Automator problem parsing variable as filename in disc image

Question

Dear apple/automator forum.
I have just recently started using Automator, and i am experiencing a little problem which im hoping to get a helping hand with.
First, heres my screenshot (sorry its in danish, ill explain what iwe done): www.bergsorensen.dk/screenshot.png
- As for text
- Set new variable
- Get finder items
- New disc iamge from finder items (variable as filename)
I made a service which creates a new disc image of the selected finder items. Now, "in front" of that, i wanted a dialog box, where you could type the name of the new disc image - filename.
The creating disc image flow works perfectly, though i cant get the dialog box to parse the variable as name to the disc image.
Any suggestions?
Best
Kasper

Answer 1

You might want to update your forum settings, since your screenshot indicates you are running *Snow Leopard's Automator*.
The problem seems to be that you are mixing the text from your dialog with the input items - note that any selected items are already passed to the service, so you don't have to use additional actions to get the input. You just need to add a few actions to save and restore the original input when getting your other variable(s):
1) *Set Value of Variable* { Variable: _Original Input_ } -- save the input items
2) *Ask for Text* ( *Ignore Input* ) -- get a name for the disk image
3) *Set Value of Variable* { Variable: _Image Name_ } -- now we can use this variable in other actions
4 *Get Value of Variable* { Variable: _Original Input_ } ( *Ignore Input* ) -- get the input items back
5) *New Disk Image* { (drag _Image Name_ variable to the "Volume name" and "Save as" fields) }