macOS Applescript- File Extension Condition placement

[DerekStiles]

So this is first script I've tried so far, the objective of which is to set up a drag and drop folder that takes info from an excel workbook, copies it into an illustrator document, and then saves a pdf of it. The problem I'm running into now is how to make sure it runs only on excel files. I'm thinking the extension condition needs to be under an application tell (no logic behind that really, just how I've seen it everywhere else), but then it seem I would have to place that condition under every tell. Seems like there should be a better way. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

property application_extension_list : {"xlsx", "xls"}
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
	try
		repeat with i from 1 to number of items in added_items
			if (the name extension of the (item i of added_items) is in the application_extension_list) then
				tell application "Microsoft Excel"
					activate
					open item i of added_items
					copy range (range "A3")
					close active workbook saving no
				end tell
				set fp to this_folder & ":Output:" & (the clipboard) & ".pdf" as string
				tell application "Adobe Illustrator"
					activate
					open "/Users/karen_r/Desktop/TestDragDrop/Resources/testtemp.ai"
					set (contents of words of every line of every text frame in document 1 whose contents is "name") to the clipboard
					save current document in file fp as pdf ¬
						with options {class:PDF save options ¬
						, compatibility:Acrobat 5 ¬
						, preserve editability:true}
					close current document saving no
				end tell
				tell application "Finder"
					activate
					duplicate item i of added_items to folder ("mac hd:Users:karen_r:Desktop:TestDragDrop:Output" as alias) with replacing
					delete item i of added_items
				end tell
			end if
		end repeat
	on error
		return
	end try
	
end adding folder items to

 

[DerekStiles]

okay, so i found a solution that works (and cleaned up my code a bit as well I think)

property application_extension_list : {"xlsx", "xls"}
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
	tell application "Finder"
		set a_list to every file of this_folder
	end tell
	repeat with i from 1 to number of items in a_list
		try
			set currentitem to (item i of a_list)
			if (the name extension of the currentitem is in application_extension_list) then
				tell application "Microsoft Excel"
					activate
					open item i of a_list
					copy range (range "A3")
					close active workbook saving no
				end tell
				set fp to "mac hd:Users:karen_r:Desktop:TestDragDrop:Output:" & (the clipboard) & ".pdf" as string
				tell application "Adobe Illustrator"
					activate
					open "Mac HD:Users:karen_r:Desktop:TestDragDrop:Resources:testtemp.ai" as alias
					set (contents of words of every line of every text frame in document 1 whose contents is "name") to the clipboard
					save current document in file fp as pdf ¬
						with options {class:PDF save options ¬
						, compatibility:Acrobat 5 ¬
						, preserve editability:true}
					close current document saving no
				end tell
				tell application "Finder"
					activate
					duplicate item i of a_list to folder ("mac hd:Users:karen_r:Desktop:TestDragDrop:Output" as alias) with replacing
					delete item i of a_list
				end tell
			end if
		on error the error_message number the error_number
			display dialog "Folder action caused an error: " & the error_number & ". " & the error_message buttons {"OK"} default button 1
		end try
		end repeat
end adding folder items to

so I think the first had a problem in that "added_items" couldn't be used in the "if, then" statement, nor in setting the variable "currentitem". It seems that maybe it is because the value is a string, but then I don't understand why it worked in some of my code previously (it worked in the duplicate and delete commands). Any ideas?