Adding prefix to the dropped onto the droplet file names

Question

Hi, I am trying to adjust apple sample script to rename bunch of files dropped on a droplet instead of all files in selected folder. Here what I have and it doesn't give me list of the dropped files:
Add Prefix-Suffix to File Names
This script is designed to add a prefix or suffix to files in the front window of the desktop.
If no folder windows are open, the script will effect items on the desktop.
Copyright © 2001 Apple Computer, Inc.")
*on open draggedItems*
try
* tell application "Finder" to set the source_folder to (container of the draggedItems) as alias*
* on error -- no open folder windows*
* end try*
* set the prefix to "front_"*
* set the item_list to list folder source_folder without invisibles*
* set source_folder to source_folder as string*
* repeat with i from 1 to number of items in the item_list*
* set this_item to item i of the item_list*
* set this_item to (source_folder & this_item) as alias*
* set this_info to info for this_item*
* set the current_name to the name of this_info*
* if folder of this_info is false and ¬*
* alias of this_info is false then*
* set the newfilename to the (the prefix & the current_name) as string*
* my setitem_name(thisitem, the newfilename)*
* end if*
* end repeat*
* beep 2*
*end open*
*on setitem_name(thisitem, newitemname)*
* tell application "Finder"*
* --activate*
* set the parentcontainerpath to (the container of this_item) as text*
* if not (exists item (the parentcontainerpath & newitemname)) then*
* try*
* set the name of this_item to newitemname*
* on error the error_message number the error_number*
* if the error_number is -59 then*
* set the error_message to "This name contains improper characters, such as a colon (:)."*
* else --the suggested name is too long*
* set the error_message to error_message -- "The name is more than 31 characters long."*
* end if*
* --beep*
* tell me to display dialog the error_message default answer newitemname buttons {"Cancel", "Skip", "OK"} default button 3*
* copy the result as list to {newitemname, button_pressed}*
* if the button_pressed is "Skip" then return 0*
* my setitem_name(thisitem, newitemname)*
* end try*
* else --the name already exists*
* --beep*
* tell me to display dialog "This name is already taken, please rename." default answer newitemname buttons {"Cancel", "Skip", "OK"} default button 3*
* copy the result as list to {newitemname, button_pressed}*
* if the button_pressed is "Skip" then return 0*
* my setitem_name(thisitem, newitemname)*
* end if*
* end tell*
*end setitemname*
Thank you very much for your help.
Yulia

Answer 1

The original script quite clearly looks for the parent folder of the dropped items and iterates through the contents:
tell application "Finder" to set the source_folder to (container of the draggedItems) as alias
If you don't want that, just eliminate that part of the code and use a simple loop based on draggedItems:
on open draggedItems
  set the prefix to "front_"
  repeat with this_item in draggedItems
    set this_info to info for this_item
    set the current_name to the name of this_info
    set the newfilename to the (the prefix & the current_name) as string
    my setitem_name(thisitem, the newfilename)
  end repeat
end open
(You'll still need to include the on setitemname handler since that's the bit that does the actual rename, but I don't see a reason to change that.