Using Applescript to convert avi dropped into a folder to iTunes

Question

Hi everyone,
Im new to Applescript. Im trying to write a script that will take .avi files dropped into a certain folder and automatically start iSquint, add the files to iSquint and then start the conversion.
I use Vuze to download video. Vuze will automatically move completed downloads to a folder named "to be converted".
My goal is to set that folder up so that every time something is moved to the folder, it will start the script and convert the files to an iTunes format. iSquint will automatically add them to my iTunes library once the conversion is complete.
So Vuze and iSquint are doing the start and finish of this task, as well as the heavy work of actually downloading and converting. Its just all the stuff in the middle that I need.
Ive gotten as far as getting the script to get Finder to point to the folder and start iSquint. But thats it. Also, the script will only get Finder to point to the folder if Finder is already open. If everything is closed, nothing happens.
tell application "Finder"
activate
set target of Finder window 1 to folder "To be converted" of folder "My Downloads" of folder "Movies" of folder "mark" of folder "Users" of startup disk
end tell
tell application "iSquint"
activate
end tell
Can someone get me moving in the right direction. Oh yeah did I mention I hardly know a thing about Applescript, so you might need to add the "obvious" details.
thanks!
mark

Answer 1

Since you hardly know a thing about Applescript, you might first have a look at this [Web page|http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript> about AppleScript and this [Beginner's Tutorial|http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript/firsttutorial/index.html].
Then you might try to attach a Folder Action script to the folder named “to be converted”.
See [Folder Actions Reference|http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/AppleScript/Conc eptual/AppleScriptLangGuide/reference/ASLRfolderactions.html] in the [AppleScript Language Guide|http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptu al/AppleScriptLangGuide/introduction/ASLRintro.html#//appleref/doc/uid/TP40000983-CH208-SW1].
See also the example scripts in this folder: “/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts/”, particularly the example entitled “add - new item alert.scpt”.
Your Action Folder script should look somewhat like the following:
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
try
tell application "iSquint"
activate
--the rest of your code
end tell
end try
end adding folder items to
where this_folder is the folder named "to be converted" and added_items is a list of the .avi files added to the folder.
Good luck!
Message was edited by: Pierre L.