Need Help for Moving Folder Rule in Mac?

[marcusalwayswins]

I want to create a rule where by any video file that I save on my computer should go to the videos folder that I have created in my Favourites section in Finder. How can I do that ? And even if I make a screen recording for which I have configured it to be saved to my screenshots folder even if it goes there from there it should automatically be moved to the video folder? How can I do that ?

Also when I created a Videos folder and added to my favourites in finder I have another copy of the folder in my downloads section, I created first in downloads folder and from there I added to my favourites section, but I don’t want two locations for that folder, I just want it in my favourites section but now when I delete it from downloads folder it deletes the folder also from the favourites section in finder. what do I do ?

 

[BrianBaughn]

As to the second paragraph…the "Favorites" sidebar section in a Finder window contains some sort of "link" to the actual folder…thus there must be a folder somewhere. In your case, it's the one in your Downloads folder. If you move the videos folder you created to another location I'm pretty sure you'll have to re-create the one in your Favorites section.

As to the first paragraph…this might be possible with Applescript and Automator (folder action) but I think it would have to be location specific…like a separate folder action for every folder to which you'd be downloading or creating movie files.

 

[arw]

Take a look at the macOS Finder feature "Smart Folder".
It is not moving the actual files, just listing them all in one 'virtual folder', independent of their actual location.
Just add the rule(s) accordingly, like:
Kind == Video or
Extension == mov

Create or change a Smart Folder on Mac

In the Finder on your Mac, use Smart Folders to automatically find and organize files by type and subject matter.

support.apple.com

 

[Ben J.]

Smart folders is a great feature of the Finder.
It doesn't adress the OP's question exactly - the important answer lies in the response that Favourites in Finder is not a folder.

But the OP could easily create a smart folder to show any movie file across all disks and sort it by date, and it would be a step in the right direction for getting quick access to the latest files.

Here's a smart folder I have for showing me all documents created by Avid Pro Tools (.pt). The ".pt" search showed many types of files that I didn't want to see, so I added them with a 'minus' in front. (One really fun part of creating this was when I scrolled all the way to the bottom and found old music projects that I hadn't opened for over 20 years (!).

 

[marcusalwayswins]

Take a look at the macOS Finder feature "Smart Folder".
It is not moving the actual files, just listing them all in one 'virtual folder', independent of their actual location.
Just add the rule(s) accordingly, like:
Kind == Video or
Extension == mov

Create or change a Smart Folder on Mac

In the Finder on your Mac, use Smart Folders to automatically find and organize files by type and subject matter.

support.apple.com

Will this not lead to a lot of Duplicate File one at the actual location and one in the virtual Folder ? Also does the Virtual folder not consume Space ? If Yes? where iCloud?

 

[marcusalwayswins]

But the OP could easily create a smart folder to show any movie file across all disks and sort it by date, and it would be a step in the right direction for getting quick access to the latest files.

Ideally I wanted all the files in One folder sorting by date is ok? So are you saying have an operate Folder and the sort it by date? who will do the moving/transfering of video files? Do I need to do that Manually?

 

[arw]

Will this not lead to a lot of Duplicate File one at the actual location and one in the virtual Folder ? Also does the Virtual folder not consume Space ? If Yes? where iCloud?

There are no duplicate files and it does not consume any additional space.
A 'Smart Folder' is nothing else than a search result that gets updated automatically.

It lists all matching files on your Mac. But they remain in their original location.
A 'Smart Folder' can be distinguished from regular folders by its icon (and extension).

As illustrated by @Ben J. , you can then view/sort the results by date (creation or change).

If you delete or move a file from the 'Smart Folder', it gets deleted/moved from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...). Just like it would behave in a normal search window.

If you remove a video from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...) it will automatically disappear from the 'Smart Folder'.

Btw, you can cascade different search prompts by holding the Option (⌥) key and clicking + which is temporarily shown as ••• (meatball menu).

 

[marcusalwayswins]

There are no duplicate files and it does not consume any additional space.
A 'Smart Folder' is nothing else than a search result that gets updated automatically.

It lists all matching files on your Mac. But they remain in their original location.
A 'Smart Folder' can be distinguished from regular folders by its icon (and extension).
View attachment 2412795

As illustrated by @Ben J. , you can then view/sort the results by date (creation or change).

If you delete or move a file from the 'Smart Folder', it gets deleted/moved from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...). Just like it would behave in a normal search window.

If you remove a video from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...) it will automatically disappear from the 'Smart Folder'.

Btw, you can cascade different search prompts by holding the Option (⌥) key and clicking + which is temporarily shown as ••• (meatball menu).
View attachment 2412807

So when I go to Finder and new Smart Folder and then do the following, what would the query be ?

what should i write further?

Search for MP4 and then there has to be a closing action swell ? like Transfer the Files to a particular folder or that way ?so how do I create that?

Which also means how do I access the Smart Folder?

 

[marcusalwayswins]

There are no duplicate files and it does not consume any additional space.
A 'Smart Folder' is nothing else than a search result that gets updated automatically.

It lists all matching files on your Mac. But they remain in their original location.
A 'Smart Folder' can be distinguished from regular folders by its icon (and extension).
View attachment 2412795

As illustrated by @Ben J. , you can then view/sort the results by date (creation or change).

If you delete or move a file from the 'Smart Folder', it gets deleted/moved from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...). Just like it would behave in a normal search window.

If you remove a video from its original location (Desktop, Downloads, ...) it will automatically disappear from the 'Smart Folder'.

Btw, you can cascade different search prompts by holding the Option (⌥) key and clicking + which is temporarily shown as ••• (meatball menu).
View attachment 2412807

Ok, So I have got the Smart Folder now in my sidebar in the finder and I have added 3 rules which can add all media files like MP4, MKV, MOV two this smart folder so finding them makes it easy, which was what my objective was, but is there any way that I can uniquely indetify them? finding them I am saying a particular file still makes it difficult especially if i have not renamed it? so what would be the best solution for this ? Now I have a lot of media files in the cart folder coming in from different folders like downloads, documents, screenshots, etc...now finding them is a mess?what do I do ?