Automating Folder Creation

Question

Here's what I want to do. I'm trying to automate client folder creation. I have a directory called clients. Every time I create a new folder in the clients folder, I'd like for it to automatically ask me what I'd like to name the folder, then I would like it to create 6 directories inside the created folder titled "legal" "spec files" "correspondence" "modules""graphic design" and "archived materials".
How would I go about that with automator?

Answer 1

A couple of options. The first uses automator and a shell script, but you would run the workflow which asks for a folder name instead of you creating it first, as you requested. The second uses Folder Actions so that when you create a new folder in your clients folder it will ask for a name and create the folders.
Automator Method:
1) From Files and Folders, drag over a "New Folder" action.
2) Enter a default name for the folder in the Name: field (or leave blank)
3) Select your Clients folder in the Where: field
4) Click the "Options" button and tell it to "show this action when the workflow runs"
5) From the Utilities, drag over a "Do shell script" action
6) Select the /bin/bash shell
7) in the Pass input field select "As arguments"
8) Enter this code mkdir -p $1/legal/ $1/spec files/ $1/correspondence/ $1/modules/ $1/graphic design/ $1/archived materials/
Save this workflow and run it when you want to create the new folder. If you have quick keys, launch bar, Quicksilver, or the like, you could set up a shortcut...or, you can use cmd-space to call up spotlight and search for you workflow name and launch it from spotlight.
For the Applescript option:
I had some glitches with it in that it seemed to re-run the script after I changed the name. I couldn't figure out if the name change drove the script to run again. Also, after creating the new folder, you have to wait a few seconds for it to trigger. Kind of annoying, I thought.
First, copy this script to a new Script Editor script (Applescript folder).
property dialog_timeout : 30 -- set the amount of time before dialogs auto-answer.
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
try
tell application "Finder"
set theFolder to item 1 of added_items
set response to display dialog "Please enter a folder name:" default answer "New Client"
if button returned of response is not "Cancel" then
set the name of folder theFolder to (text returned of response)
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"legal"}
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"spec files"}
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"correspondence"}
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"modules"}
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"graphic design"}
make new folder at folder theFolder with properties {name:"archived materials"}
end if
end tell
on error theErr
display dialog theErr
end try
end adding folder items to
Save it as a script in your user/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts/ folder. Run the Folder Actions Setup script in the Applescript folder and attach this script to your "Clients" folder:
1) Click on the Enable Actions checkbox
2) Click the "+" button in the left pane and find your clients folder
3) Click the "+" button in the right pane and find your script you just saved.