Found a workflow to export an iTunes playlist in MY play order-doesn't work

Question

Here is the Automator script I found to work around the fact that iTunes will invariably burn a playlist in alpha order, no matter what we do. I found it here: http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080424194133862
1. Automator » Ask for Confirmation (This may be Leopard only.). This asks if the user wishes to continue, since it may take a while to run.
2. iTunes » Get Selected iTunes Items. This will select all songs that you've selected in iTunes, such as the songs in a playlist.
3. Finder » Copy Finder Items. This will copy the song files to the Finder. Select a default folder, such as the Desktop. Check the "Show This Action When the Workflow Runs" box under Options to allow you to choose a folder to export a particular playlist into.
4. Finder » Rename Finder Items (Make Finder Item Names Sequential). You should say Make Sequential in the top drop-down, and then select Add number to existing item name. Select Place number before name, Start numbers at 1, separated by dash (or underscore, etc), and make all numbers X digits long. X should be 1 to 3, depending on how many songs you have -- three digits will allow you to export more than 100 songs.
5. Save your workflow to the scripts folder, or as an application to add to your Dock.
When run, the workflow will first copy the files to the selected Finder folder, then rename them. You can then burn the folder -- and any other folders of exported playlists -- to a disc, using the Finder or Toast. Problem solved!
Looks brilliant, right? And it should work. I set it up exactly as it's listed here. I went into iTunes, clicked on my playlist, and selected the tracks. When the script runs, "Get Selected Items" gives conflicting messages. On one hand, it takes no time at all to import the 116 mp3 files I have selected in my playlist, and they show up in the results window for "Get Selected Items". Yet at the same time, in the Log, the yellow warning triangle appears and says "The action Get Selected Items was not supplied with the required data". And directly under that in the log is "Get Selected Items completed" with a green checkmark next to it. Meanwhile, it only took 67 seconds to "Get Selected Items" with its green checkmark, and "Converting iTunes items" is the one with the grey circle with the arrow in it (indicating it's currently running), yet the progress bar at the bottom of the Automator window still say "Get Selected Items" and the circle of gray bars is *still spinning*, twenty minutes later.
Anybody have any clues?
Message was edited by: tzikeh because spelling and context help comprehension.

Answer 1

Paste the script text into the Script Editor application located in the /Applications/AppleScript folder. From there, you can save it as an application (the Startup Screen option, if desired, will put up a dialog to confirm if you want to run the script), and place it where you want. Double-click on the application to make it go.
Normally, the only things that need to be in a particular place are things like folder actions, Automator plugins, and items run from the Scripts menu.