Importing text file (with file names) into Automator.. is it possible?

Question

Hello all,
I have been working with Windows Batch files for my line of work. I have a couple of file names in a text file (a column), which I want to copy from one folder of one hdd to another folder on a different hdd. I have been trying to do this kind of work with a Mac. I already know how you copy and rename files in automator (which isn't difficult, of course) but you have to 'select' the files in the finder first (with get specified items).
But the only way i see that you can specify items is by selecting them... is there a way to import a text file with all the file names instead of selecting all the file names manually?
or is there an AppleScript alternative which I can use to import the text file (or just copy into applescript) and run before the query's of copying and renaming the files? I am kind of new to Apple programming.
The text file looks like this:
image1.jpg
image2.jpg
etc..
so there has to be a command to: 'goto' a specific folder as well.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You can import text files, but if they are just names you will need an additional action to add the source folder path. A *Run AppleScript* action can be used, for example:
Tested workflow:
1) *Ask for Finder Items* {Type: files } -- choose the text file containing the names
2) *Combine Text Files* -- this gets the text file contents
3) *Filter Paragraphs* { return paragraphs that are not empty } -- skip blank lines
4) *Run AppleScript* -- copy and paste the following script:
<pre style="
font-family: Monaco, 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;
font-size: 10px;
font-weight: normal;
margin: 0px;
padding: 5px;
border: 1px solid #000000;
width: 680; height: 340px;
color: #000000;
background-color: #FFEE80;
overflow: auto;"
title="this text can be pasted into an Automator 'Run AppleScript' action">
on run {input, parameters} -- add folder path
add the specified folder path to a list of file names
input: a list of text items (the file names)
output: a list of file paths (aliases)
set output to {}
set SkippedItems to {} -- this will be a list of skipped items (errors)
set SourceFolder to (choose folder with prompt "Choose the folder containing the file names") as text -- this is the folder containing the names
repeat with AnItem in the input -- step through each name in the input
try
set AnItem to SourceFolder & AnItem -- add the prefix
set the end of the output to (AnItem as alias) -- test
on error number ErrorNumber -- oops
set ErrorNumber to ("  (" & ErrorNumber as text) & ")" -- add the specific error number
set the end of SkippedItems to (AnItem as text) & ErrorNumber
end try
end repeat
ShowSkippedAlert for SkippedItems
return the output -- pass the result(s) to the next action
end run
to ShowSkippedAlert for SkippedItems
show an alert dialog for any items skipped, with the option to cancel the workflow
parameters - SkippedItems [list]: the items skipped
returns nothing
if SkippedItems is not {} then
set {AlertText, TheCount} to {"Error with AppleScript action", count SkippedItems}
if TheCount is greater than 1 then
set theMessage to (TheCount as text) & space & " items were skipped:"
else
set theMessage to "1 " & " item was skipped:"
end if
set {TempTID, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, return}
set {SkippedItems, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {SkippedItems as text, TempTID}
if button returned of (display alert AlertText message (theMessage & return & SkippedItems) ¬
alternate button "Cancel" default button "OK") is "Cancel" then error number -128
end if
return
end ShowSkippedAlert
</pre>
5) *Copy Finder Items* { To: _your external drive_ }