Creating a simple Folder Action

Hello, I am trying to make a simple folder action.
Well first off I have all my applications stored in the "application" folder (Mac MD>Applications) and I have aliases to all the apps stored in a separate application folder in which I have arranged the apps by type. One folder I have is called "new apps" (Mac HD>Users>Me>Applications>New Apps) it contains obviously new applications I have downloaded and have yet to try out.
*What I want to do is whenever I drag a new application to the new apps folder I want it to 1) make an alias of that application and then 2) move the application to my actual "applications" folder.
I went to automator and selected "New Aliases" and selected the new apps folder for its location to be made, and then followed it by "Move Finder Item" and selected my applications folder. I then saved it as a folder action attached to my new apps folder... It doesn't work. Yes folder actions are enabled. Is there something else I need to do for the folder action to actually pass the new files added into the folder into the script? thank you much
Sean

Spotlight can search for a color label but you must make that an active search criterion. Open a new Smart Folder in the Finder. Click on the + button to the right of the Save button. From the drop down menu that displays "Kind" select Other. Scroll down the list until you find the "File label" entry and then check the box to the right of the item. Click Close button. Now you should see the drop down menu has the "File label" selection followed by the color options. Select the "Green" color.
Now, Spotlight will find files with a green label, but it may not display folders with the green label. I've not tested that. If it does not locate folders with a green label, then you will need to set the color of the files in the green labeled folders to the green label.

Similar Messages

What does this simple folder action not work?

OK I have been playing with this all weekend. I just wanted a simple folder action to move a file from folder a to folder b. There is really not much to it. The workflow works just fine. "Somtimes" running the script runs the workflow.app. However when I drop a file into folder a - nothing happens. I have enabled folder actions. Can anyone help?
here is a pic of the relative screens that should help you.
http://flickr.com/photos/hawsnet/2605303472/sizes/l/
Thanks for any help you can provide.
PS I even stopped by my local Genius Bar -- they could not help.

Vantive,
Try either:
*on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items*
*tell application "Finder"*
*repeat with this_item in added_items*
*move this_item to folder "Folder B" of folder "Desktop" of folder¬*
*"MyShortName" of folder "Users" of the startup disk*
*end repeat*
*end tell*
*end adding folder items to*
Or:
*on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items*
*tell application "Finder"*
*repeat with this_item in added_items*
*move this_item to "Macintosh HD:Users:MyShortName:Desktop:Folder B"*
*end repeat*
*end tell*
*end adding folder items to*
In either case replace MyShortName with your actual short name. +Make sure the script is saved to your Home/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts folder.+ Then right-click or control-click on "Folder A" and, if necessary, select "Enable Folder Actions." If enabled, right-click or control-click on "Folder A" and select "Attach a Folder Action…" When the Choose-a-File window appears highlight the script and press Choose.
Both of the above scripts worked for me in testing. For what it's worth, both my /Library/LaunchAgents, and /System/Library/LaunchAgents folders are empty.
Good Luck...
Regards, Andrew99

Folder action to package and create pdf Applescript folder action

Hi
Does anyone have an Applescript Folder Action to package Indesign CS5.5 files and make pdfs.
Thanks, in advance.

Hi Babs
I ended up paying someone to create the script. They did a fantastic job creating a droplet that has options to package, create PDFs to presets, print to presets, create an IDML file, retrosave this to CS4 and create a thumbnail. Sounds like a lot but that is what I ended up needing for one client and I can use it on anything.
Thanks
Mac
Sent from my iPhone

Need help with simple folder action or script

I have created an export preset in Lightroom that exports images to a folder called "To Email" on my hard drive, and then automatically attaches those images to a new email in my email client (Mailplane).
It's a great solution that allows me to send a photo via email with one click from Lightroom. However, I want to take it a step further by creating a folder action or script that automatically deletes the image after it is attached to the email. This will allow me to put the folder somewhere deeper in my file system without having to worry about cleaning it out all the time.
Unfortunately, I have no experience with Automator or AppleScript. Can you help? Thanks.

I think you need to rework elements of your workflow.
For example, you say the export preset creates and sends the email.
If this is the case, the the logical place to make your change would be to edit that preset action (I don't have Lightroom to know whether this is an option there or not).
The problem with using a Folder Action is that the Folder Action will trigger when the file is dropped in the folder, but that will be before the email is generated or sent, so you run the risk of deleting the file before it's sent.
So if you can't edit the export preset to do the deletion I would suggest decoupling the 'send an email' and 'delete file' elements from the Lightroom action - in other word change Lightroom to just export the file, and have a separate folder action that triggers when files are added to that folder. The folder action script can take care of generating the email and sending it out, knowing when the email is sent and therefore when it's safe to delete the file.
WIthout seeing more of the current workflow it's not easy to be more specific.

Is There A Way To Create A Simple File/Folder Tree...

Hi,
Please forgive me if this has already been covered but I have searched and found no answer...
I am trying to create a web page to run on my local network, through iweb and apache, and have got everything I need working except this. I aim to be able to access my work files (masses of word documents and power-points) through the website but I can see no obvious way of doing this through iweb (short of adding individual hyperlinks to each file). Is there a tool or process I can use to create a simple folder tree in html that I can add to my site that lists all my files and allows my to "save target as" in windows (our college techie is still devoted to windows) ?
Thanks in advance for any help...
KP

If you wanted to send a video as an mms from a mobile phone, the best option for exporting would be 3G in the quicktime export menu ( File > Export and it's in the drop down list).
Keep it short and small and you shouldn't have any probs. There are some miserly operators out there who block MMSs bigger than 100K

Automatically Attach Folder Action

Is there a way to tell the OS to attach a folder action when the folder is created?
I do not want to see the window sidebar, never, and I do not want to hide it each time I create a new folder. A very simple folder action does the job, but then it must be attached to the folder... and I would want to see this action automatically attached. The folder action could be as simple as that:
on opening folder this_folder
tell application "Finder"
set the sidebar width of the window of this_folder to 0
end tell
end opening folder
BTW, I didn't find any global variable that I could modify to do this in a simpler fashion.
Not being an AppleScript expert and by far, I am kind of stuck...
G5 1.8Dual, 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) 20" App Dsplay, ext. Lacie, iPod, Bach on Al-Lansing, Canon 5D, Canon L glass

... and it works!!!
I will give you a "Solved on this", Budgie! This AppleScript language is pretty amazing when you know how to use it.
I had to make some modifs, because it stopped working when the action was already attached to some folders, and this caused major problems. I will also have to work on it to optimize it, i.e. for example attach the action when a folder is opened (if it's not already attached) in order to save time, because in its present state, the script attaches the action to each folder in the target window.. But the main difficulty was to attach an action automatically!
So now both scripts are in my own User library and look like this:
Script to attach action, most of it your code :-)
on adding folder items to this_folder
try
tell application "Finder"
set _Script to "LaBomba:Users:rgauthier:Library:Scripts:Folder Action Scripts:nosidebar.scpt"
repeat with each_folder in (get every folder of this_folder)
tell application "System Events"
try
attach action to (each_folder as alias) using (_Script as alias)
end try
end tell
end repeat
end tell
end try
end adding folder items to
... and my own very simple folder action:
on opening folder this_folder
tell application "Finder"
set the sidebar width of the window of this_folder to 0
end tell
end opening folder
I will come back to you in a day or two (or three, time is whort...) with my final code.
Thanks once again for a fast and precise answer!
RTP
G5 1.8Dual, 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) 20" App Dsplay, ext. Lacie, iPod, Bach on Al-Lansing, Canon 5D, Canon L glass

Folder Actions will not work - tried everything

Recently Folder Actions simply stopped working on 10.6.4. They worked fine before then recently just stopped working.
I've tried everything I can think of, including:
1. completely removing enabling & disabling & enabling folder actions through the setup app.
2. trashing folder actions plist files in user domain and relaunching
3. disabling related launchd processes with lingon
4. trashing launch agents in user domain and also trying to unload them in terminal
5. trying to kill the folder actions dispatcher process in activity monitor (just relaunches, as it should)
6. emptying system caches including dyld shared cache using cocktail
7. doing most of the above and restarting
It's driving me nuts. Any other ideas?
here's some entries from syslog:
8/2/10 9:31:37 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 6 seconds
8/2/10 9:37:29 AM Folder Actions Setup[4403] * WARNING: Method selectedRowEnumerator in class NSTableView is deprecated. It will be removed in a future release and should no longer be used.
8/2/10 9:43:37 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[309]) Exited: Killed
8/2/10 9:46:23 AM [0x0-0x3a03a].com.apple.systemevents[360] com.apple.FolderActions.enabled: Already loaded
8/2/10 9:52:07 AM Folder Actions Setup[1083] * WARNING: Method selectedRowEnumerator in class NSTableView is deprecated. It will be removed in a future release and should no longer be used.
8/2/10 9:52:16 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 7 seconds
8/2/10 9:53:02 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 1 seconds
8/2/10 9:56:18 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
8/2/10 10:00:58 AM Folder Actions Setup[2190] * WARNING: Method selectedRowEnumerator in class NSTableView is deprecated. It will be removed in a future release and should no longer be used.
8/2/10 10:01:01 AM com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[2236] launchctl: Error unloading: com.apple.FolderActions.folders
8/2/10 10:01:30 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
8/2/10 10:01:42 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[269] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 9 seconds
8/2/10 10:05:03 AM sudo[2622] lryter : TTY=ttys000 ; PWD=/Users/lryter ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/bin/launchctl unload -w /Users/lryter/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.enabled.plist
8/2/10 10:10:25 AM Folder Actions Setup[676] * WARNING: Method selectedRowEnumerator in class NSTableView is deprecated. It will be removed in a future release and should no longer be used.
8/2/10 10:10:27 AM com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[680] launchctl: Couldn't stat("/Users/lryter/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist"): No such file or directory
8/2/10 10:10:27 AM com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[680] nothing found to unload
8/2/10 10:10:38 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[268] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 8 seconds
8/2/10 10:13:17 AM sudo[943] lryter : TTY=ttys000 ; PWD=/Users/lryter ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/bin/launchctl unload -w /Users/lryter/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.enabled.plist
8/2/10 10:14:01 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[268] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 4 seconds
8/2/10 10:14:14 AM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[268] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders) Throttling respawn: Will start in 1 seconds

I finally go Folders Action to work, after being unable to use it even for a simple beep for years now.
Here is what I did:
1. Changed permissions to 755 for the following folder and two contained files (note that 775 didn't work for me)
~/Library/LaunchAgents/
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.enabled.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist
2. Changed the following lines within ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.enabled.plist (using TextWrangler)
from:
<key>OnDemand</key>
<false/>
to:
<key>OnDemand</key>
<true/>
Prior to the permissions changes within #1 above, the value of <true/> kept getting changed back to <false/> by something in the system... and though
there was improvement by the permissions changes, the following console message appeared until false was changed to true.
com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[4127] launchctl: Error unloading: com.apple.FolderActions.folders
At this point true is staying true, and not being changed by unknown forces to false, and the above message is not appearing.
3. The only other thing I did prior to #1 and #2 above, was to run the script (unsaved),
tell application "/System/Library/CoreServices/Folder Actions Dispatcher.app" to tick
This little tell line caused something to occur where my Folder Action surprised me and worked for the first time though it took about 30 seconds and was erratic,
sometimes performing, sometimes not, though if I would do move something into the folder to trigger the action that should occur, and did not occur, then at the point
running the above tell line or script would cause the action to occur.
4. At this point I don't fool with the tell line or script from #3, and it seems that systemevents has gotten involved, as well as launchd, and with my simple Folder Action script
I'm getting the folder action within 10 seconds compared to 30 to 45 if ever seconds.
5. This is still too early to tell if this is the wonder pill I've needed since Leopard, and now Snow Leopard (and maybe Tiger as well: I forget when I even tried Folder Actions).
There was a time when I moved things around, so that the items normally found in the former AppleScript folder, were placed elsewhere in subfolders, so I don't know if that lead to this...
because I could get Folder Actions to work on Macs in the Applestore, but not my own Mac. Watching the console messages was helpful. I don't think it's a big concern that
deprecated messages are found sometimes. That's a just a normal part of the constantly rebuilding of things that goes on. It's more like a reminder that we've got an upgraded
OEM part were going to start using, and the older part won't be available after such and such date, so program accordingly, and in the meantime drive.

Managing and distributing Folders with folder actions to a group of users?

I want to set up a server for a camera club on a SnowLeo Server running on a MacMini. We want to collect images every month from users who want to participate in a club competition and are looking into the FileSharing service on the server to collect the images.
My initial idea was to find a way of letting the Administrator automatically create folders with folder actions in every users home folder (i.e. "2010-April-Portraits"). After the user had uploaded images into it, the folder action would then rename, reformat and transport images into a central location to be processed further.
Is this a good way of collecting data, and if yes - how do I let the Admin create and distribute these folders with the appropriate actions?
Best regards,
Kjell Are Refsvik
Norway

Hi,
I want to purchase a Macmini with SL Server and create a photo competition solution for a camera club. The solution needs to be able to accept uploaded images and the solution needs to let the user associate a set of images to a competition and from there the solution needs to make sure that the filename, format, size and embedded metadata is correct before storing and processing them further. Friends I have talked to say I need a classic CMS solution so I may need to investigate instead of my planned AppleScript/Automator solution.
Also - thank you for offering to develop, but I had kinda planned to do this myself to build some knowledge and also get to know the server better.
Anyone else using the SnowLeo server for a solution like this?
Kjell Are Refsvik
Norway

Can I make a custom folder action that auto-shares images?

Is it possible to create a custom Folder Action where any images I drop into there are auto shared to Flickr? I have my Flickr account setup in Mountain Lion already.

I think there will be no out of the box solution but with Automator I think you could accomplish this task.

How can I create a simple app that will automatically add folder script

Hi! I hope I can get a little help on this. I tried searching online and haven't found anything.
Is there away I can make a simple "application" that will automatically add a folder script to a users folder?
Basically I need a folder script to run but I don't want to explaint o a user how they'd have to do it in automator.
I'd like to be able to create an application they double click. The app tells them to select a folder then automatically runs the script.
Does anyone have any ideas of how'd I'd do this?

Oh I get it. Yeah I read you post on one of the other pages and didn't quite understand, but not that you say that your're makeing this for another user, it makes sence.
So what you want to do is have the computer automatically install a script on a customer's computer, right?
(I'm using "custumer" loosly; i.e. just another user)
If that's what you'd like to do, then you'll probably have to write an actual program in Xcode, since I imagine automiticlly installing folder action scrips will be highly discuraged by Apple because it would cause a huge security hole in the OS. (You wouldn't want some random person sending you a folder action installer disgused as a regular app LOL.)
But I will actually suggest the following, which I think will work great for your users:
Make a regular Automator app, and drag it to your Dock. Now, have the user click and drag a bunch of photos to the application icon, and it will run the app automatically on those files.
You could try a work flow like this:
ask the user Are you sure?
convert pictures
save pictures to ConvertedPics folder
pop up a confirmation message saying that everything was resized
Hope this helps

Need help creating a folder action for creating folders based on filenames.

I want to create a folder action that will monitor a folder and every time a file is added to the folder it will create a directory using the filename (minus the extension) and move the file the that directory

on run {input, parameters} -- create folders from file names and move
set output to {} -- this will be a list of the moved files
repeat with anItem in the input -- step through each item in the input
    set {theContainer, theName, theExtension} to (getTheNames from anItem)
    try
      set destination to (makeNewFolder for theName at theContainer)
      tell application "Finder"
        move anItem to destination
        set the end of the output to the result as alias -- success
      end tell
    on error errorMessage -- duplicate name, permissions, etc
      log errorMessage
      # handle errors if desired - just skip for now
    end try
end repeat
return the output -- pass on the results to following actions
end run
to getTheNames from someItem -- get a container, name, and extension from a file item
tell application "System Events" to tell disk item (someItem as text)
    set theContainer to the path of the container
    set {theName, theExtension} to {name, name extension}
end tell
if theExtension is not "" then
    set theName to text 1 thru -((count theExtension) + 2) of theName -- just the name part
    set theExtension to "." & theExtension
end if
return {theContainer, theName, theExtension}
end getTheNames
to makeNewFolder for theChild at theParent -- make a new child folder at the parent location if it doesn't already exist
set theParent to theParent as text
if theParent begins with "/" then set theParent to theParent as POSIX file as text
try
    return (theParent & theChild) as alias
on error errorMessage -- no folder
    log errorMessage
    tell application "Finder" to make new folder at theParent with properties {name:theChild}
    return the result as alias
end try
end makeNewFolder
This script almost does what I need except for the fact that it screws up on files with periods in them
for example
1.2.3.4.txt
will create the directorys 1, 2, 3, and 4 instead of 1.2.3.4

Create folder action in automator

I want to create a folder action that will move downloaded website backups into a specific folder.
I cribbed the automator folder action shown below from Macworld
The Folder Action appears not to work when left to just monitor the folder.
However, if I force the Action to run from within automator it works, albeit with an error message at the beginning saying that you can't execute the action from within Automator. Still it finds the file and moves it to the intended destination.
By way of checking this I looked at the "Set Up Folder Action" by right clicking on the downloads folder. After clicking there is a long delay but when the panel opens there is no content, see second image below. I tried clicking the + button to add the "Downloads" folder but after a long delay the "Open" dialog closes and nothing has appeared in the panel. I assume that any folder action should show up in this panel, but I've no experience in using it.
Any suggestions as to a problem with the Action or why the panel is blank and why I can't attach the Action using this setup panel?
Thanks
Folder Action
Note: Path and File have been omitted.
Note: OS X 10.10.2
Folder Action Setup

I'm confused. You showed two Automator actions with the same name, one was a folder action one wasn't.
Are you sure the correct Automator action (the one that is a folder action) is attached to the folder?
If when the Folders Action setup window is opened and you select Articles_Folder.workflow and then edit script are you getting the right workflow?
Assuming you do I would start off very simply. Try this:
It will label green screen shot image files saved to the Desktop.
See if this works for you.

Issue with folder action created with automator

Hello all,
I'm having an issue with folder actions that i created with automator and it's driving me crazy. Apple says they can't help with things created by the user so this is my only shot at figuring this out.
Running a Mini 2.3G quad i7, 8GB ram on OSX Mavericks 10.9.2
My goal is to set up an action to add text to the filename of a file placed into a particular folder. So I open automator and choose folder action. Then I choose the folder I want the action applied to at the top. Then I go to Files and Folders in the library and choose rename finder items and drag it over to the workflow. I select add text, then add the text I want added to the file name and choose before name because I want the added text to preceede the original filename text. I save it then go to the folder I applied it to and right clikc go to services then folder actions and verify that the service is attached to that particular folder and it is.
Should work right? No. When I place a file in that folder the action runs and adds the text like I want it to... but then it starts to add it over and over again in an infinite loop. It also adds a file with the extension .ds_store to the folder that also has the name added over and over.
I've tried deleteing all the folder actions and even deleteing all the folder actions themselves saved by the automator in the workflow file in the user library.
I'm stumped... no idea what to do. A while ago I had used the automator to batch rename files and it worked perfectly. I tried the same steps i listed above to set this action up on a machine in an Apple retail store and it worked... so I know I have the set up right.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Justin

Hi JK257
This is why it happens:
The folder action is looking for new items in the folder. You drop in a file called "File1". So it renames it "sometext File1". Then it sees this new file called "sometext File1" and thinks "Hey, this is a new file - I'll call it 'sometext sometext File1' because I have to rename every new file." Then it sees this new file called "sometext sometext File1" and thinks...
You get the picture.
(the .ds_store is a normally hidden database file which is getting revealed by the same process.)
The solution is to move the files out of the renamer folder into a receiving folder after they have been renamed:
Hope this helps,
H

Help with creating Automator Folder Action

Hi
I want to create a folder action to empty my Caches from my both System and User Library files. I want a little help in creating the workflow. I tried to create a workflow, but the problem is it was asking for the system password when I selected the Library cache folder from my System. How can I create a workflow and save it as a plugin for my everyday action...
thanks in advance..

HI,
Not sure if Automator can do that but AppleScript might. Post here for help.
(Applications/Utilities)
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=724
Carolyn

Creating complex folder from one Simple Folder

I have one simple folder (test) which is like one large table in the database. I want to create 5 complex folders from this "TEST" folder and be able to create joins, drill, sorts, conditions etc., and also calculate some items to help users with what they want.
I need to know how possible it is to do this and would I run into problems in future.
Actually am I better off splitting the table in the database into five tables so that I would have five simple folders instead of One simple folder.
I need an answer please.
Thank you.

Hi,
If your folder contains only 1 table then how you can create a join.If you wants this folder to split you can do what ever you want except joining from other table in a work book,
better create a view at database and join the tables in that view then you can go ahead with the business area.
(OR)
take two tables in the business area and join them together but there should be constraints in both the tables.
If your problem is not yet solved please give the detail question what actually you needs.
Regards,
Moin

Creating a simple Folder Action

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