Merge pull request #2922 from SillyTavern/send-commands-return-value

Update various sending commands to return a value

public/script.js

@@ -4785,7 +4785,7 @@ export function removeMacros(str) {
  * @param {boolean} [compact] Send as a compact display message.
  * @param {string} [name] Name of the user sending the message. Defaults to name1.
  * @param {string} [avatar] Avatar of the user sending the message. Defaults to user_avatar.
- * @returns {Promise<void>} A promise that resolves when the message is inserted.
+ * @returns {Promise<any>} A promise that resolves to the message when it is inserted.
  */
 export async function sendMessageAsUser(messageText, messageBias, insertAt = null, compact = false, name = name1, avatar = user_avatar) {
     messageText = getRegexedString(messageText, regex_placement.USER_INPUT);
@@ -4832,6 +4832,8 @@ export async function sendMessageAsUser(messageText, messageBias, insertAt = nul
         await eventSource.emit(event_types.USER_MESSAGE_RENDERED, chat_id);
         await saveChatConditional();
     }
+
+    return message;
 }
 
 /**

public/scripts/extensions/expressions/index.js

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import { ARGUMENT_TYPE, SlashCommandArgument, SlashCommandNamedArgument } from '
 import { isFunctionCallingSupported } from '../../openai.js';
 import { SlashCommandEnumValue, enumTypes } from '../../slash-commands/SlashCommandEnumValue.js';
 import { commonEnumProviders } from '../../slash-commands/SlashCommandCommonEnumsProvider.js';
+import { slashCommandReturnHelper } from '../../slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js';
+import { SlashCommandClosure } from '../../slash-commands/SlashCommandClosure.js';
 export { MODULE_NAME };
 
 const MODULE_NAME = 'expressions';
@@ -2134,18 +2136,42 @@ function migrateSettings() {
         name: 'classify-expressions',
         aliases: ['expressions'],
         callback: async (args) => {
-            const list = await getExpressionsList();
+            /** @type {import('../../slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js').SlashCommandReturnType} */
-            switch (String(args.format).toLowerCase()) {
+            // @ts-ignore
+            let returnType = args.return;
+
+            // Old legacy return type handling
+            if (args.format) {
+                toastr.warning(`Legacy argument 'format' with value '${args.format}' is deprecated. Please use 'return' instead. Routing to the correct return type...`, 'Deprecation warning');
+                const type = String(args?.format).toLowerCase().trim();
+                switch (type) {
                     case 'json':
-                    return JSON.stringify(list);
+                        returnType = 'object';
+                        break;
                     default:
-                    return list.join(', ');
+                        returnType = 'pipe';
+                        break;
                 }
+            }
+
+            // Now the actual new return type handling
+            const list = await getExpressionsList();
+
+            return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(returnType ?? 'pipe', list, { objectToStringFunc: list => list.join(', ') });
         },
         namedArgumentList: [
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'pipe',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
+            // TODO remove some day
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
                 name: 'format',
-                description: 'The format to return the list in: comma-separated plain text or JSON array. Default is plain text.',
+                description: '!!! DEPRECATED - use "return" instead !!! The format to return the list in: comma-separated plain text or JSON array. Default is plain text.',
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
                 enumList: [
                     new SlashCommandEnumValue('plain', null, enumTypes.enum, ', '),

public/scripts/slash-commands.js

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ import { POPUP_TYPE, Popup, callGenericPopup } from './popup.js';
 import { commonEnumProviders, enumIcons } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandCommonEnumsProvider.js';
 import { SlashCommandBreakController } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandBreakController.js';
 import { SlashCommandExecutionError } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandExecutionError.js';
+import { slashCommandReturnHelper } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js';
 export {
     executeSlashCommands, executeSlashCommandsWithOptions, getSlashCommandsHelp, registerSlashCommand,
 };
@@ -242,6 +243,7 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
     SlashCommandParser.addCommandObject(SlashCommand.fromProps({
         name: 'sendas',
         callback: sendMessageAs,
+        returns: 'Optionally the text of the sent message, if specified in the "return" argument',
         namedArgumentList: [
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
                 name: 'name',
@@ -269,6 +271,14 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.NUMBER],
                 enumProvider: commonEnumProviders.messages({ allowIdAfter: true }),
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'none',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
         ],
         unnamedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandArgument(
@@ -301,6 +311,7 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
         name: 'sys',
         callback: sendNarratorMessage,
         aliases: ['nar'],
+        returns: 'Optionally the text of the sent message, if specified in the "return" argument',
         namedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandNamedArgument(
                 'compact',
@@ -316,6 +327,14 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.NUMBER],
                 enumProvider: commonEnumProviders.messages({ allowIdAfter: true }),
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'none',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
         ],
         unnamedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandArgument(
@@ -355,6 +374,7 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
     SlashCommandParser.addCommandObject(SlashCommand.fromProps({
         name: 'comment',
         callback: sendCommentMessage,
+        returns: 'Optionally the text of the sent message, if specified in the "return" argument',
         namedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandNamedArgument(
                 'compact',
@@ -370,6 +390,14 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.NUMBER],
                 enumProvider: commonEnumProviders.messages({ allowIdAfter: true }),
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'none',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
         ],
         unnamedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandArgument(
@@ -509,7 +537,7 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
     SlashCommandParser.addCommandObject(SlashCommand.fromProps({
         name: 'ask',
         callback: askCharacter,
-        returns: 'the generated text',
+        returns: 'Optionally the text of the sent message, if specified in the "return" argument',
         namedArgumentList: [
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
                 name: 'name',
@@ -518,6 +546,14 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
                 isRequired: true,
                 enumProvider: commonEnumProviders.characters('character'),
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'pipe',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
         ],
         unnamedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandArgument(
@@ -556,6 +592,7 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
     SlashCommandParser.addCommandObject(SlashCommand.fromProps({
         name: 'send',
         callback: sendUserMessageCallback,
+        returns: 'Optionally the text of the sent message, if specified in the "return" argument',
         namedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandNamedArgument(
                 'compact',
@@ -578,6 +615,14 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
                 defaultValue: '{{user}}',
                 enumProvider: commonEnumProviders.personas,
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'none',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowObject: true }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
         ],
         unnamedArgumentList: [
             new SlashCommandArgument(
@@ -1568,12 +1613,21 @@ export function initDefaultSlashCommands() {
     SlashCommandParser.addCommandObject(SlashCommand.fromProps({
         name: 'listinjects',
         callback: listInjectsCallback,
-        helpString: 'Lists all script injections for the current chat. Displays injects in a popup by default. Use the <code>format</code> argument to change the output format.',
+        helpString: 'Lists all script injections for the current chat. Displays injects in a popup by default. Use the <code>return</code> argument to change the return type.',
-        returns: 'JSON object of script injections',
+        returns: 'Optionalls the JSON object of script injections',
         namedArgumentList: [
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'popup-html',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowPipe: false, allowObject: true, allowChat: true, allowPopup: true, allowTextVersion: false }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
+            // TODO remove some day
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
                 name: 'format',
-                description: 'output format',
+                description: '!!! DEPRECATED - use "return" instead !!! output format',
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
                 isRequired: true,
                 forceEnum: true,
@@ -1842,37 +1896,43 @@ function injectCallback(args, value) {
 }
 
 async function listInjectsCallback(args) {
+    /** @type {import('./slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js').SlashCommandReturnType} */
+    let returnType = args.return;
+
+    // Old legacy return type handling
+    if (args.format) {
+        toastr.warning(`Legacy argument 'format' with value '${args.format}' is deprecated. Please use 'return' instead. Routing to the correct return type...`, 'Deprecation warning');
         const type = String(args?.format).toLowerCase().trim();
         if (!chat_metadata.script_injects || !Object.keys(chat_metadata.script_injects).length) {
             type !== 'none' && toastr.info('No script injections for the current chat');
-        return JSON.stringify({});
+        }
+        switch (type) {
+            case 'none':
+                returnType = 'none';
+                break;
+            case 'chat':
+                returnType = 'chat-html';
+                break;
+            case 'popup':
+            default:
+                returnType = 'popup-html';
+                break;
+        }
     }
 
-    const injects = Object.entries(chat_metadata.script_injects)
+    // Now the actual new return type handling
+    const buildTextValue = (injects) => {
+        const injectsStr = Object.entries(injects)
             .map(([id, inject]) => {
                 const position = Object.entries(extension_prompt_types);
                 const positionName = position.find(([_, value]) => value === inject.position)?.[0] ?? 'unknown';
                 return `* **${id}**: <code>${inject.value}</code> (${positionName}, depth: ${inject.depth}, scan: ${inject.scan ?? false}, role: ${inject.role ?? extension_prompt_roles.SYSTEM})`;
             })
             .join('\n');
+        return `### Script injections:\n${injectsStr || 'No script injections for the current chat'}`;
+    };
 
-    const converter = new showdown.Converter();
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(returnType ?? 'popup-html', chat_metadata.script_injects ?? {}, { objectToStringFunc: buildTextValue });
-    const messageText = `### Script injections:\n${injects}`;
-    const htmlMessage = DOMPurify.sanitize(converter.makeHtml(messageText));
-
-    switch (type) {
-        case 'none':
-            break;
-        case 'chat':
-            sendSystemMessage(system_message_types.GENERIC, htmlMessage);
-            break;
-        case 'popup':
-        default:
-            await callGenericPopup(htmlMessage, POPUP_TYPE.TEXT);
-            break;
-    }
-
-    return JSON.stringify(chat_metadata.script_injects);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2559,7 +2619,7 @@ async function askCharacter(args, text) {
     // Not supported in group chats
     // TODO: Maybe support group chats?
     if (selected_group) {
-        toastr.error('Cannot run /ask command in a group chat!');
+        toastr.warning('Cannot run /ask command in a group chat!');
         return '';
     }
 
@@ -2633,7 +2693,9 @@ async function askCharacter(args, text) {
         }
     }
 
-    return askResult;
+    const message = askResult ? chat[chat.length - 1] : null;
+
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(args.return ?? 'pipe', message, { objectToStringFunc: x => x.mes });
 }
 
 async function hideMessageCallback(_, arg) {
@@ -2908,7 +2970,7 @@ function findPersonaByName(name) {
 
 async function sendUserMessageCallback(args, text) {
     if (!text) {
-        console.warn('WARN: No text provided for /send command');
+        toastr.warning('You must specify text to send');
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2924,16 +2986,17 @@ async function sendUserMessageCallback(args, text) {
         insertAt = chat.length + insertAt;
     }
 
+    let message;
     if ('name' in args) {
         const name = args.name || '';
         const avatar = findPersonaByName(name) || user_avatar;
-        await sendMessageAsUser(text, bias, insertAt, compact, name, avatar);
+        message = await sendMessageAsUser(text, bias, insertAt, compact, name, avatar);
     }
     else {
-        await sendMessageAsUser(text, bias, insertAt, compact);
+        message = await sendMessageAsUser(text, bias, insertAt, compact);
     }
 
-    return '';
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(args.return ?? 'none', message, { objectToStringFunc: x => x.mes });
 }
 
 async function deleteMessagesByNameCallback(_, name) {
@@ -3221,30 +3284,20 @@ export function getNameAndAvatarForMessage(character, name = null) {
 
 export async function sendMessageAs(args, text) {
     if (!text) {
+        toastr.warning('You must specify text to send as');
         return '';
     }
 
-    let name;
+    let name = args.name?.trim();
     let mesText;
 
-    if (args.name) {
+    if (!name) {
-        name = args.name.trim();
-
-        if (!name && !text) {
-            toastr.warning('You must specify a name and text to send as');
-            return '';
-        }
-    } else {
         const namelessWarningKey = 'sendAsNamelessWarningShown';
         if (localStorage.getItem(namelessWarningKey) !== 'true') {
             toastr.warning('To avoid confusion, please use /sendas name="Character Name"', 'Name defaulted to {{char}}', { timeOut: 10000 });
             localStorage.setItem(namelessWarningKey, 'true');
         }
         name = name2;
-        if (!text) {
-            toastr.warning('You must specify text to send as');
-            return '';
-        }
     }
 
     mesText = text.trim();
@@ -3321,11 +3374,12 @@ export async function sendMessageAs(args, text) {
         await saveChatConditional();
     }
 
-    return '';
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(args.return ?? 'none', message, { objectToStringFunc: x => x.mes });
 }
 
 export async function sendNarratorMessage(args, text) {
     if (!text) {
+        toastr.warning('You must specify text to send');
         return '';
     }
 
@@ -3374,7 +3428,7 @@ export async function sendNarratorMessage(args, text) {
         await saveChatConditional();
     }
 
-    return '';
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(args.return ?? 'none', message, { objectToStringFunc: x => x.mes });
 }
 
 export async function promptQuietForLoudResponse(who, text) {
@@ -3420,6 +3474,7 @@ export async function promptQuietForLoudResponse(who, text) {
 
 async function sendCommentMessage(args, text) {
     if (!text) {
+        toastr.warning('You must specify text to send');
         return '';
     }
 
@@ -3462,7 +3517,7 @@ async function sendCommentMessage(args, text) {
         await saveChatConditional();
     }
 
-    return '';
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(args.return ?? 'none', message, { objectToStringFunc: x => x.mes });
 }
 
 /**

public/scripts/slash-commands/SlashCommandCommonEnumsProvider.js

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export const enumIcons = {
     message: '💬',
     voice: '🎤',
     server: '🖥️',
+    popup: '🗔',
 
     true: '✔️',
     false: '❌',

public/scripts/slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { sendSystemMessage, system_message_types } from '../../script.js';
+import { callGenericPopup, POPUP_TYPE } from '../popup.js';
+import { escapeHtml } from '../utils.js';
+import { enumIcons } from './SlashCommandCommonEnumsProvider.js';
+import { enumTypes, SlashCommandEnumValue } from './SlashCommandEnumValue.js';
+
+/** @typedef {'pipe'|'object'|'chat-html'|'chat-text'|'popup-html'|'popup-text'|'toast-html'|'toast-text'|'console'|'none'} SlashCommandReturnType */
+
+export const slashCommandReturnHelper = {
+    // Without this, VSCode formatter fucks up JS docs. Don't ask me why.
+    _: false,
+
+    /**
+     * Gets/creates the enum list of types of return relevant for a slash command
+     *
+     * @param {object} [options={}] Options
+     * @param {boolean} [options.allowPipe=true] Allow option to pipe the return value
+     * @param {boolean} [options.allowObject=false] Allow option to return the value as an object
+     * @param {boolean} [options.allowChat=false] Allow option to return the value as a chat message
+     * @param {boolean} [options.allowPopup=false] Allow option to return the value as a popup
+     * @param {boolean}[options.allowTextVersion=true] Used in combination with chat/popup/toast, some of them do not make sense for text versions, e.g.if you are building a HTML string anyway
+     * @returns {SlashCommandEnumValue[]} The enum list
+     */
+    enumList: ({ allowPipe = true, allowObject = false, allowChat = false, allowPopup = false, allowTextVersion = true } = {}) => [
+        allowPipe && new SlashCommandEnumValue('pipe', 'Return to the pipe for the next command', enumTypes.name, '|'),
+        allowObject && new SlashCommandEnumValue('object', 'Return as an object (or array) to the pipe for the next command', enumTypes.variable, enumIcons.dictionary),
+        allowChat && new SlashCommandEnumValue('chat-html', 'Sending a chat message with the return value - Can display HTML', enumTypes.command, enumIcons.message),
+        allowChat && allowTextVersion && new SlashCommandEnumValue('chat-text', 'Sending a chat message with the return value - Will only display as text', enumTypes.qr, enumIcons.message),
+        allowPopup && new SlashCommandEnumValue('popup-html', 'Showing as a popup with the return value - Can display HTML', enumTypes.command, enumIcons.popup),
+        allowPopup && allowTextVersion && new SlashCommandEnumValue('popup-text', 'Showing as a popup with the return value - Will only display as text', enumTypes.qr, enumIcons.popup),
+        new SlashCommandEnumValue('toast-html', 'Show the return value as a toast notification - Can display HTML', enumTypes.command, 'ℹ️'),
+        allowTextVersion && new SlashCommandEnumValue('toast-text', 'Show the return value as a toast notification - Will only display as text', enumTypes.qr, 'ℹ️'),
+        new SlashCommandEnumValue('console', 'Log the return value (object, if it can be one) to the console', enumTypes.enum, '>'),
+        new SlashCommandEnumValue('none', 'No return value'),
+    ].filter(x => !!x),
+
+    /**
+     * Handles the return value based on the specified type
+     *
+     * @param {SlashCommandReturnType} type The type of return
+     * @param {object|number|string} value The value to return
+     * @param {object} [options={}] Options
+     * @param {(o: object) => string} [options.objectToStringFunc=null] Function to convert the object to a string, if object was provided and 'object' was not the chosen return type
+     * @param {(o: object) => string} [options.objectToHtmlFunc=null] Analog to 'objectToStringFunc', which will be used here if not provided - but can do a different string layout if HTML is requested
+     * @returns {Promise<*>} The processed return value
+     */
+    async doReturn(type, value, { objectToStringFunc = o => o?.toString(), objectToHtmlFunc = null } = {}) {
+        const shouldHtml = type.endsWith('html');
+        const actualConverterFunc = shouldHtml && objectToHtmlFunc ? objectToHtmlFunc : objectToStringFunc;
+        const stringValue = typeof value !== 'string' ? actualConverterFunc(value) : value;
+
+        switch (type) {
+            case 'popup-html':
+            case 'popup-text':
+            case 'chat-text':
+            case 'chat-html':
+            case 'toast-text':
+            case 'toast-html': {
+                const htmlOrNotHtml = shouldHtml ? DOMPurify.sanitize((new showdown.Converter()).makeHtml(stringValue)) : escapeHtml(stringValue);
+
+                if (type.startsWith('popup')) await callGenericPopup(htmlOrNotHtml, POPUP_TYPE.TEXT);
+                if (type.startsWith('chat')) sendSystemMessage(system_message_types.GENERIC, htmlOrNotHtml);
+                if (type.startsWith('toast')) toastr.info(htmlOrNotHtml, null, { escapeHtml: !shouldHtml });
+
+                return '';
+            }
+            case 'pipe':
+                return stringValue ?? '';
+            case 'object':
+                return JSON.stringify(value);
+            case 'console':
+                console.info(value);
+                return '';
+            case 'none':
+                return '';
+            default:
+                throw new Error(`Unknown return type: ${type}`);
+        }
+    },
+};

public/scripts/variables.js

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { SlashCommandClosureResult } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandClosureR
 import { commonEnumProviders, enumIcons } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandCommonEnumsProvider.js';
 import { SlashCommandEnumValue, enumTypes } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandEnumValue.js';
 import { PARSER_FLAG, SlashCommandParser } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandParser.js';
+import { slashCommandReturnHelper } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js';
 import { SlashCommandScope } from './slash-commands/SlashCommandScope.js';
 import { isFalseBoolean, convertValueType, isTrueBoolean } from './utils.js';
 
@@ -305,7 +306,28 @@ export function replaceVariableMacros(input) {
 }
 
 async function listVariablesCallback(args) {
-    const type = String(args?.format || '').toLowerCase().trim() || 'popup';
+    /** @type {import('./slash-commands/SlashCommandReturnHelper.js').SlashCommandReturnType} */
+    let returnType = args.return;
+
+    // Old legacy return type handling
+    if (args.format) {
+        toastr.warning(`Legacy argument 'format' with value '${args.format}' is deprecated. Please use 'return' instead. Routing to the correct return type...`, 'Deprecation warning');
+        const type = String(args?.format).toLowerCase().trim();
+        switch (type) {
+            case 'none':
+                returnType = 'none';
+                break;
+            case 'chat':
+                returnType = 'chat-html';
+                break;
+            case 'popup':
+            default:
+                returnType = 'popup-html';
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Now the actual new return type handling
     const scope = String(args?.scope || '').toLowerCase().trim() || 'all';
     if (!chat_metadata.variables) {
         chat_metadata.variables = {};
@@ -317,35 +339,24 @@ async function listVariablesCallback(args) {
     const localVariables = includeLocalVariables ? Object.entries(chat_metadata.variables).map(([name, value]) => `${name}: ${value}`) : [];
     const globalVariables = includeGlobalVariables ? Object.entries(extension_settings.variables.global).map(([name, value]) => `${name}: ${value}`) : [];
 
+    const buildTextValue = (_) => {
+        const localVariablesString = localVariables.length > 0 ? localVariables.join('\n\n') : 'No local variables';
+        const globalVariablesString = globalVariables.length > 0 ? globalVariables.join('\n\n') : 'No global variables';
+        const chatName = getCurrentChatId();
+
+        const message = [
+            includeLocalVariables ? `### Local variables (${chatName}):\n${localVariablesString}` : '',
+            includeGlobalVariables ? `### Global variables:\n${globalVariablesString}` : '',
+        ].filter(x => x).join('\n\n');
+        return message;
+    };
+
     const jsonVariables = [
         ...Object.entries(chat_metadata.variables).map(x => ({ key: x[0], value: x[1], scope: 'local' })),
         ...Object.entries(extension_settings.variables.global).map(x => ({ key: x[0], value: x[1], scope: 'global' })),
     ];
 
-    const localVariablesString = localVariables.length > 0 ? localVariables.join('\n\n') : 'No local variables';
+    return await slashCommandReturnHelper.doReturn(returnType ?? 'popup-html', jsonVariables, { objectToStringFunc: buildTextValue });
-    const globalVariablesString = globalVariables.length > 0 ? globalVariables.join('\n\n') : 'No global variables';
-    const chatName = getCurrentChatId();
-
-    const converter = new showdown.Converter();
-    const message = [
-        includeLocalVariables ? `### Local variables (${chatName}):\n${localVariablesString}` : '',
-        includeGlobalVariables ? `### Global variables:\n${globalVariablesString}` : '',
-    ].filter(x => x).join('\n\n');
-    const htmlMessage = DOMPurify.sanitize(converter.makeHtml(message));
-
-    switch (type) {
-        case 'none':
-            break;
-        case 'chat':
-            sendSystemMessage(system_message_types.GENERIC, htmlMessage);
-            break;
-        case 'popup':
-        default:
-            await callGenericPopup(htmlMessage, POPUP_TYPE.TEXT);
-            break;
-    }
-
-    return JSON.stringify(jsonVariables);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -916,7 +927,7 @@ export function registerVariableCommands() {
         name: 'listvar',
         callback: listVariablesCallback,
         aliases: ['listchatvar'],
-        helpString: 'List registered chat variables. Displays variables in a popup by default. Use the <code>format</code> argument to change the output format.',
+        helpString: 'List registered chat variables. Displays variables in a popup by default. Use the <code>return</code> argument to change the return type.',
         returns: 'JSON list of local variables',
         namedArgumentList: [
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
@@ -932,9 +943,18 @@ export function registerVariableCommands() {
                     new SlashCommandEnumValue('global', 'Global variables', enumTypes.enum, enumIcons.globalVariable),
                 ],
             }),
+            SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
+                name: 'return',
+                description: 'The way how you want the return value to be provided',
+                typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
+                defaultValue: 'popup-html',
+                enumList: slashCommandReturnHelper.enumList({ allowPipe: false, allowObject: true, allowChat: true, allowPopup: true, allowTextVersion: false }),
+                forceEnum: true,
+            }),
+            // TODO remove some day
             SlashCommandNamedArgument.fromProps({
                 name: 'format',
-                description: 'output format',
+                description: '!!! DEPRECATED - use "return" instead !!! output format',
                 typeList: [ARGUMENT_TYPE.STRING],
                 isRequired: true,
                 forceEnum: true,