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How do you use Automator?
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Yeah, I used to have automator actions that did things like send files to my phone or PDA via Bluetooth (this is back when I had a PDA briefly and when I had a phone that could receive files via bluetooth!
). I mostly used them to make contextual menus. To be honest I haven't used it much since maybe the 1-1.5 years after Tiger came out. Not that I don't think it's a neat idea. Maybe Snow Leopard will bring more interesting actions.
I wrote a couple apps with Automator. A few to connect to my various computers, another to eject them, and a few more. I recently wrote an app in Script Editor which I'm having trouble with (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/691820/).
The only interesting thing I've done with Automator is to setup a process that cropped a folder of images. I'm more likely to write a AppleScript piece to do something. I've written a number for applications like BBEdit that I run from the app and can be very handy.
I use it to batch convert images and used to use it to batch rename files before I found Name Mangler.
Interesting post. I could do with some tutorials on Automator as its a completely new thing to me, as a switcher from M$. If anyone could point me in the right direction, it would be appreciated.
Come up with a need for an app, find out that you can't get it or can't get it for free, and start fooling around!
A couple links to get you started on your way.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2488
http://automator.us/leopard/index.html
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/
Thanks for those. Having just looked at it, I am trying to set up something which will delete my iCal events that are more than 30 days old. Is this possible ?
It is. Just play around with the stuff in the Calender bit.
Remember this: If it can't be done in Automator, you can probably do it in ScriptEditor.
iCal can do this automatically
iCal > Preferences > Advanced
Tick the "Delete events" box.
My main iTunes library is on my Mac Mini, but I buy most of my music from my laptop so I created an Automator workflow to copy music I've purchased over to the Mac Mini.
iCal can do this automatically
iCal > Preferences > Advanced
Tick the "Delete events" box.
So you can, eh you learn everyday. Who needs automator
Last week I was doing work experience in a marketing team, at the end of a presentation they give out a USB Stick with the presentation on it. Basically, a girl who already worked there and I had to copy 2 presentations onto around 150 pen drives.
She was on Windows and got a head start by copy and pasting etc.
I took my time and set up an automator script that would:
1. grab the two files needed
2. Format the pen drive
3. Copy the files across
4. Run them and then close them (to see if they work)
5. Eject the pen drive
Over all I did about 110 and she did 40 cause all I had to do was to just hit play whenever I inserted a stick
She was on Windows and got a head start by copy and pasting etc.
I took my time and set up an automator script that would:
1. grab the two files needed
2. Format the pen drive
3. Copy the files across
4. Run them and then close them (to see if they work)
5. Eject the pen drive
Over all I did about 110 and she did 40 cause all I had to do was to just hit play whenever I inserted a stick
Thanks for the tip.
I have an iMac whose built in LCD has started the "lines of death" spiral, so I know that eventually it will be totally useless. I have an external monitor, running in mirror mode, that keeps it from being tossed in the trash.
Having an Automator script to ensure that mirror mode is always put in place on startup would provide some security. I'm hoping that the upgrade to Snow Leopard, which means running without scripts and requiring that the internal screen be functional, won't mean the end of system software upgrades for the iMac.
I have an iMac whose built in LCD has started the "lines of death" spiral, so I know that eventually it will be totally useless. I have an external monitor, running in mirror mode, that keeps it from being tossed in the trash.
Having an Automator script to ensure that mirror mode is always put in place on startup would provide some security. I'm hoping that the upgrade to Snow Leopard, which means running without scripts and requiring that the internal screen be functional, won't mean the end of system software upgrades for the iMac.