07

Pipeline-friendly, Python-first approach that’s pipx-installable, but structured so COM integration can be added later if needed.

1️⃣ High-Level Concept

Goal: Highlight text anywhere → hotkey → send text to your Python CLI (pipeline) → optional output (log, notification, Excel, file, etc.).

Components:

2️⃣ Architecture Sketch

[User Highlights Text] 
        ↓
     [Copy] (Ctrl+C)
        ↓
[Python Clipboard Watcher]  <-- runs as background process
        ↓  (Hotkey Trigger: Ctrl+Shift+P)
[Pipeline CLI Call]  <-- runs: "pipeline query <text>"
        ↓
[Output Handling]
   ├─ Terminal log
   ├─ File (CSV, JSON, etc.)
   └─ Excel sheet or GUI

Notes:

• Python process stays resident in the background.

• Hotkey can be PowerToys Run, or native Python using keyboard library.

• CLI is executed via subprocess, so you don’t block the Python process.

• Output handling is optional — first version can just launch terminal output.

3️⃣ Python Implementation Plan

a) Background watcher + hotkey

import subprocess
import time
import pyperclip
import keyboard  # pip install keyboard

# Track clipboard state
last_clipboard = ""

def on_hotkey():
    text = pyperclip.paste()
    if not text.strip():
        print("No text in clipboard")
        return

    # Call pipx-installed pipeline CLI
    subprocess.Popen(["pipeline", "query", text])

# Register global hotkey
keyboard.add_hotkey("ctrl+shift+p", on_hotkey)

# Keep process alive
print("Clipboard launcher running... Press ESC to quit")
keyboard.wait("esc")

• Lightweight, cross-app solution.

• User copies text → presses hotkey → CLI is invoked.

• Can easily extend to show notification, log, or capture output.

b) Optional tray integration (advanced)

• Use pystray + Pillow to create a system tray icon.

• Right-click tray menu could provide:

  • Enable/disable clipboard watcher

  • Open logs

  • Configure CLI options

c) Packaging as pipx installable

• Standard Python CLI package (setuptools or poetry).

• Entrypoint: clipboard-launcher → installs script that runs the watcher.

• Users can run pipx run clipboard-launcher or pipx install clipboard-launcher.

clipboard-launcher/
├── pyproject.toml
├── clipboard_launcher/
│   ├── __main__.py
│   └── watcher.py
└── README.md

• __main__.py launches the watcher and registers hotkey.

4️⃣ Future COM/Explorer Integration

When you’re ready to go beyond hotkeys:

1. COM Add-in (C# or C++): hooks into apps like Word, Excel, Explorer.

   • Exposes a “Run pipeline-eds” command to right-click menus.

   • Python CLI can remain the backend.

2. Python bridge:

   • COM add-in triggers Python CLI via subprocess.

   • CLI can also log, send to Excel, or do anything your watcher currently does.

3. Benefits:

   • First version works fully in Python, pipx-installable.

   • Later, you add native right-click integration with minimal changes to the Python backend.

5️⃣ Advantages of this approach

• Works everywhere, not just Explorer or Office.

• Python-only first version → easy to distribute via pipx.

• Hotkey + clipboard is intuitive for users.

• Future COM integration doesn’t require changing your Python CLI.

• Modular: you can add tray, logging, or Excel output later.

Steps:
clipboard → hotkey → CLI → output → COM extension