Does iBA support Applescript/Automator actions or is it possible -

Beginner's question:
I like to create a 'journal' for my son's soccer coach.
I'd like to add videos = easy
I'd like to add TWO videos, running simultanousely .... = no so easy.
coming from the Video-Dept. here at ASC, my first idea was to create a two-track-quicktime-file (=very easy), and add a script/action/'button' which allows to select the track on display in that video.
(see my corresponding q here https://discussions.apple.com/message/19512606#19512606)
I want just ONE track visible, but allow to switch to other at any givin' moment.
using a two-track.mov allows to keep both videos in perfect synch, independently, what the watcher does, rew/ff, no problem.
the video part is easy ..... for me
but …
a) does iBA support usage of any 'actions'?
b) Plan B?
thanks for support
k.

thanks, Michi, for a first evaluation!
meanwhile, I got the info for next hurdle to go:
iBA is based upon QTX - which does NOT have the same script features of (legacy) QT7; and esp. the 'layer' feature isn't listed in AppleScript for QTX.-
I have to test first, if a QT7-script allows to 'tickle' QTX ....
sometimes wonders happen.
Still open for suggestions (aside HTML5 - this is unknown space for me) ....
2 videos, both synched, only 1 to be shown ..... (?)

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How on EARTH to parameters work in AppleScript Automator Actions for SL?

Prior to Snow Leopard, creating a new AppleScript Automator Action would create a template something like...
on run{input, parameters}
but now, on Snow Leopard, I get:
on runWithInputfromAction_error(input, anAction, errorRef)
where to I get the 'parameters' collection from? If I just reference 'parameters', without it being declared in some way, I get errors....
I assume there is some new mechanism in SL, what is it??
Thanks

Sorry, I misunderstood what you said the first time around. I thought that you wanted to use the +Run AppleScript+ action within Automator but now I see that you are trying to create a new Automator action using applescript. Now that I try it in Xcode I to get the same method/handler signature. Tried to look at the [Mac Dev Center|http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/AppleApplications/C onceptual/AutomatorTutorialAppleScript/Introduction/Introduction.html] but it hasn't been updated lately. Also tried looking at the [Automator Programming Guide|http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/DOCUMENTATION/AppleApplications/Co nceptual/AutomatorConcepts/Articles/ImplementScriptAction.html#//apple_ref/doc/u id/TP40001512] and the documentation for [AMBundleAction|http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/DOCUMENTATION/AppleAppli cations/Reference/AutomatorFramework/Classes/AMBundleAction_Class/Reference/Refe rence.html] but can't figure anything out. Sorry I don't have much experience in Xcode, so can't help you much with that.

Are qt-tracks switchable per Applescript/Automator?

my idea is the following scenario:
I do have a Quicktime.mov containing TWO video tracks.
What I'm looking for is a 'single button'-solution, which allows to switch between both tracks.
possible? how?
any ready-made scripts/actions avail?
to give additional info about my project:
I'm recording soccer games with two (... four) cameras simultanously.
the team's coach needs a 'dumb' solution (no word about soccer-coaches! ) , to see the action from one or the other perspective.
it's simple to stitch the two videos into a single mov, and I do know how to 'select tracks on display' in QT7pro.
but he doesn't.
my idea is, to create a (local, on usb-stick) website, offering that video. (and additional info)
or, even better, a Pages/iBooks document .......
plus a 'switch'-button, which is a kind-of applescript/automator action/whatever, which changes 'priority'. that way both videos are always in synch.-
anybody any idea?
thanks in advance
k.

I'm recording soccer games with two (... four) cameras simultanously.
the team's coach needs a 'dumb' solution (no word about soccer-coaches! ) , to see the action from one or the other perspective.
it's simple to stitch the two videos into a single mov, and I do know how to 'select tracks on display' in QT7pro.
but he doesn't.
Hi Karsten, it's been while since I last saw a posting by you here.
Simplest approach would be to create a file containing side-by-side or over-and-under display of two angle cameras or a combination of the two to display four simultaneous camera angles. If you combine, align, and offset the video tracks in QT 7 Pro and then compress to your target diplay file, then the sync alignment of the source tracks will be locked in the combined frames of your final output file unlike individual source tracks each of which might drop frames independently during playback in a multiple video track standalone file. This, of course, means that all viwing angles are displayed simultaneously and the viewer must switch his or her attention to the specific angle of interest but does allow you to play the file in any compatible media player, on a web site or on any compatible mobile device without having to program track switching which may or may not be compatible will all of the viewing options previously mentioned.
A second approach would be to key your video tracks to alternative language options and have the viewing angle (track) change when the associated language is selected. Unfortunately, this only works in apps/on devices which support built-in alternate languages and/or multiple video track control. For instance, it QT X and QT 7 will switch the video track when the appropriate language is selected but VLC has separate built-n video track switching controls and iTunes doesn't recognize alternative video tracks. Unfortunately, there is a secondary problem with this approach. Playback can sometimes become jittery after switching tacks. This problem can be correctly by momentarily stopping playback and then restarting it but this can be a pain.
A third option might be the use of sprite buttons to script switching between tracks. Unfortunately, I can't say how difficult or successful this approach may be based on any personal experience.

Where are Automator Actions stored?

I want to use an Automator action on other computers and send it to a friend, but there is no Export option. Does anyone know where an action that I created is stored?? I checked in system and user Library folders, but only found the built-in actions. I also don't see anything showing up in Application Support folders.

Automator actions, like Service workflows, are stored in specific locations. Since you can store your other workflows pretty much anywhere you want, you can "Open an Existing Workflow..." of the desired type (it may also be in the list of recent items) or search using the Finder/Spotlight like any other file item. Right-clicking the workflow name at the top of the Automator workflow window will also show you a path popup to remind you where it was put.

Does Logic supports Automator actions?

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I'm new to this forum and I'm looking for help to find out if Logic supports Automator actions...
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I am not sure if this will help, but I just found this utility called, Accelerando, at http://www.eigentoneresearch.com/Accelerando.html
"Accelerando is a sizable collection of utilities which have been designed to allow you to accomplish more in less time by condensing your commands and actions."
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Execute Applescript fails when run as part of Automator action

I have an automator action whose first step is an Execute Applescript to drive a spaces switch:
_Execute Applescript_
<pre>on run
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "2" using {control down}
end tell
return true
end run</pre>
When I click the "Run" button in the upper left of the Execute Applescript window in Automator, the script runs and the screen switches spaces.
But, if I run the whole Automator Action, it always fails on this first action. I think it's because I'm not handling input and parameters correctly, but I can't figure it out. If I add them ( On Run {input, parameters} ) then the Applescript itself does not work and also still does not work when I run the whole Automator action.
Can someone help me get the syntax right on this?
Thanks!

All I can get out of the Automator interface is "Action Failed". The second action is a Pause [15] seconds, but I'm certain it never gets there. When the Automator action fails, the applescript does not produce any result. Spaces does not switch. But again, if I click the "run" button in Automator's Execute Applescript window, the applescript will produce results and switch to spaces 2.
I originally got instructions here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1206636&tstart=134
When I couldn't get it to work, I posted a thread here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1378261&tstart=30
Which prompted me to add the OnRun wrapper, still have problems, and finally post on this forum instead of that one because is seems to be a very automator-specific problem.
Thanks for any help,

Execute Applescript in Automator: fails when running Automator action

I am trying to get a simple Automator action to switch spaces every so often. I'm following directions found on MacScripter. The Applescript runs and works on it's own, or when I run the applescript from inside the Execute Applescript window of Automator. But when I run the automator action, the Execute Applescript action fails. Here's the Applescript code I've entered into the Execute Applescript window:
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "2" using control down
end tell
Again, this runs and does what it should if I click the Run button in the Execute Applescript window of the automator action. It fails when I run the whole automator action. This Execute Applescript is the first action in the automator sequence.
What am I missing?
Thanks!

Are you using the Run AppleScript action's run handler? The parameters are used to connect the action to Automator:
<pre style="
font-family: Monaco, 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;
font-size: 10px;
margin: 0px;
padding: 5px;
border: 1px solid #000000;
width: 720px;
color: #000000;
background-color: #FFDDFF;
overflow: auto;"
title="this text can be pasted into an Automator 'Run AppleScript' action">
on run {input, parameters}
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "2" using control down
end tell
return input
end run
</pre>

Looking for an example of using Automator action in an Applescript

Does anyone have an example of how to use an Automator action in an Applescript? I want to use the Automator action that creates a note for an iPod and then sends it to the iPod inside an Applescript (I want to be able to loop through all of the text files in a folder). Any examples would be helpful. Thanks.

Hi Mike
You could save the workflow as an application and then write a simple script that tells the application to launch multiple times.
But you'll find it many times faster to do it the other way round, and run a looping AppleScript from a single Automator action.
(Your iPod must be set up in disk mode.)
set ipod_name to "Name of your iPod goes here" -- edit this line and put the name of your pod in inverted commas
tell application "Finder" to set ipod_ready to exists disk ipod_name
if ipod_ready then
set text_folder to (choose folder with prompt "Choose the folder containing notes for your iPod.")
set file_names to list folder text_folder without invisibles
repeat with file_name in file_names
set file_path to text_folder & file_name as string
if file type of (info for file_path) is "TEXT" then
tell application "Finder"
move file file_path to folder "Notes" of disk ipod_name
end tell
end if
else -- ipod not mounted
display dialog "Mount your iPod first!" buttons {"OK"} default button 1 with icon caution giving up after 5
end if
Copy and paste this into a Run AppleScript action, edit to supply the name of your own ipod, and see how it goes.
Hope this helps,
H

How do I pass multiple Applescript variables to next Automator actions/variables?

I am writing an Applescript in Automator to do several things, but at the end of the Script, I want to pass the files selected in <choose file ..... multiple selection allowed> early in the Script back into Automator as results of the Script. Say I, <set theFiles> to choose file ..... multiple selection allowed> and later, <result {POSIX path of theFiles} >, if I have selected multiple files, then when Automator recieves the results it runs the names all together! How can I fix this?

Choose file returns a list of aliases to the files chosen so not sure what you are doing to that list in the AppleScript before returning it but if you return a list to Automator it will handle it
As a simple example
The script runs a choose file and returns the list. The following Automator action accepts the list and preforms it task, in this case copying the files selected in the AS.

How can I edit an Automator action for Word?

I'm running Word 2008 on a Macbook Pro, Mac OS 10.5.
Word comes with a selection of Automator actions, including one to find and replace text in Word. I often want to convert standard numerals to old-style numerals, which are part of the extended glyphs set in fonts I use. Automator will allow me to set up ten find/replace actions (for the numbers 0-9) that successfully replace all the numerals with old-style numerals. But it only does it for the main body of the document, not for the footnotes. I need to be able to do it for all the footnotes.
I thought I might find a workaround by adding an AppleScript to my workflow, which would shift the focus in Word to the footnotes and rerun the find/replace actions. I mapped the menu item View/Footnotes to the keystroke command-) and inserted this AppleScript into the Automator workflow:
tell application "Microsoft Word"
tell application "Microsoft Word" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "Microsoft Word"
keystroke ")" using command down
end tell
end tell
end tell
But the find/replace actions simply repeat what they'd done before, converting the numerals in the main body but not in the footnotes. I then thought that perhaps I should have an AppleScript to do the find/replace itself, once the footnotes have been selected, so I created the following (command-H accesses the find/replace dialog box in Word 2008):
tell application "Microsoft Word"
tell application "Microsoft Word" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "Microsoft Word"
keystroke "H" using command down
keystroke "1"
keystroke tab
keystroke ""
end tell
end tell
end tell
The character after the fourth keystroke command is the glyph for old-style numeral 1. For some reason Word reinterprets this as the letter a. So using AppleScript I can only replace the numerals 1-9 with the letters a-i.
I'm pretty hopeless at even this very basic level of programming, but I presume that there's something in the Automator action 'Find and replace in Word' that specifically tells it not to look anywhere but the footnotes. I also presume it's possible to insert a command to tell it to operate on the footnotes (and headers and footers: everywhere!) too.
Does anyone know a way to edit an Automator action? I'm willing to experiment and fiddle with one until I find a way that works, if nobody knows the exact changes that I'd need to make, but I just don't know how to edit an Automator action in the first place. A bit of googling suggests that I could do it in XCode, and that that is bundled with my Mac, but I don't have it.
This all used to work when Office used to allow VBA (and I was using a horrible Windoze machine). Maybe someone would prefer just to find a way of creating a solution our of the old code, so here's one part of what I used (to change the number 1):
For Each aStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
With aStory.Find
.ClearFormatting
With .Replacement
.ClearFormatting
End With
.Execute FindText:="1", ReplaceWith:=ChrW(63281), _
Format:=True, MatchCase:=True, Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
Next aStory
Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks to all three contributors for their generous help so far. Mac people are lovely.
BDAqua's suggestion wouldn't work, I think, because copying footnote text into another application and then back into Word would lose all the associations between footnote references in the body and the footnotes themselves. I wish I could do what Klaus1 says, but Word 2008 won't allow the creation of Macros any more. They've shut off support for their creation. Nice MS. red_menace's suggestion seems very plausible and I'll look into a way of mapping the old style numerals to specific keystrokes. That might do it.
Reflecting on what you all said, I looked again through Word's help menus and eventually got pointed towards this page of 'help': <http://tinyurl.com/6398l6>. This is completely impenetrable for me, though it does compare a VBA script for Word 2004 to an AppleScript. This encourages me to hope that it should be possible to translate my original VBA script (part of which I included in my first message) into AppleScript, though I don't know how to do it because I don't really understand the language in the first place (the VBA script was put together by someone else).

Do Applescript / Automator work with Final Cut Express?

Hey list,
I'm a nubie in all things Applescript / Automator related. Does Final Cut Express support commands from these? For example, can I tell it to go pick up a batch of photos I created, put them in a seqeunce, and export them as an MOV? If so, it would make my life a lot easier
-Chris
Message was edited by: Chrisryantaz

Hi(Bonjour)!
If you want to drive an appication by applescript or automator, this application has to be "driveable" by script.
If you open Applescript editor, select dictionnary and look if the application appears. If not, it cannot be driven by scripts.
FCE is not scriptable. You can automate the lauching of the app itself (from finder scripts) but no more.
But with select all command, you can drag all your stills (they will be inserted in the same order as they appear in column list view) in timeline.
Also, use the "storyboard tips" by placing them in a diffrent order in icon view (in perfect row and column), select all and drag in timeline. The order will be respected from upper left-corner to lower-right.
Michel Boissonneault
Message was edited by: Michel Boissonneault

Script/Automator action/CSS to change text encoding?

As an expat Israeli, I read an Isareli newspaper online every day. Most pages on their site <http://www.haaretz.co.il> display fine with the text encoding set to Default. Some, though, forget that Hebrew is written right-to-left, and insist on displaying everything backwards, which makes it a bit hard to read.
To get such a page to display correctly I need to change the text encoding to Hebrew (Windows). However, it gets a bit boring to go to the View menu, scroll down to Text Encoding, then scroll down again to Hebrew (Windows), especially when I have to do it several times a day.
So, I thought automating this procedure would be the way to go. Problem is I cannot find either Automator actions or Applescript Dictionary items that relate to text encoding.
Skating on thinner ice, I think a style sheet could help tell Safari to display a page with the right text encoding, but:
1. I have no idea how to write such a style sheet.
2. When I looked at the source HTML of a page that displays correctly, and one that doesn't, I find that both include the following tags:
charset=windows-1255 (inside a larger META tag), and
<META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-Language" CONTENT="he">
These are the tags that, I thought, would allow me to distinguish between a "good" page and a "bad" one. But if both contain the same tags...
Any ideas on how I can automate this text encoding switch?
TIA,
Gidi
iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I agree with you that the authors are doing something
not exactly kosher. But if I will complain, I know
their knee-jerk response: Ahhh, you're using a
Mac...
I don't see how a windows browser could display it correctly either. Win-1255 has to be logical order, and they probably have some guys composing articles in visual order and then copy/pasting them into the Win-1255 pages without paying attention.

Can't create new file automator action

I'm trying to create a new Automator action that prompts the user to choose a new file. The Action is similar to the "Ask for Finder Items" actions except that it asks the user to choose a new file and not one that already exists.
I chose to write it in applescript:
script PicknewFile
property parent : class "AMBundleAction"
on runWithInputfromAction_error(input, anAction, errorRef)
return choose file with prompt "Where do you want to save it?"
end runWithInputfromAction_error
end script
When I try and run it, I get the following error message in the Xcode console.
[Switching to process 10606]
Program received signal: “EXCBADACCESS”.
[Switching to process 10606]
sharedlibrary apply-load-rules all
No memory available to program now: unsafe to call malloc
Data Formatters temporarily unavailable, will re-try after a 'continue'. (Not safe to call dlopen at this time.)
kill
Does anybody know when this happens?
Thanks,
Scott

Looks like I was wrong. I created a brand new project in Xcode and all I did as add "choose file name" to the applescript. It still gets a "EXCBADACCESS". I also tried a 'display dialog "Error"' in my applescript and it does the same thing.
Here is the script the fails. Everything else in the project is default.
script ChoosenewFile
property parent : class "AMBundleAction"
on runWithInputfromAction_error(input, anAction, errorRef)
-- Add your code here, returning the data to be passed to the next action.
display dialog "Error"
return input
end runWithInputfromAction_error
end script
In the debugger, this is the stack:
#0 0x91184917 in objc_msgSend
#1 0x63707472 in ??
#2 0x16c01e36 in DecodeAEDescInternal
#3 0x16c02b4b in DecodeObjectSpecifier
#4 0x16c01c24 in DecodeAEDescInternal
#5 0x16c022bb in DecodeAEList
#6 0x16bccdd0 in ASExecuteEvent_PushSendStackFrame
#7 0x16bccfcc in ASExecuteEvent
#8 0x918026cb in callComponent_4444
#9 0x16bc3d4a in AppleScriptComponent
#10 0x917efcb6 in CallComponentDispatch
#11 0x972455df in OSAExecuteEvent
#12 0x00339ffe in +[BAObjectProto invokeScriptHandler:forObject:args:error:]
#13 0x0033a363 in -[BAObjectProto invokeScriptHandler:args:error:]
#14 0x0033b581 in -[BAObjectProto forwardInvocation:]
#15 0x92f760c4 in __forwarding__
#16 0x92f75bf2 in _forwarding_prep_0__
#17 0x000718af in -[AMAction runWithInput:loopParent:]
#18 0x00070d2f in -[AMWorkflowRunner runAction:withInput:loopParent:]
#19 0x000c60a8 in -[AMWorkflowRunner runAction:]
#20 0x0013261d in -[AMRunActionOperation main]
#21 0x9094d34c in -[__NSOperationInternal start]
#22 0x9094cfe0 in ___startOperations_block_invoke2
#23 0x91caa7b8 in dispatch_call_block_andrelease
#24 0x91c9c97e in dispatch_workerthread2
#25 0x91c9c401 in pthreadwqthread
#26 0x91c9c246 in start_wqthread
Any more advice would be appreciated.
Scott

Sharing Automator Actions?

I created a simple automator action. For those with VirusBarrier Plus, you'll note that it cannot watch folders, just scan them or do schedule scans. This means it can't scan everything you download.
Until... I made a simple automator action. When a file is added to your downloads folder (Folder Action), it runs the command line scanner for VirusBarrier, and repairs anything that's found.
It's incredibly simple, here's the command that gets called from the folder action:
/Applications/VirusBarrier\ Plus.app/Contents/MacOS/escanner -r ~/Downloads/
My question is: is it safe to upload the workflow to a site for sharing? Does an action contain any personal information? WIll someone be able to just download it and save it and have it work, or would they have to move it to their workflow folder themselves?

There isn't any personal information in an Automator workflow or application, unless you put something in one of the actions, for example a comment in a Run AppleScript action.
You would need to use something like an installer script with the download in order to have it just work, since the workflow will need to be moved to the user's ~/Library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions folder, and the Folder Action will need to be enabled and attached to the desired folder. These things are done automatically by Automator when creating and saving a Folder Action workflow, so since there is just the one action, it might be just as easy to post your script somewhere with instructions on how to build the rest of the workflow.

AUTOMATOR actions... converting Jpeg to PSD...

Hi guys
I am trying to find an action to convert about 10.000 photos and pictures from Jpeg to PSD... impossible to do it one by one, opening and saving using Photoshop CS... it'd take me forever!
I was even able to download a pretty nice action from Apple called "Change File Format 1.3"... it's very good but it doesn't support PSD... only .TIFF files...
I found another Automator Action for Photoshop CS "Photoshop Actions for Automator 1.0 " but it downloads as a .SIT file and I can't open it...
Does anyone know where I can get an Automator Action to convert Jpeg to PSD files???
Cheers

Problem solved!
Thank you guys!
I downloaded Stuffit Express... so I was able to open "Photoshop Actions for Automator 1.0 "
http://www.completedigitalphotography.com/index.php?p=339
Great pack and I was able to open the .sit file and just dragged the actions to my Photoshop CS folder... and it immediatly showed up on AUTOMATOR...
So, I just made a PSD copy of each Jpeg...
Thank you

Does iBA support Applescript/Automator actions or is it possible -

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