Mac/Automator - How to ignore subfolders in search?


Recommended Posts

I'd like to setup a workflow to organize my Mac's Downloads folder. I'm starting with moving all the images to the Pictures folder, but I don't want to move the images that are in subfolders, because I download many things that include images with them, and I don't want those images being separated from the folder they belong in.

For example, if I have downloaded a Wordpress theme, I want those images to stay in their theme folder instead of being moved to "Pictures".

So how do I make finder (within automator) only select the immediate images in the downloads folder and ignore subfolders?

I realize it would be easy for me to sort by "kind" and move them all manually. I'm just fooling around with Automator, and maybe I'll set this as a future automatic, periodic task.

  On 13/01/2013 at 20:10, emmx said:

I'd like to setup a workflow to organize my Mac's Downloads folder. I'm starting with moving all the images to the Pictures folder, but I don't want to move the images that are in subfolders, because I download many things that include images with them, and I don't want those images being separated from the folder they belong in.

For example, if I have downloaded a Wordpress theme, I want those images to stay in their theme folder instead of being moved to "Pictures".

So how do I make finder (within automator) only select the immediate images in the downloads folder and ignore subfolders?

I realize it would be easy for me to sort by "kind" and move them all manually. I'm just fooling around with Automator, and maybe I'll set this as a future automatic, periodic task.

Try this. This seems to be working.

You run the app, and select a folder. The app looks for jpg in that folder only, and ignores any subfolder. Then it moves the jpf files found to the Pictures folder.

  On 13/01/2013 at 20:45, einsteinbqat said:

Try this. This seems to be working.

You run the app, and select a folder. The app looks for jpg in that folder only, and ignores any subfolder. Then it moves the jpf files found to the Pictures folder.

Thank you! That works, except in your screenshot it doesn't show to select "folders" in the "Ask for finder items" step. I think this is a huge step in the right direction. Now to find a way to do it that does not involve any interaction from me (selecting the folder every time it runs).

EDIT: I replaced the first rule (Ask for finder items) with the "Find finder items" where the KIND is Folder and the Name is Downloads (searching under my home directory). You got me to that point though. Thanks again!

Yes, sorry. I forgot to mention that you had to change files to folder. I took the screenshot before changing it, and just told myself that I would tell you, but obviously forgot.

  On 15/01/2013 at 02:10, emmx said:

Thank you! That works, except in your screenshot it doesn't show to select "folders" in the "Ask for finder items" step. I think this is a huge step in the right direction. Now to find a way to do it that does not involve any interaction from me (selecting the folder every time it runs).

  • 8 months later...

Hi Einsteinbqat,

 

First of all, thanks for the info. This workflow worked well for me. I have one glitch that I'm stuck on & was hoping that you may have some insight.

 

It's the same basic scenario, aside from I'm doing this multiple times with various file types and I'm trying to get a single workflow to accomplish it. As long as I have at least one of each file type, it works great, but if I don't have one, then it stops the script. IE: moving pdf, then jpg, then dwg would stop if there was no pdf to move.

 

I would like to be able to skip the move pdf action if a pdf isn't present to move for example & have the workflow continue.

 

I have a modified applescript that disables the move action, but it's a bit clunky & althopugh it seemed to work from within automator, it glitches when running the app.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

bhsoundman

 

Sorry for the late reply. I didn't see that you wrote something to me. I'll answer later tonight.

  On 23/09/2013 at 19:14, bhsoundman said:

Hi Einsteinbqat,

First of all, thanks for the info. This workflow worked well for me. I have one glitch that I'm stuck on & was hoping that you may have some insight.

It's the same basic scenario, aside from I'm doing this multiple times with various file types and I'm trying to get a single workflow to accomplish it. As long as I have at least one of each file type, it works great, but if I don't have one, then it stops the script. IE: moving pdf, then jpg, then dwg would stop if there was no pdf to move.

I would like to be able to skip the move pdf action if a pdf isn't present to move for example & have the workflow continue.

I have a modified applescript that disables the move action, but it's a bit clunky & althopugh it seemed to work from within automator, it glitches when running the app.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

bhsoundman

You mean that you want to move different filetypes to different folders with one single workflow?

 

The easiest way would be to create multiple workflows (i.e. one for each filetype), and then creating one global workflow to execute the individual workflows.

 

You would not need to use any AppleScript.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • It has the same switch to allow whitelisting or not as the regular AdBlock extension.
    • These 20 crypto phishing applications are scamming Play Store users by Hamid Ganji Google Play Store is the main venue for Android users to download applications. While Google has strict rules and policies for verifying apps, some malicious apps somehow slip through anyway. Meanwhile, when it comes to crypto wallet apps, both Google app auditors and Play Store users need to be even more cautious. Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs has identified at least 20 crypto phishing applications on the Google Play Store that impersonate legitimate and popular crypto wallet apps and try to steal users' crypto credentials. By impersonation, these malicious apps trick users into downloading them and then start to capture the user's actual login data. "What makes this campaign particularly dangerous is the use of seemingly legitimate applications, hosted under previously benign or compromised developer accounts, combined with a large-scale phishing infrastructure linked to over 50 domains. This extends the campaign's reach and lowers the likelihood of immediate detection by traditional defenses." Cyble writes. Some of these malicious apps have the same name but come with a different package name. After removing duplicate names, here's the list of 9 newly discovered crypto phishing applications on the Play Store: Pancake Swap Suite Wallet Hyperliquid Raydium BullX Crypto OpenOcean Exchange Meteora Exchange SushiSwap Harvest Finance Blog According to Cyble, these apps prompt users to enter their 12-word mnemonic phrase to access the fake crypto wallet. Also, scammers use accounts that were previously used to distribute legitimate apps to minimize the risk of getting caught by Google. These accounts are more likely to be compromised and then taken over by scammers. If you've downloaded any of these fake crypto wallet apps from the Play Store, make sure to delete them as soon as possible. In 2024, revenue from crypto scams was estimated to be around $9.9 billion. This billion-dollar crypto scam business is expected to grow massively in 2025 thanks to AI.
    • Again...just because Microsoft never managed to be as successful as Google in that business that doesn't mean they are not exactly what Google is. An online advertising company. Edge's built in ad block in case you don't know whitelists their own advertising platform. According to Microsoft... Google ads and tracking bad, Microsoft ads and tracking good:)
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      viraltui earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      LunaFerret earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      Ricky Chan earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      maimutza earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      abortretryfail earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      483
    2. 2
      +FloatingFatMan
      264
    3. 3
      snowy owl
      239
    4. 4
      ATLien_0
      229
    5. 5
      Edouard
      179
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!