Folder Actions script no longer runs on new file creation

Hope this isn't trivial.......first time posting here...hopefully in the right place.I'm not a total Mac OS X newbie...and surely no techie, either. Dabbled a wee bit with Automator and scratchin' my head on this one. Help, please!
Any idea why folder actions not running when a new file is saved? A simple add-color-label script created in Automator was workin' fine before I did a Snow Leopard-to-Leopard downgrade clean-install & account migration from external HD (TimeMachine) backup. Folder actions are enabled and script runs only if I start it with Automator Runner. Previously, it would label the file as soon as I saved it....now it needs a manual start. Is this default behavior in Leopard? Or am I missing something or doin' something wrong? Or is this a consequence of downgrade? I was sure I had the same script workin ok in my original Leopard install - though possibly un-modified at that time.
I have no clue why, but the new version I created recently (cpl wks ago?)worked the first time I added a new file but not thereafter...and in that instance it only labelled the file in Finder upon quitting Preview (file is a Grab saved as pdf).
The reason for the downgrade was compatibility problems with Photoshop CS4 on SL (OS & app all updated yet crashin' at the drop of a hat) - maybe due to lack of RAM? (only 1GB). Saw quite a few posts regarding SL running CS4 problems, so now I'm back to running 10.5.8 ..again.. and PS actually runs smooth like it did before.
Maybe these console messages are a help......or am I barkin' up the wrong tree?
6/11/11 7:44:54 PM /System/Library/CoreServices/Folder Actions Dispatcher.app/Contents/MacOS/Folder Actions Dispatcher[91] CPSGetProcessInfo(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
6/11/11 7:44:54 PM /System/Library/CoreServices/Folder Actions Dispatcher.app/Contents/MacOS/Folder Actions Dispatcher[91] CPSPBGetProcessInfo(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
6/11/11 7:44:54 PM /System/Library/CoreServices/AppleScript Runner.app/Contents/MacOS/AppleScript Runner[264] CPSGetFrontProcess(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
6/11/11 8:19:12 PM Automator Runner[415] Error while processing arguments
6/11/11 8:20:31 PM /Applications/AppleScript/Folder Actions Setup.app/Contents/MacOS/Folder Actions Setup[420] CPSGetProcessInfo(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
6/11/11 8:20:31 PM /Applications/AppleScript/Folder Actions Setup.app/Contents/MacOS/Folder Actions Setup[420] CPSPBGetProcessInfo(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
6/11/11 8:20:32 PM [0x0-0x5b05b].com.apple.systemevents[421] com.apple.FolderActions.enabled: Already loaded
And for that matter....why does Automator throw these messages? All apps (except iWork '08 apps) and OS are up to date.
- Just a few of the many actions not loaded:
6/11/11 7:48:25 PM Automator[294] The action “Start iTunes Visuals” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 7:48:25 PM Automator[294] The action “Stop iTunes Visuals” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 7:48:25 PM Automator[294] The action “Update iPod” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 7:56:33 PM Automator[294] name = name was not found
6/11/11 7:56:33 PM Automator[294] name = name extension was not found
6/11/11 7:56:33 PM Automator[294] name = file type was not found
6/11/11 8:00:29 PM Automator Runner[339] Error while processing arguments
6/11/11 8:00:30 PM Automator Runner[339] The action “Import Files into iTunes” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 8:00:30 PM Automator Runner[339] The action “Add Songs to iPod” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 8:00:30 PM Automator Runner[339] The action “Add Songs to Playlist” could not be loaded because the application “iTunes” is the wrong version.
6/11/11 8:00:30 PM Automator Runner[339] The action “Apply SQL” could not be loaded because the application “Xcode” was not found.
Do I need to wipe the drive again and re-install everything?
Any help is greatly appreciated. Apologies if this seems long-winded.

Folder Actions are set up a bit differently in Leopard (they use an AppleScript wrapper), and several actions have been updated to use new technologies available in Snow Leopard. Looking at some of your console logs, it looks like some actions or workflows were just copied over from Snow Leopard. When changing versions like that, you should rebuild the workflows so that they link to the correct actions, and check added actions for any dependencies (an action won't be loaded if it requires resources that are not available).
Resaving your Folder Action workflow as a Folder Action Plug-in should do the trick.

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Need a Folder Action Script to automate running of Applescripts in iTunes

I posted this in the OSX forum but thought i'd try here too:
I have a couple of applescripts that I have begun using on some of my podcasts. Specifically they will deselect "Skip When Shuffling" and "Remember Track Position" (Thanks Doug!). I feel like it is getting tedious to have to remember to run these scripts every time the Podcast updates a new episode. I'm looking for a folder action script that will run these applescripts whenever a new item is added to their folder. While I try to puzzle one together (having never written one) does anyone have anything to fit these needs?

Yes.
I recently need one to do something else.
I'll just give you the script I am using, you can hack at will...
property TargetPlaylist : "Library"
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
repeat with each_item in added_items
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add each_item to playlist TargetPlaylist
end tell
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Beavis2084

Single click folder action script

Hi
Long shot question here:
I am wanting to set up a folder action script that is activated by only single clicking a folder (selecting), very much the same as "Macintosh HD:Library:Scripts:Folder Action Scripts:open - show comments in dialog.scpt", the dialog will display when the folder is selected, not opened.
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Cheers
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Hello
The Standard additions dictionary claims:
adding folder items to: Called after new items have been added to a folder, but only when the folder’s window is open
adding folder items to alias -- Folder receiving the new items
after receiving a list of alias -- a list of the tems the folder received
closing folder window for: Called after a folder window has been closed
closing folder window for alias -- the folder that was closed
moving folder window for: Called after a folder window has been moved or resized
moving folder window for alias -- the folder whose window was moved or resized
from bounding rectangle -- the previous coordinates of folder window (you can get the new coordinates from the Finder)
opening folder: Called after a folder has been opened into a window
opening folder alias -- the folder that was opened
removing folder items from: Called after items have been removed from a folder, but only when the folder’s window is open
removing folder items from alias -- the folder losing the items
after losing a list of alias -- a list of the items the folder lost. For permanently deleted items, only the names (in strings) are provided.
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Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE dimanche 29 janvier 2006 19:12:18)

Is it possible to set up a script to auto render as new files appear in queue

We have a system that creates images automatically and we need to be able to automatically convert and re-size them and move them to a new location. Some are needed as .gif animations but most are stills.
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When you say "the project's images folder", do you mean a folder in the file system, or a folder in the AE project window? Although I can't help you with the specifics, I'm pretty sure the former is possible (using scripting at the OS level to trigger an AE script), while the latter is not.

Action script for batch-opening psd layer files flat? (alt+shift?)

hi
i am daily batch processing with an action script to make flat tiffs from psd layer files, like 10-100 files every couple of days in my workflow.
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Thanks R-Kelly
I sorted as images imported via drop box were file named !!
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Does any other script show any dialog at all?
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Has anyone come across a situation when running export shows up in the log file as if it is taking place but in fact no physcial file gets created. This is in Essbase 6.x and highter.Asad Ali Qureshi

Check the file hasn't gone somewhere else.Sometimes when exporting, even though you specify a file location, the file may be created elsewhere. Many companies now have home drives for each network user. At my last place my export files were always created in my home drive regardless of the file location I specified in my script.

Question about Folder Actions

I have 2 folders and Each folder has a folder action attached.
When manually drag a file in the folders both scripts work.
But the intention is that the first folder move files to the second folder and the second folder does the folder action script.
But (Only) when the files are moved by the first script the second folder action does nothing.When I drag an other file in the second folder it does the action on all files within that folder.
intention:
Folder 1 : Check files and move the selected files to other folders
Folder 2 : Make report and move file to another folder
How I can improve this?
start of the second folder action... if that's the problem.
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
try
tell application "Finder"
set numFiles to (number of files of folder this_folder)
repeat with i from 1 to numFiles
set curFile to the item 1 of this_folder
set curFilename to name of curFile as text
thanks

Hello
Perhaps you're seeing a long standing defect of Finder, which often fails to udate its internal cache of file system objects in time.
One method to try is to use 'update' command of Finder. Like CODE1 below.
--CODE1
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
try
tell application "Finder"
update these_items -- # added
update this_folder -- # added
set numFiles to (count files of folder this_folder)
repeat with i from 1 to numFiles
set curFile to item 1 of this_folder
set curFilename to name of curFile
-- # rest omitted
(* Since curFile is always assinged to item 1 of this_folder,
curFile is supposed to be removed from this_folder within this repeat loop. *)
end repeat
end tell
on error errs number errn
display dialog errs & " " & errn with icon 2 giving up after 5
end try
end adding folder items to
--END OF CODE1
By the way, your original code is not using these_items that is passed by Folder Action Server. However, from Folder Action's point of view, you should solely use these_items to process them because there's NO guarantee that 'item k of folder this_folder of application "Finder"' at the time of its execution is the item k of these_items. (E.g. Suppose there's another group of files newly added to the folder while an instance of Folder Action is running to process a group of files already added.)
So I'd rather recommend something like CODE2 below.
--CODE2
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
try
tell application "Finder"
repeat with i from 1 to (count these_items)
set curFile to item i of these_items
set curFilename to name of curFile
-- # rest omitted
end repeat
end tell
on error errs number errn
display dialog errs & " " & errn with icon 2 giving up after 5
end try
end adding folder items to
--END OF CODE2
Good luck,
H
Message was edited by: Hiroto (fixed typo)

Delaying folder action until file creation is complete

I'm trying to create a folder action that takes the output of a bounce from ProTools and then imports it into iTunes. The problem I'm having is that it takes real time (about 20 min) to create the complete ProTools file in the folder, however the script begins to execute immediately, before the bounce is complete. This gives me 1 second of audio garbage.
Is there any way to delay the folder action until the file creation (bounce, upload, transfer, whatever) is done?
Thanks.

V.K. Thanks again for your help. When I look in my folder directory/library/scripts/folder action scripts, I see many scripts for images as well as scripts for closing subfolders, converting to pdf, open - show comments in dialog, and add - new item alert, however I don't see anything that was created recently (i.e. something that was created when I built my Automator workflow (folder action). The closest (to what I am looking for) Folder Action Script could find was "add - new item alert.scpt", which is an existing Apple written script, but this will not really help me. When I created my initial automator script, it created a folder and file and workflow in my homefolder/library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions/xxx.workflow, however I cannot open this workflow in applescript. I even tried changing the extension to .scpt. I'm not sure I can accomplish the desired result with Automator alone, but I don't think I am well versed enough in AppleScript. Thanks for your help.

Folder actions no longer works after migration

The script below was working perfectly on an iMac G4. I use it as a type of print spooler for a DOS application that runs in Dosbox for OS X (also works for OS9 apps). I just send the file to the monitored folder and the script prints the contents and deletes the file from the folder.
I moved to an iMac G5 and used Setup Assistant to transfer my system (no lectures please...). Configure Folder Actions indicates that the script is enabled for the particular folder. However the Folder Action is no longer triggered when I add files to the monitored folder. I have tried repairing permissions, recompiling the script, deleting the folder and creating a new one...
Is this a quirk of migration?
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
delay 20 -- time for job to finish?
repeat with each_item in added_items
tell application "Printer Setup Utility" to open each_item
delay 40 -- time before file is deleted from folder
tell application "Finder" to delete each_item
tell application "Printer Setup Utility"
quit
end tell
end repeat
end adding folder items to

Michael,
That script seems to work here.
You could check whether the script is actually attached by using the Folder Actions Setup utility which is located here:
~/Applications/AppleScript
This utility gives you all the folders and their attached scripts in one window.
You might also want to check to see whether locating your script in the following location helps:
~/Library/Scripts/FolderActions
as that is where the utility wants them to go when you are attaching a folder action script to a folder.

Customize Folder Action and Email script

I have been adapting the below script so if I drop a file on the script, the file will be emaild to the default address. But, I can't figure out how to customize the two below easy tasks into this script. Thanks for any help out there!
1. A file is moved into folder1 triggers the script.
2. After the file is email'd I would like it to be moved into folder 2. I have found a script in this forum that moves the file, but I don't know where to add it.
on adding folder items to theFolder after receiving theAddedItems
tell application "Finder"
move theAddedItems to folder "G5:Users:camille:Desktop:folder2:"
end tell
end adding folder items to
The Send File Script that I have been adapting (concept and initial coding by Paul Van Cotthem):
property this_folder : "G5:Users:camille:Desktop:folder1"
property emailAddress : "[email protected]"
global sendAction
on open fileList
-- If one prefers to test for folders before the files are created, the enable this code.
repeat with filePath in fileList
if (filePath as string) ends with ":" then
display dialog "Please drop only files, not folder." buttons {"OK"} default button 1 with icon 0
return
end if
end repeat
enterAddress()
repeat with filePath in fileList
set filePath to filePath as string
if filePath does not end with ":" then -- it's a file
tell application "Finder" to set fileName to name of item filePath
tell application "Microsoft Entourage"
-- This code is faster, but if the user trashed the attached files before sending them, Entourage cannot send the attachtments.
make new outgoing message at out box folder with properties {recipient:emailAddress, subject:fileName, attachment:filePath}
-- This code is slower, but attached files are saved into Entourage's message database immediately.
set theSubject to "File attached: " & fileName
set newmsg to make new draft window with properties ¬
{recipient:{address:emailAddress, recipient type:to recipient}, subject:theSubject, content:theSubject, attachment:filePath}
send newmsg
end tell -- Entourage
end if -- file or folder?
end repeat -- filePath
end open
on run
enterAddress()
end run
on enterAddress()
display dialog "Send to:" buttons {"Cancel", "Send now"} with icon note ¬
default button 2 default answer emailAddress giving up after 2
set dialogResult to result
set sendAction to button returned of dialogResult
set emailAddress to text returned of dialogResult
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G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Go ahead and put that chunk of code on a new line at the very bottom of your script. Then between the on adding folder items to theFolder after receiving theAddedItems line and the tell application "Finder" line, insert the word open on a line by itself.
By putting the term "open" there you are telling the script to run all the code in the "on open" block when triggered by the folder action handler. To make the folder action active you'll need to save the droplet in your ~/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts folder, and then you'll need to attach it to something by control-clicking the desired folder and/or using the Folder Action Setup Utility to connect script to folder.

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.

Folder action - rename & colorize new files

Hello,
to help myself handling / managing my incoming aka download folder i am trying / willing to write a script which does some automated tasks for me.
a) unquarantine (solved)
b) rename - add date/time(yyyymmdd) in front of the filename (open)
c) label them with colors (open)
*General question:*
Well right now i am wondering about some general points first:
Is it better to split that into 3 sep. folder actions scripts which would be attached to the same folder ... .no idea if that may result in problems regarding which script goes first.... or should i add it to a single script ?
*Regarding a)*
i found this post here:
http://henrik.nyh.se/2007/10/lift-the-leopard-download-quarantine
on adding folder items to thisFolder after receiving addedItems
repeat with anItem in addedItems
set anItem's contents to (quoted form of POSIX path of (anItem as alias))
end repeat
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to " "
do shell script "xattr -d com.apple.quarantine " & (addedItems as text)
end adding folder items to
which explains an unquarantine routine ... works pretty good. I have just added a growl routine at the end for my personal use
*Regarding b)*
I'm not really sure how to handle the date_idea in applescript. I know i could use "do shell script" and save the output of date to a variable but i hope there are better methods to get the name in my desired format (yyyymmdd)
And how would you realize the rename-action itself in applscript ?
*Regarding c)*
I guess "set label index of myFile to 1" is the correct comd here for Finder. Or would you suggest any other method ?
any help is appreciated
best regards
fidel

Is it better to split that into 3 sep. folder actions scripts which would be attached to the same folder ... .no idea if that may result in problems regarding which script goes first.... or should i add it to a single script ?
A single script, for sure.
If you have three separate scripts you will encounter a race condition were all three scripts are trying to run at once. This is asking for trouble, especially when one of the scripts renames the file making it impossible for the others to find it (e.g. they start off looking for 'download.doc' but by the time they do their thing that file has been renamed and no longer exists).
i found this post here:
(snip)
That code, as written is fatally flawed. I can't believe it works.
First of all it starts off by looping through the addedItems, which is fair enough, but it doesn't do anything worthwhile within the loop - It just converts anItem to a POSIX path, but doesn't do anything with the result. It goes on to set the text item delimiters, but doesn't restore them later.
Finally it calls do shell script, but not in a way that will work. You cannot pass addedItems as-is because it is not in a format that will work in the shell.
I'm not really sure how to handle the date_idea in applescript. I know i could use "do shell script" and save the output of date to a variable but i hope there are better methods to get the name in my desired format (yyyymmdd)
Ironically I would go for a shell-based approach to get the date, mainly because simple date formatting like this is far easier in the shell than in AppleScript (it can be done in AS, but takes multiple lines of code).
I guess "set label index of myFile to 1" is the correct comd here for Finder. Or would you suggest any other method ?
set label index is the way to go, for sure.
So putting the above together you'll end up with something like:
on adding folder items to thisFolder after receiving addedItems
  set theDate to do shell script "date +%Y%m%d"
  repeat with anItem in addedItems
    do shell script "xattr -d com.apple.quarantine " & (quoted form of POSIX path of (anItem as alias))
    tell application "Finder"
      set label index of anItem to 1
      set name of anItem to (theDate & (name of anItem as text))
    end tell
  end repeat
end adding folder items to

Script works in Script Debugger, but not a folder action - can u help?

Hi
I have written the following script to run as as folder action and it works fine when running it through in debug mode in Script Debugger, but as a folder action nothing happens.
I wonder if someone could have a look and spot what the problem is.
Thanks
Nick
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
set convertPath to "Macintosh HD:opt:local:bin:ffmpeg"
tell application "Finder"
set inPath to this_folder as alias
set outPath to this_folder as alias
set filesToConvert to (name of every item of inPath whose name extension is "m4a")
end tell
repeat with i from 1 to count of filesToConvert
set fileName to removeExtension(item i of filesToConvert)
do shell script POSIX path of convertPath & " -i " & (quoted form of ((POSIX path of inPath) & item i of filesToConvert)) & " -f mp3 -ar 44100 -ab 192k -acodec libmp3lame " & (quoted form of (POSIX path of outPath)) & quoted form of (fileName & ".mp3") & " -mapmetadata " & (quoted form of ((POSIX path of inPath) & item i of filesToConvert)) & ":" & (quoted form of (POSIX path of outPath)) & quoted form of (fileName & ".mp3")
end repeat
end adding folder items to
to removeExtension(fileToParse)
#display dialog fileToParse
set prevTIDs to text item delimiters of AppleScript
set text item delimiters of AppleScript to "."
return first text item of fileToParse
set text item delimiters of AppleScript to prevTIDs
end removeExtension

mmh, well, it seems something is awry with the triggering. other folder action scripts seemed to work fine, but now are intermittent.
i created the following simple script:
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
display dialog "1"
end adding folder items to
sometimes it works, sometimes not.
what could be going wrong?

Folder Actions script no longer runs on new file creation

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