How can I trigger an automated event in iCal, when I first start it in the morning, but not if I fire it up later again?

Question

Hey,
I'm trying to fix an issue I had for a while with a automator script I want to use. I added several things it should do, test it, and it works fine. I use it usually as an workflow. But I tried to implement it through an iCal event! Which does not work. (and I checked already in preferences if the turn off all iCal alarms is unchecked) I the workflow basically to open when I first fire up the MacBook, but only once, not when I start it up again later n the day. So I thought about adding the workflow to the startup, but that would open it every time I start my MacBook. How can I get around that? By a iCal event? If yes, how can I fix it, that it starts not at a specific time ( I don't start my computer at the same time every day) but when I first open it.
Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

I'd write an AppleScript, save it as an app, and have it run as a login item. The script would look for a text file saved in, say, <~/Library/Preferences>. If the file didn't exist, it would create it. Each line in the file would contain a date. The script would look for the last line in the file and it would compare it to the current date. If it was older than the current date, the script would execute the workflow, then it would write the current date in the file, and then quit. If it was the current date, it would just quit. This way, the workflow would be executed at login, but only once in every 24 hours.