# Placeholder forms is such a great component

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/placeholder-forms-is-such-a-great-component/386769
**Category:** Praise
**Tags:** placeholder-forms
**Created:** [October 26, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/placeholder-forms-is-such-a-great-component/386769 "2025-10-26T16:42:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 1

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### Author: ![Canapin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/canapin/32/119591_2.png) [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/placeholder-forms-is-such-a-great-component/386769/1 "2025-10-26T16:42:24Z")

</div>

I never used [this theme component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/placeholder-forms/113533) on my community websites as it was of no use.

But I also have my own personal, closed forum which [I use for many purposes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/do-you-use-discourse-as-a-non-community-tool/356509).

I’ve found placeholder forms incredibly useful for me. In particular, I use lengthy commands multiple times a week that I don’t remember and need to modify parts of each time.

The component allows me to quickly customize and copy-paste those commands in my terminal for immediate results.

Three examples of what I use it for :

## Convert all pictures from a given format to JPG

```txt
Get-ChildItem -Filter *.=EXTENSION= | ForEach-Object { magick $_.FullName -quality =QUALITY= ($_.FullName -replace '\.=EXTENSION=$', '.jpg'); if (=DELETE_ORIGINAL= -eq 1) { Remove-Item $_.FullName } }

```

## Add a delay on all .srt subtitles files from the current folder\[1\]

```txt
Get-ChildItem -Filter '*.srt' | ForEach-Object {
    $srtFile = $_.FullName
    $tempSrtFile = "$($srtFile).tmp.srt"

    Write-Host "Processing: $srtFile" -ForegroundColor Green

    ffmpeg -itsoffset =DELAY= -i "$srtFile" -c copy "$tempSrtFile"

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath "$tempSrtFile") {
        Move-Item -LiteralPath "$tempSrtFile" -Destination "$srtFile" -Force
        Write-Host "Shifted $srtFile by =DELAY= second(s)." -ForegroundColor Green
    } else {
        Write-Host "Failed to process $srtFile. Check FFmpeg output." -ForegroundColor Red
    }
}

```

## Clip and convert a given video file to H264, HEVC or lossless format

```txt
if ("=CODEC=" -eq "h264") { ffmpeg -ss =FROM= -to =TO= -i "=FILENAME=" -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -crf =COMPRESSION= -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart "=FILENAME=-h264.mp4" } elseif ("=CODEC=" -eq "hevc") { ffmpeg -ss =FROM= -to =TO= -i "=FILENAME=" -c:v libx265 -pix_fmt yuv420p -tag:v hvc1 -crf =COMPRESSION= -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart "=FILENAME=-hevc.mp4" } elseif ("=CODEC=" -eq "lossless") { ffmpeg -ss =FROM= -to =TO= -i "=FILENAME=" -c:v ffv1 -level 3 -g 1 -c:a pcm_s16le "=FILENAME=-=CODEC=.mkv" } else { Write-Host "Unknown codec: =CODEC="; exit 1 }

```

So far, it has been a very important feature for my personal Discourse – and thus for my everyday life – so I’m very happy it exists. :discourse:

~~The only downside is that I’d like the component to have a button shortcut because… I don’t remember the whole syntax to create the placefolder fields in a new topic and rely on copy-paste 😅~~

Oh well, writing this topic made me have a look at the toolbar options and realize there is, indeed, a shortcut, which makes me feel both silly and happy 😄  
Another great thing about this component, then.

* * *

1. This one is just a matter of replacing a single duration in the script, but it’s still easier for me to tweak it this way than changing the value directly in the code 😛

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/placeholder-forms-is-such-a-great-component/386769)._