missing items from Command palette in ST2 - plugins

Question

I'm trying to create a custom package and one thing I would like to do is bring up the Build Systems(located in the Tools menu item) in the command palette(show_overlay). So I have tried to create a Default.sublime-commands file in my package and type in...
[
{ "caption": "Build System", "command": "build_system" }
]
...to enable that menu item for the command palette(I also tried set_build_system) and then I created a Default.sublime-keymap file in my package so that I can access the Build System list from via shortcut...
[
{
"keys": ["f9"], "command": "show_overlay",
"args": {"overlay": "command_palette", "text": "Build System"}
}
]
I am not having any luck exposing the Build System menu item to the command palette. Can I get some help on this? I also noticed the Tools menu item is not available in the command palette as well. What am I missing?

Answer 1

Ok I figured it out. The command palette can only be populated by existing commands that run in sublime. The way you can view which commands that are being run in sublime is to open up the console(CTR + ~) and type in sublime.log_command(True)
Now whenever you do anything that makes sublime trigger a command, it will log that action in the console. Armed with this knowledge, we we go to Tools > Build System and click on the build system type we want, say, C++, we get:
command: set_build_system {"file": "Packages/C++/C++.sublime-build"}
Sweet! Knowing this we can go to our .sublime-commands file(you can call it Default.sublime-commands) and type in the below code:
[
{
"caption": "Set Build System: C++", "command": "set_build_system",
"args": { "file":"Packages/C++/C++.sublime-build" }
}
]
Tip: pay close attention to the "caption" it's what we will use to tie our .sublime-command file with our .sublime-keymap file. Let's add another one build system:
[
{
"caption": "Set Build System: C++", "command": "set_build_system",
"args": { "file":"Packages/C++/C++.sublime-build" }
},
{
"caption": "Set Build System: Python", "command": "set_build_system",
"args": { "file":"Packages/Python/Python.sublime-build" }
}
]
Now that we have exposed these two commands in our .sublime-commands file. We can create a shortcut for it in our .sublime-keymap file. I called mine Default.sublime-keymap:
[
{
"keys": ["f8"], "command": "show_overlay",
"args": {"overlay": "command_palette", "text": "Set Build System:"}
}
]
Notice the "text" key. Look familiar? This is how you connect your key binding to your command. Save press F8 and boom! You have our own custom command palette menu. Enjoy!
PS: you can put your .sublime-commands/.sublime-keymap files in your User package or add to any existing ones if you have them there if you just want to customize your sublime text 2 without making a custom package.