Automator- Plug-ins, Workflows, Applications

[decksnap]

I'm a bit confused about the differences really. I understand that saving something as an application makes it a stand-alone item, but I don't quite get plug-ins vs workflows, and where to save them.

As it stands, I can make simple workflows, save them in User > Library > Workflows > Applications > Finder and have them show up in my control+click menu... but outside of that, I am very confused. Where does a workflow show up in an app if you make a folder for that app instead of the Finder folder, for instance? And I don't get plug-ins really either. Much confusion...

Anybody have their head wrapped around this one?

 

[blodwyn]

I'm a bit confused about the differences really. I understand that saving something as an application makes it a stand-alone item, but I don't quite get plug-ins vs workflows, and where to save them.

As it stands, I can make simple workflows, save them in User > Library > Workflows > Applications > Finder and have them show up in my control+click menu... but outside of that, I am very confused. Where does a workflow show up in an app if you make a folder for that app instead of the Finder folder, for instance? And I don't get plug-ins really either. Much confusion...

Anybody have their head wrapped around this one?

Let's see if I can throw some light on this...

An Automator workflow can be saved as a workflow, or as an application, or as a plug-in

If you save as a workflow, you need to run it with Automator, and you can edit the workflow and re-save to a folder of your choice, e.g. /Documents/Automator

If you save as an application, you can run it independently of Automator like any other application, save it to a folder of your choice, e.g. in your applications folder, but you can't edit it

If you save it as a plug-in, it shows up in the context menu for the application you plugged it into, e..g. Finder. You can't edit this either


I always save as a workflow, so i can edit in future if I want to, and some of them I also save as applications once they're debugged and working correctly

 

[decksnap]

OK- except my workflows are saved as workflows and they show up in my finder's contextual menu. Still a bit confused. I can run these contextually in finder and can edit them too.

 

[blodwyn]

OK- except my workflows are saved as workflows and they show up in my finder's contextual menu. Still a bit confused. I can run these contextually in finder and can edit them too.

I think you must have saved it both as a plug-in as well as saving it as a workflow. If you save it as an application as well, you'll have the complete set