Automatic File Management?

[mchank]

Is there a way to automatically sort different kinds of files that you copy from a usb drive or from web downloads? For instance, can Automator or another program move excel files to a certain folder, word to another, pictures to another, and so on?

 

[MisterMe]

Is there a way to automatically sort different kinds of files that you copy from a usb drive or from web downloads? For instance, can Automator or another program move excel files to a certain folder, word to another, pictures to another, and so on?

Sure. You should be able to do this using either Automator or by using AppleScript directly. However, you need to ask yourself why.

What useful purpose is there to organizing files by filetype?
Why not organize by task or by date instead?

Suffice it to say, I think that your organization scheme has the potential to cause a lot of headaches for you down the road. I don't know about how you work, but I rarely need three Word files at the same time. However, I may need a Word file, PDF, and JPEG at the same time. I find it far better to keep together those thing that I use together.

 

[Slumbercub]

Hazel is what you need. It is a superb application and if you go to http://www.screencastsonline.com/sco/files/SCO0113-hazel.html you will find a free video showing you how it works plus a discount code at the end of the movie should you wish to purchase it.

 

[millap]

Another possibility is to use Spotlight and the 'Smart Folders' feature that was added as part of Tiger. You could then setup various smart searches to find all of your different file types, and it wouldn't matter where you keep them on your hard drive.

That's assuming that you have 10.4 Tiger ?

 

[mchank]

Sure. You should be able to do this using either Automator or by using AppleScript directly. However, you need to ask yourself why.

What useful purpose is there to organizing files by filetype?
Why not organize by task or by date instead?

Suffice it to say, I think that your organization scheme has the potential to cause a lot of headaches for you down the road. I don't know about how you work, but I rarely need three Word files at the same time. However, I may need a Word file, PDF, and JPEG at the same time. I find it far better to keep together those thing that I use together.

I connect to my work network to download pdfs, presentations, and such so through Safari and its time consuming to pick a different folder for every download. I want something that organizes files after its gone to the download folder.