Unusual contextual menu/automator workflow behaviour

Hey All.
I've been using the contextual menu/ automator workflow function recently. When using the menu the 1st item in the list is "create workflow". When I use this I get a new workflow that already contains one item that opens my desktop folder. If I use the "new" command from the file menu I get a blank document. Any idea what is going on here?
Nick.

The "Create Workflow" option is a convenience for creating a new workflow based on the items currently selected in the Finder. It's very handy for me.

Similar Messages

Can't access in Finder Contextual Menu the sub-menu named More

Hi!
I was trying to learn how to use Automator, in the web page
http://www.macosxautomation.com/automator/examples/ex03/index.html
and I realize that I can't access in Finder Contextual Menu the sub-menu named More for choose Automator > Create Workflow... from the sub-menu.
Someone can help me to configure the finder in order to

That page is out of date since it doesn't reflect the change in Snow Leopard that did away with the More contextual menu. Try this. System Preferences->Keyboard->Keyboard Shortcuts->Services->Development->enable Create Workflow. Close the prefPane, select the object, CONTROL-click->Services->Create Workflow.
If that solves your issue, then send a message to the page's developer and ask them to update it.
BTW, see http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2241804 for a four-parter by Sal Saghoian on *Automation in Snow Leopard*
and this, which describes the old and new automator—services stuff:
http://www.reynoldsftw.com/2009/08/automator-and-finder-interactions-in-os-x-10- 6/

Contextual menu (rightMouseClick) ... new text file ... in 10.6 - howto?

"OMC" worked superb in 10.5 - not anymore in 10.6
"nufile" does not seem to work in 10.6, neither?
! Please tell me how I can
click with the right mouse button into a finder folder, and
(a) create a new empty text file there, or
(b) open a terminal in that folder.
Thanks a lot!

old contextual menus are completely gone in snow leopard. they have been all replaced by services. there are plenty of 3rd party services by now that provide various contextual menu functionality. but you can also easily make services that do what you want using automator.
for example, to open a terminal window in selected folder make the following service using automator. make it accept folders. the workflow itself should consist of the following single "run applescript" action
<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: #ADD8E6;
overflow: auto;"
title="this text can be pasted into the Script Editor">
on run {input, parameters}
tell application "Finder"
set ppath to POSIX path of ((item 1 of input) as alias)
end tell
tell application "Terminal"
activate
do script "cd " & quoted form of ppath
end tell
end run</pre>
save it and it will become available in the right-click menu when you right-click on a folder.

Is there a contextual menu plug-in to send files with Mail?

Anyone have any ideas if there exists a contextual menu plug-in that works between the Finder and Apple Mail which would allow you to email a file with a simple right-click.
Unfortunately to make a comparison with a PC, in the same way that you can select +Send To+ > +Mail Receipient+ via the contextual menu.

You can also make one yourself with Automator.
With Automator (/Applications/Automator):
Select "Files & Folders" and set 'Get content from' to "Use files and folders selected in the Finder when workflow runs"
From the far-left panel, under Library, select "Mail".
Drag "New Mail Message" and drop it under "Get Selected Finder Items" shown on the far right panel
Select "Save as Plug-in" from the File menu. Give it a meaningful name.. "Send with Mail" should be OK. The plug-in type you want is "Finder"
The action is now available from the contextual menu: More -> Automator -> Send with Mail
Have a nice day

Automator workflow install locations in Leopards

We have several Automator scripts we created for Finder in Leopard. Where do these go? I expect they should go:
/Library/Application\ Support/Apple/Automator/Workflows/Applications/Finder/
But I noticed this directory:
/Library/Automator/
And this one:
~/Library/Automator
We want these Automator scripts to show up in users' Finder contextual menu. More importantly, we want to manage these Automator scripts in one place (so they should NOT go into the home directory).
Thanks,
Don

red_menace wrote:
The Application Support directories are just that - places for an application to put additional support files for it's use. The contextual workflows look like they would be similar to the Scripts menu, in that the items are defined and only work from the user's library. For a shared library of workflows, you would need to store them in an accessible place, such as Shared (or Library, but an admin will need to create the folder there), and then have each user copy or make an alias and place it in their ~Library/Workflows/Applications/Finder/ folder.
Users should no have to do anything if we push the *.workflow files to the correct locations. OSX is designed to be manageable at the local level, user level, etc. We have several *.workflow files that we need to push out to several dozen workstations. Each workstation can potentially have several dozen home directories. It's not possible (or desirable) to manage this deployment in a way that requires user intervention. I'm pretty sure a previous poster was right, that they *.workflow files belong here:
/Library/Application\ Support/Apple/Automator/Workflows/Finder/
We'll do some more testing (I'll keep monitoring this forum). I'll also post to the admin lists to see how other enterprise management folk are handling distribution of *.workflow files in managed environments (where users are non-admin, on workstations bound to AD/OD). Once this is all done I'll follow up with this thread and mark it as closed.
Thanks,
Don

Accessing Automator workflow from *within* iPhoto

I have quite a few Automator workflows that I’d like to apply to a number of selected images right within iPhoto’s main window.
Is there any other way than the usual export/re-import?

Using that Automator workflow will add another layer of jpeg compression to the file and reduce it a fair amount. There's an applescript that will convert to sRGB without reducing the file size. You can download it from Toad's Cellar. It will convert all files within an folder that's dropped onto it. If the file reduction isn't of concern to you then use the Automator workflow. I have one on Toad's Cellar that will add the sRGB profile to all files within a folder and its subfolders. You could do the entire Originals folder in the library in one pass that way. You can download it and see if it differers from you workflow in any significant manner.
NOTE: Neither of the two above will work with grayscale files. There is one that will convert files to jpg, RGB mode, and embed the profile available at Toad's Cellar, however.
I may be preaching to the choir here but here's some tips on using PS with and within iPhoto:
Using Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) as Your Editor of Choice in iPhoto.
1 - select Photoshop as your editor of choice in iPhoto's General Preference Section's under the "Edit photo:" menu.
2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.
3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.
This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..
NOTE: With Photoshop Elements 6 the Saving File preferences should be configured: "On First Save: Save Over Current File". Also I suggest the Maximize PSD File Compatabilty be set to Always.
If you want to use both iPhoto's editing mode and PS without having to go back and forth to the Preference pane, once you've selected PS as your editor of choice, reset the Preferences back to "Open in main window". That will let you either edit in iPhoto (double click on the thumbnail) or in PS (Control-click on the thumbnail and seledt "Edit in external editor" in the Contextual menu). This way you get the best of both worlds
2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.
3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.
This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..
Message was edited by: Old Toad

Contextual Menu has VANISHED

I always tend to keep up to date with the Apple provided updates so I am running iPhoto 6.0.6 (Build 322). Just over the last couple of days I have noticed that my Contextual Menu option has dissappeared. I can't right click on any photo at all (well I can of course but it doesn't do anything). I use this function a lot for locating an image I want to access from other software.
By the way it doesn't work with 'ctrl-click' either. Just NO menu appears.
Any ideas anyone?

Alec:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Since it works in the other account here's a method to find out if there's another preference file in your library that may be the culprit.
Trouble Shooting Preferences
Go to HD/Users/Your_name/Library. Move the Preferences folder (in its entirety) to the Desktop and make a second copy of it so you have Copy A and B. Now try the the process again and determine if problem is fixed.
If the problem IS fixed, then go to the new Prefs folder that the OS will have created and open it up.
Open Copy B on the Desktop and select all of the items inside. Drag them into the open new library folder. When the Copy window comes up check the Apply to All check box and then click on the Don't Replace button as seen here. That will keep the new files created and bring back all of the others.
If the problem is NOT fixed, trash the new Prefs folder and move the intact Copy A folder back to the Library folder .
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Send to..Contextual Menu Item

So I am a new convert from MAC from the windows world and I live and breath my right click context menus. Well one thing I have notice is missing is a Send to option. I am soo use to using Finder and right clicking on the item and going to send.
Am I missing something, I cant believe something as simple as this would be missed by a major operating system.

You can create such contextual menu using automator.
Open automator and make a workflow consisting of two actions
1. Get selected finder items
2. New mail message
Save this workflow as a Finder plugin. Call it "Send to" or something
It will show up in the nested contextual menu "more->automator->Send to".
The problem with this is that it's not terribly fast. Also, personally, I HATE the fact that user created contextual menus are so deeply nested in leopard. They were much easier to get to in Tiger. This is definitely one "new feature" we could do without.

Automator workflow scale image

I'm trying to create an automator workflow which takes an image, and scales it to a 114x114 image, and a 57x57 image. I've tried various permutations of the following automator library actions without success:
-Ask for Finder Items
-Copy Finder Items
-Scale Images
-Name Single Item
Ideally I'd like to right click an image, and in the current directory, have the original image, and copies of that image scaled to 114x114 and a 57x57. Any suggestions to get this working would be much appreciated!

Give the following workflow a try - it uses the Pad Images action to add padding as needed to make the image square, since the Scale Images action just deals with the long dimension.
To get your workflow to appear in the contextual menu, make it a Service document type and have it receive files from the Finder. You can also save it as an application, in which case it will receive files dropped onto it. If you just want to run it as workflow within Automator, add an Ask for Finder Items action at the beginning to get the input items.
Set Value of Variable { Variable: Original Items }
Duplicate Finder Items
Pad Images { Width: 114 Height: 114 Scale Image }
Rename Finder Items { Add Text 114x114 after name }
Get Value of Variable { Variable: Original Items } Ignore Input
Duplicate Finder Items
Pad Images { Width: 57 Height: 57 Scale Image }
Rename Finder Items { Add Text 57x57 after name }

Is there: contextual menu for download into Aperture?

In Safari, I can do a right-click and one of my options is 'download to iPhoto'.
Now that I've switched to Aperture, I'd love to download directly into that application.
I've scoured the web, all Aperture-related sites, and I find nothing at all.
Any ideas on how to accomplish or create this?
Thanks in advance.

I do see that my Automator created Service (Add Image to Aperture) would be in the Services sub-menu of the contextual menu, or at least should be. However, something else is going on her that I'm obviously misssing.
Even though I have "Service receives selected [IMAGE FILE] in [Any Application]" selected at the top of the workflow window....
when I right click on an image in Safari the services sub-menu is not present......
Furthermore, when I right click on an existing image file in Finder..........
The service I have created (Add Image to Aperture) is available but only directly from the contextual menu and NOT contained within a Services sub-menu (there isn't one there). Not that I really care exactly where my (Add Image to Aperture) Service is located, I just want it to work.
Thanks for all your efforts here! I'm sure I'm making this WAY more complex than it needs to be, I'm just not seeing something with this.
Additional thought: Is it possible that who ever created the website is preventing "right-click save image" functionality which is throwing another variable into the mix? Although, I've tried in on lots of different websites and that doesn't seem to be the case.

How can I add a "Create New Text File" contextual menu?

Hi,
I'd like to add a "Create New Text File" contextual item. I found the "new text file" action in Automator, but I don't really know where to go from there... I want it to work on the desktop and in finder...
Thanks

See:
Mac OS X Automation,
Automated Workflow Tips,
Introduction to Automator tutorial, and
a four-parter on Automation in Snow Leopard by Sal Saghoian:
Snow Leopard Services,
Services for iPhoto,
Safari and WebKit integration, and
Installing and using services.
Finally,
Developing AppleScript Applications and
Apple's Automator Developer Documentation

Running an automator workflow w/o opening automator

Is it possible to run an automator workflow - (check addressbook for birthdays - then send a card) once a day without having to remember to open automator everyday (the whole point is I forget to do this in the first place, so I'm hoping automator can just take care of it). but I don't want to have to leave automator open all the time... I think I read something about using applescripts, but I havent played with them at all...
Thanks

Hmm, your idea sounds about right. If you created the birthday event in iCal yourself (i.e. it's not the Birthday calendar iCal provides from your Address Book), then you can add an alarm to it. In that case, you have some nice options and effects.
Since you would be adding the alarm to the birthday event, then the Automator workflow won't run every day and will only run when the birthday occurs. As for options, you can set the alarm for the event to activate at a specific time in reference to the event, e.g. the day before or perhaps around noon. (That is somewhat dependent on whether you made the event an all-day event or for a certain time, but it works either way and is pretty self evident.) You could also have it automatically occur a day late or even a week late.
As such, you might consider making the workflow be more specific. You could create a workflow specifically for that birthday, and in that case you'd just specify a person from your Address Book instead of searching it for birthdays. Just depends on how you want to approach it. Regardless, saving the workflow as plug-in in Automator will be the easy way to refer to it as an iCal alarm.
You mentioned iCal popping up reminders and that's an example of what an alarm can do if you set it that way, so you're probably familiar with them. However, you won't see that when you set the alarm to open a file (as in this case) unless you set a second alarm for the event to show a reminder. To add more alarms to the same event in iCal, you can click on the name "alarm" in the info drawer and it will give you a menu to add another alarm. You can also remove extra alarms in the same way. Wasn't sure if you knew that already.

Old Toad's automator workflow to backup Library6.iPhoto database

Dear Old Toad,
I just today downloaded your workflow to backup the iPhoto database file, and am having problems making it work.
When I run it, either from the dock or the script menu, it launches Automator but then closes without doing anything. I don't get a confirmation screen, and no copy of the database is created.
So I opened it in Automator to see if editing it would help, even though my library is already named iPhoto Library and stored in user/pictures. When I dragged it onto the Automator window, there was only 1 action (Get Specified Finder Items) instead of the 4 that show up in the ReadMe. When I dragged it onto the Automator app to open it, I got nothing.
I downloaded it via Firefox 3.0.1 and got a 1.1MB zip, and I tried downloading it twice in case it had corrupted in the download, but no change with the second try. Downloaded from here:
http://web.mac.com/toad.hall/ToadsCellar/ToadsCellar.html
Running OS 10.4.11, iPhoto 7.1.5, on a G4.
Something else I can try?
Thanks,
Daiya
Message was edited by: Daiya

Yes. Run the application like you would use the Save command in other applications, often. Running it again will overwrite the current backup copy with a new backup that will include all changes you've made to your library, new pictures, deletions, slideshows, books, etc.
I suggested keeping it in the dock so you can quickly run it after any changes you've made to the library. Being in the Dock makes it more convenient than having to go into the Application folder and launching it from there.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

Automator Workflow to export Numbers documents in PDF format

Does anyone know of any automator workflow to export Numbers documents in PDF format? I tried this program: Convert to PDF 1.2
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/converttopdf_mauriziominelli.htm l
But it gives an error.

Reading carefully is often useful.
The description of the tool which you tried clearly states :
*About Convert to PDF*
*_Convert all of your text files to PDF_. This action uses the underlying cups printing system ability to convert files, it’s a simple front end to the command line tool cupsfilter.*
As far as I know, but maybe you don't, *_a Numbers document isn't a text file._*
I already posted a script exporting Numbers documents as PDF.
Here is an enhanced version which apply only to Numbers '09 (or maybe higher) :
--[SCRIPT save2Numbers&PDF.app]
Enregistrer le script en tant que Script : save2Numbers&PDF.scpt
déplacer le fichier créé dans le dossier
<VolumeDeDémarrage>:Users:<votreCompte>:Library:Scripts:Applications:Numbers:
Il vous faudra peut-être créer le dossier Numbers et peut-être même le dossier Applications.
aller au menu Scripts , choisir Numbers puis choisir save2Numbers&PDF
Le script enregistre le document au format natif de Numbers
et l'enregistre dans un fichier PDF.
S'il existe déjà un PDF homonyme, il est renommé en lui ajoutant une chaîne
construite sur sa date de modification.
--=====
L'aide du Finder explique:
L'Utilitaire AppleScript permet d'activer le Menu des scripts :
Ouvrez l'Utilitaire AppleScript situé dans le dossier Applications/AppleScript.
Cochez la case "Afficher le menu des scripts dans la barre de menus".
+++++++
Save the script
as a Script: save2Numbers&PDF.scpt
Move the newly created file into the folder:
<startup Volume>:Users:<yourAccount>:Library:Scripts:Applications:Numbers:
Maybe you would have to create the folder Numbers and even the folder Applications by yourself.
go to the Scripts Menu, choose Numbers, then choose save2Numbers&PDF
The script saves the document in the native Numbers format and saves it in a .pdf file
If such a .pdf already exists, it is renamed with a stamp matching its modification date.
--=====
The Finder's Help explains:
To make the Script menu appear:
Open the AppleScript utility located in Applications/AppleScript.
Select the "Show Script Menu in menu bar" checkbox
--=====
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France)
modifié 2010/08/17
property closeIt : true
(* true = closes the saved document
false = doesn't close it *)
property theApp : "Numbers"
property theExt : "numbers"
--=====
on run
tell application theApp
activate
set le_document to front document
if modified of le_document then save le_document
delay 0.2
set thePath to path of document 1
end tell -- theapp
set {xPath, xExt} to my saveAs(thePath)
if closeIt then tell application theApp to close document 1 saving no
end run
--=====
on saveAs(p)
local extension_export, type_export, nomde_loriginal, dossierde_loriginal, nomde_lexport, cheminde_lexport
set {extension_export, type_export} to {"pdf", "LSDocumentTypePDF"}
set {nomde_loriginal, dossierde_loriginal} to my quelNomEtDossier(p)
if nomde_loriginal ends with theExt then
• replace the original extension by the xExt one *)
set nomde_lexport to (text 1 thru -(1 + (length of theExt)) of nomde_loriginal) & extension_export
else
• add the xExt extension name *)
set nomde_lexport to nomde_loriginal & "." & extension_export
end if
set cheminde_lexport to dossierde_loriginal & nomde_lexport
• CAUTION, When saving, Numbers doesn't take care of an existing document.
It replaces it by the new one. *)
tell application "System Events"
if exists (file cheminde_lexport) then
Playing safety, we rename the existing file by inserting a modificationdatetime stamp *)
set name of file cheminde_lexport to (text 1 thru -(2 + (length of extension_export)) of nomde_lexport) & my horoDateur(modification date of file cheminde_lexport) & "." & extension_export
end if
end tell -- System Events
• save as type_export document *)
tell application "Numbers" to save document nomde_loriginal as type_export in cheminde_lexport
return {cheminde_lexport, extension_export}
end saveAs
-- =====
on quelNomEtDossier(f)
local nom, dossier
tell application "System Events" to tell file (f as Unicode text)
set nom to name (* Unicode text *)
set dossier to path of container (* Unicode HFS path *)
end tell -- to System Events
return {nom, dossier}
end quelNomEtDossier
--=====
• Build a stamp from the modification date_time
on horoDateur(datedemodification)
local les_secondes
set les_secondes to time of datedemodification
return ("_" & year of datedemodification & text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & (month of datedemodification as integer)) & text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & day of datedemodification) & "_" & text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & les_secondes div 3600) & text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & (les_secondes mod 3600) div 60) & text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & les_secondes mod 60))
(* Here, the stamp is "YYYYMMDDhhmmss" *)
end horoDateur
--=====
--[/SCRIPT]
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) mardi 17 août 2010 18:16:27

Automator workflow question?

I tried to create a workflow in automator but I had no luck so far. So I need some help to create an automator workflow for;
go to a specific web page and save the page as pdf to desktop and than close the safari.
I've tried as "record/watch what I do" in automator but when I click on the safari on dock the "watch me" script misses it and presses mail.app
Help please. Thanks in advance.

Give this one a try - it uses a *Run AppleScript* action to script Safari's print dialog:
1) *Get Specified URLs* (drag URL here - only the last one will be saved)
2) *Display Webpages*
3) *Run AppleScript*: <pre style="</div>
font-family: Monaco, 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;
font-size: 10px;
font-weight: normal;
margin: 0px;
padding: 5px;
border: 1px solid #000000;
width: 680px; height: 340px;
color: #000000;
background-color: #DAFFB6;
overflow: auto;"
title="this text can be pasted into the AppleScript Editor">
on run {input, parameters} -- save the current Safari page as PDF
waitForPage()
tell application "Safari"
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "p" using {command down} -- activate the Print... menu item
delay 0.25
click menu button "PDF" of sheet 1 of window 1 of application process "Safari" -- open the PDF menu
delay 0.25
keystroke (ASCII character 31) -- down arrow
keystroke (ASCII character 31) -- down arrow
keystroke return -- activate the Save As... menu item
delay 0.25
keystroke return -- press the save button
end tell
quit
end tell
end run
to waitForPage()
delay 1
repeat
tell application "Safari" to set windowName to the name of window 1
if windowName does not contain "Untitled" then exit repeat
delay 1
end repeat
repeat
tell application "Safari" to set windowName to the name of window 1
if windowName does not contain "Loading" then exit repeat
delay 1
end repeat
repeat
tell application "Safari" to do JavaScript "document.readyState" in document 1
if result is "Complete" then exit repeat
delay 1
end repeat
end waitForPage
</pre>

Unusual contextual menu/automator workflow behaviour

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