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macOS applescript Copying the same ~40 files to folder in SPECIFIC order 10000+ times

A

amanases

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2015
4
0
Wichita Falls
Ive done a little basic programming a long time ago, 10+ years ago and have forgotten most of it now, but that was in C++.

What i need is a program to basically do this:

for each and every character in string or text file
depending on the character in string, copy this specific file to this folder and keep both files when the name is the same.

i need it to read the string/text like normal, from left to right and top to bottom if it it read from text file

i need to copy the same ~40 files (pictures ~250KB each) to a folder in a Specific order thousands and thousands of times.


this is what i got and i'm lost right now.

Code: 
set theText to "This is some text that i need a specific file copied depending on the character in this string"

if character 1 of theText = "T" then say "it worked"


i know what i need to make it work but all my programming knowledge has vanished. so im starting learning over again.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
chown33

chown33

Moderator
Staff member
Aug 9, 2009
10,764
8,463
A sea of green
amanases said:
...
for each and every character in string or text file
depending on the character in string, copy this specific file to this folder and keep both files when the name is the same.

i need it to read the string/text like normal, from left to right and top to bottom if it it read from text file...
Click to expand...

This would be easier to understand if you posted an example of the data, then described what should happen as a result of that data.

For example:
If the text file contains:
Code: 
abc
xy
the program should copy the following files:
Code: 
image-a.jpg
image-b.jpg
image-c.jpg
image-x.jpg
image-y.jpg
from the folder "Photos" located in my home folder, to a folder "Plugh" located on an attached USB flash drive named "Plover".
The original file should be left in place if the character is from a to p. If it's q thru z, the original file should be removed after copying.
​
The above example is completely fabricated, because I honestly can't figure out what you want to happen based on your description. If no one else can figure out what should happen, then no one can advise you on how to make it happen.

All programming eventually boils down to making a clear and accurate explanation of what should happen. Right now, we need an English explanation, with enough detail that someone can follow your directions and accomplish the task by hand. Once that explanation is clear, the next step will be to translate that into computer code. But without a clear understandable plain-English explanation, it will be impossible to code.
 
A

amanases

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2015
4
0
Wichita Falls
i think it would look something like this

i think it would look something like this

Code: 
#letter pictures
set lettera to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/a.jpg
set letterb to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/b.jpg
set letterc to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/c.jpg
set letterd to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/d.jpg
set lettere to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/e.jpg
set letterf to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/f.jpg
set letterg to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/g.jpg
set letterh to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/h.jpg
set letteri to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/i.jpg
set letterj to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/j.jpg
set letterk to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/k.jpg
set letterl to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/l.jpg
set letterm to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/m.jpg
set lettern to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/n.jpg
set lettero to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/o.jpg
set letterp to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/p.jpg
set letterq to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/q.jpg
set letterr to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/r.jpg
set letters to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/s.jpg
set lettert to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/t.jpg
set letteru to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/u.jpg
set letterv to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/v.jpg
set letterw to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/w.jpg
set letterx to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/x.jpg
set lettery to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/y.jpg
set letterz to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/z.jpg



#number pictures
set numberzero to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/zero.jpg
set numberone to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/one.jpg
set numbertwo to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/two.jpg
set numberthree to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/three.jpg
set numberfour to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/four.jpg
set numberfive to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/five.jpg
set numbersix to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/six.jpg
set numberseven to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/seven.jpg
set numbereight to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/eight.jpg
set numbernine to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/nine.jpg

#punctuation pictures
set punctuationperiod to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/period.jpg
set punctuationspacebar to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/spacebar.jpg
set punctuationquotation to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/quotation.jpg
set punctuationparenthesis to Users/timothynorris/desktop/logos/parenthesis.jpg

set destinationfolder to Users/timothynorris/Desktop/putpictureshere


set theText to "This is paragraph 1 of some text. This is paragraph 2 of some text."

get character 1 of theText
what is character 1 of theText

get character 2 of theText
what is character 2 of theText

get character 3 of theText
what is character 3 of theText

etc...

if character equals “a” then copy lettera to destinationfolder
if character equals “b” then copy letterb to destinationfolder
if character equals “c” then copy letterc to destinationfolder
if character equals “.” then copy punctuationperiod to destinationfolder
if character equals “0” then copy numberzero to destinationfolder
if character equals “ ” then copy punctuationspacebar to destination folder
etc…
i need it to do this for thousands and thousands of letters of which i will specify in theText variable once it works
 
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