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using automator to create simple workflows and applications?

By Joseph, 3 June, 2015

Forum
macOS and Mac Apps

Hi all,

It's Joseph. I was wondering what tips you all could give me for using automator to create simple workflows and applications. I'd love to get started with this, since I think It will help me out a great deal. For example, I'd like to be able to grab some files that I have that aren't in mpeg audio format, and convert them to that format, but I'd like to use automator to create an app to do this.

Thanks for any feedback.

Joseph

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Actually it doesn't work that

By KE7ZUM

8 years 3 months ago

Actually it doesn't work that way. You need to use wha'ts there.

I use it to convert the videos I send to soeone to audio as it's easier for me and them.

Start with the suggestions they give then work yoru way from there. for contact if you are to use that though you cannot type i a name. you do that in theend when it comes time to email or send a message.

AutoMator

By Chelsea

8 years 3 months ago

Hi, I've had a brief play with AutoMator and really like it, but you kind of have to work within its actions confines list. If the thing you want to do is in there, great, if not... you'll have to either find an app, find another way, or learn a programming language. Just my experience.

That said, AutoMator does require *a lot* of dragging and dropping. The VO J command to jump between elements is also a handy trick. Sometimes actions will fail to insert, which can be frustrating but you get used to it. And like any creation, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a workflow perform as you want.

You mentioned batch audio conversion. while I think AutoMator has actions for this, have you considered the program called Switch? It works for most things and supports multiple files. Also cross-platform, accessible, takes up very little resources when not actively encoding, and just handy to have around.

yesah I can do siple stuff

By KE7ZUM

8 years 3 months ago

yesah I can do siple stuff and folder actions. Btw for the person that wanted to convert to mp3 that cnnot happen as lame is not installed so you will have to convert to m4a or what not. I've managed to do complex actions, but those can take a lot of fiddling.

What can workflows be used to?

By Thomas Byskov Dalgaard

8 years 3 months ago

Hi!
I've been thinking about checking automator out, since it sounds like it can do some nice stuff.
Will it allow me to do something like this?
Open the FTP-program transmit and connect to a certain server, go to a specific folder on the server after logging in, and then uploading some files/folders I can slect or just had selected before starting the workflow?
Or would this need Applescripting to work?
I will love to hear how you use automator in your daily life, so I can get a little inspired.

Best regards Thomas

folder actions

By KE7ZUM

8 years 3 months ago

Yeah they are called folder actions. I use this to upload to my podcast's ftp folder. I paste or move the files in to said folder and transmit opens up, uploads the files to a specific directory, then closes down. It's Actually quite convenient. I have actions to ath convert files from wav to m4a (no mp3 aloud) and more.

RE: FOlder actions

By Thomas Byskov Dalgaard

8 years 3 months ago

In reply to folder actions by KE7ZUM

Nice, that sounds very interesting!
Can you give any more examples? Frankly I think I like the ideea of using automator, but what will it allow me to do, and what can't it do at all? Just so I can find the limts. :)

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