YAML Import & Export

Import triggers from espanso or any compatible YAML, and copy triggers as YAML to share or back them up.

Blue Synergy reads espanso-style YAML and its own bs_trigger: format. Paste directly from the clipboard or import a file. Export single or multiple triggers as YAML with one click.

Three ways to import

1. Paste from clipboard (Ctrl+V)

  1. Copy espanso YAML or Blue Synergy YAML to your clipboard.
  2. Switch to the Triggers workspace.
  3. Press Ctrl+V.

Single new trigger: created instantly and opened in the editor — no dialog.

Multiple triggers, or if conflicts are detected: an import preview dialog opens showing what will be added, updated, or skipped.

2. Import button in the toolbar

Click the 📥 Import button in the Triggers toolbar, then pick a .yaml / .yml file. The same import preview applies.

3. File menu

File → Import Blue Synergy YAML… — strict Blue Synergy format only. If you pick an espanso YAML here, a helpful error message tells you to use Ctrl+V or the toolbar button instead.

Supported YAML formats

espanso (single keyword)

- trigger: ";addr"
  replace: "123 Main St, Springfield"

espanso (multiple keywords / aliases)

- triggers: [";addr", ";address"]
  replace: "123 Main St, Springfield"

The first entry becomes the primary keyword; the rest become extra keywords.

espanso script step

- trigger: ";date"
  replace: ""
  vars:
    - name: output
      type: script
      params:
        args: ["powershell", "-Command", "Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd'"]

type: script variables are imported as SCR steps.

Blue Synergy format

bs_trigger:
  keyword: ";addr"
  description: "Home address"
  steps:
    - type: TXT
      content: "123 Main St, Springfield"

Export as YAML

See the dedicated Copy & Export Triggers as YAML page for both flows:

  • Copy to clipboard — one click, paste anywhere
  • Export to file — native Save dialog with smart filenames (bs-trigger-<keyword>.yaml, bs-triggers-<scope>-<count>-YYYYMMDD.yaml)

Right-click any sidebar node (Category, App Profile, Tag) to Export YAML or Delete all matching.

Tips & gotchas

  • triggers: (array) and trigger: (string) are both recognized — import whichever espanso format you have.
  • Duplicate keywords are detected against all existing keywords (primary + extra). Duplicates are skipped and counted in the import summary.
  • Imported triggers are disabled by default if they contain script steps — review and enable them explicitly.
  • The bs_trigger: format round-trips perfectly — export and re-import without loss.

See also