Mac/Automator - How to ignore subfolders in search?

By emmx
in Apple (macOS)

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emmx

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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.

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einsteinbqat

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Posted
  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.

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emmx

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  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!

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einsteinbqat

Posted
Posted

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...
Neowinian

bhsoundman

Posted
Posted

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

 
Mentor

einsteinbqat

Posted
Posted

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

Mentor

einsteinbqat

Posted
Posted

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.

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