Questions tagged [automator]
Automator is a Mac OS X utility that allows creation and execution of workflows that can be integrated with Mac OS X. This enables users to automate repetitive tasks to save time and effort.
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Is Automator's "Filter Finder Items" action broken?
I've been trying to make an Automator droplet that removes files of a particular extension from a directory. My Workflow has 3 actions (when I'm not debugging):
Get Folder Contents (Repeating for ...
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0
answers
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Automating a Data Entry Job in Excel with Automator or any other app
I have to complete labeling process in excel sheet with over 3000 rows. The excel sheet ( please see atttachment) has three columns, E1, E2, and Label. E1 and E2 are already type in and I need to ...
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Use Automator for handling multiple file inputs through shell Cat command in OS X to combine videos
I'm trying to do a similar thing with video files with no luck. Tried:
for f in "$@"
do
cat "$f" > ~/Desktop/Test.mov
done
When I do this it just puts the last file selected in the file.
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Mac Automator Twitter Scrape Shell Script to Run Python Stopped Working
OS X El Capitan 10.11.6
I have Mac Calendar calling an Automator app to launch a shell script that opens a python file that scrapes a few Twitter handles and presents them to me as a web page. This ...
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Automating Image format and size change
I'm a novice, trying to create a Mac OS Automator app or AppleScript that will accept images (PSD, tiff, png, jpeg) when dragged on the app's icon, convert to a different format, and resize them. I ...
- 308
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The action "Save as Adobe PDF" could not be loaded because it is not universal
I am trying to add the action "Save as Adobe PDF" to an automator workflow, but I get the error **The action "Save as Adobe PDF" could not be loaded because it is not universal. **. Automator is ...
CommunityBot
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votes
3
answers
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Temporarily disable files in macOs
Is there a convenient way to temporarily make files 'not found' to the OS (or more specifically, an App)?
I was thinking an automator action that just adds '.DISABLED' to the filenames, but automator ...
- 426
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1
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Use Automator to perform a FFmpeg command (two .SRT in one .MP4)
I have the script below which I'm used to running from Terminal and it works perfectly. I just need to have one single .mp4 file and two .srt files in my user directory and it will automatically input ...
- 3,715
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vote
1
answer
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Switch between Multiple Customised Lang & Region settings on Mac OS X Mavericks
I need to be able to switch quickly between two or three customised Language & Region prefs on Mac OS X. While there is an advanced tab which allows customisation, there is no way to save this as ...
- 3,143
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Automator: change wallpaper when screen brightness is changed
I am new to using Automator. I'm trying to make my desktop wallpaper change according to my screen brightness which is automatically adjusting to the light in my room (basically an automatic bright/...
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Not able to run shell script in Mac's Automator
Hi so I have this ffmpeg command to run in Mac's Automator app:
for f in *.mp4; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -map_metadata -1 -c:v copy -c:a copy "${f%.mp4}"-new.mp4; done
I created a new workflow in automator ...
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1
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Error: "Automator could not access your calendars"
How do i give access to automator?
I press "don't allow" by mistake the first time the calendar event try to open the action
- 221
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2
answers
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How do I run an Automator action, shell script or AppleScript on startup in OS X?
I know you can run applications on startup on a Mac, but can you run an Automator action, a Service, a shell script, or an AppleScript on startup instead?
I also know you can save all of these as an ...
- 103
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How to add chmod +x on a file, from right click menu service in mac
so i need to use chmod +x alot, and i thought it could be easier to make a service in Automator to add it to the right click menu, so it will run chmod +x on the selected file as choose it from the ...
- 4,034
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2
answers
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Fast User Switching/Apple Menu?
I like fast user switching but I'm not keen on it in my menu bar, I'm wondering if it's possible to put it in the Apple menu? Or somehow change the Logout option in the Apple menu to switch users ...
CommunityBot
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1
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Mac Automator using FFMPEG to generate thumbnails with shell script
I've added the following to the Run Shell Script Object
for f in "$@"
do
/usr/local/bin/ffmpeg -y -ss 3 -i "$f" -v quiet -vf select="eq(pict_type\,I)" -vframes 1 "$f.png"
done
the ffmpeg line works ...
- 1
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1
answer
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Print selected text in macOS using Automator?
How can I use Automator (macOS 10) to create a workflow for printing selected text? I'd like to set up a sequence that works across all applications? Thank you.
- 31
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votes
2
answers
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views
Finder not enabling use of Services when changing "Service receives selected" input
I have a Service on automator that applies to Files and Folders in Finder. Initially it was saved as "Text" input.
Problem is, Finder won't show this Service to Files and Folders. If I go to settings,...
- 101
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votes
2
answers
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views
apple script handler not working in tell statement
Hi I am writing a script that will rename selected files / folders in the format xxxyearxxx to be xxxyear. I am new to apple script, have done plenty of autoit / c++ stuff.
I can't get my handler to ...
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vote
1
answer
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views
How to schedule Mac Software Updates
I would like to be able to schedule software updates to run during the time when my Internet data usage is free. I have tried to figure out how to use Automator and/or iCal to do this, but I am not ...
- 27.5k
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vote
0
answers
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views
Using untrusted app as the default way to open a file
I've turned a short shell script into an Application using Automator. The shell script converts a .dot file into a .png and opens the .png
Something like
dot -Tpng "$@" -o img.png
open img.png
I'm ...
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1
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How to play next iTunes' song in Automator
I'm on macOS High Sierra 10.13.3
and Automator version 2.8
I'm making my Automator script with setting specific iTunes playlist and to run it at specific time. But it always playing the same track. ...
- 275
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1
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585
views
Is there a way in macOS to automatically open a URL when another URL is opened?
Is there a way in macOS to automatically open a URL when another URL is opened?
Using Automator, macros, browser plugins or the alike to in the background "listen" for a URL to be opened and when it ...
- 3,201
1
vote
2
answers
974
views
Getting Unix path of multiple files/folders in Automator service
I want to get path of (multiple) file(s, folders) in Automator service by selecting them in Finder and then use them in shell command.
I already have something like this:
Launch AppleScript:
on run ...
- 320
1
vote
2
answers
241
views
How do I to modify Automator Service ditto command?
Using and Automator Service and an AppleScript that is redly available and exists on this thread of but a "GUI" around ditto. The solution works well, however, I am not getting the behavior I expected....
- 385
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votes
4
answers
6k
views
Batch change file extensions in Mac OS X?
I used wget to download a website into a folder. When files have the same names, wget stores the new one as name.extension.#
Now I have hundreds of files like 1.jpg, 1.jpg.1, 1.jpg.2, etc.
How can I ...
- 1,690
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views
How to open a specific filetype in a folder with a default application to that folder on Macbook?
I have a folder with a single filetype including subdirectories that I'm trying to open with a default application.
For example, I have about 3 text editors and I need to open txt files in a folder1 ...
- 308
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Find running processes created by Mac Automator
Is there any way to view automator process that are running?
About a year ago I created a workflow or something similar in Mac's Automator. When I took screenshots mac would place them on the desktop....
- 101
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votes
2
answers
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views
Applescript to hide an app/alias
I am trying to write an application using Applescript in Automator that runs on terminal on a Mac Air running Sierra. The account using the application has parental controls set, but I need to give ...
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votes
1
answer
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views
How do I parse file paths separated by a space in a string?
Background: I am working in Automator on a wrapper to a command line utility. I need a way to separate an arbitrary number of file paths delimited by a single space from a single string, so that I may ...
- 2,569
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votes
2
answers
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views
Shortcut to cleanup folder by name in mac
Is there any shortcut to clean up folder icons in mac? or any automator task ?
Update - Got the answer
Apple has a shortcut for this. Finder > Clean Up By - name [cmd+opt+1]
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Use Automator to refresh a page in Chrome if its domain matches a given domain
I found a similar question which explains how to use the Automator for Mac to create a service that will refresh the active tab in chrome.
I would like to make a similar service except that I don't ...
- 308
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vote
2
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OS X command to make current terminal window full screen
I am trying to make a bash script to open up my working environment. I want
1) Open up Terminal.app and type a command like "time_to_work"
2) This command will:
a. open up sublime text
open ~/...
7
votes
3
answers
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views
How do I automatically print only part of a PDF page in OS X?
I frequently have to crop out the top half of a PDF (it's a shipping label) and only print that on A4 paper, instead of the whole label.
I can do this very easily with Adobe Acrobat Pro, by opening ...
- 27.5k
4
votes
6
answers
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OS X Snow Leopard: Finder automator item for creating a new text file
how can I create a Finder automaton item that appears in 'Services' for creating a new text file inside a file folder? I use TextMate, so better if the solution is editor-agnostic (rather than using ...
1
vote
0
answers
499
views
Mac Automator - Service to resize/scale images using SIPS
I would like a service which scales selected images within Finder to X pixels (max length/width without upscaling if images are smaller than X). Image files can have all kinds of file extensions.
The ...
0
votes
1
answer
160
views
On MAC OS, if I want to save a file to folder B, but point it to folder A, what should I do?
I'm not sure what title to give to this question, but what I want is: when I save a file to folder A, it will automatically save it to folder B, and delete it from folder A, what should I do to make ...
- 1,870
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votes
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How to tell service open in a new tab instead of windows - OSX Safari
In this article there's the solution I was looking for, however, I would like to open in a new tab instead of a new window, how should be the text?
Google translate client for OS X
...
on run argv
...
CommunityBot
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vote
1
answer
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views
Delete currently playing song from iTunes
Is there anyway to make a global shortcut, via Automator or anything, so I can quickly delete currently playing song from iTunes?
I know how to delete a song from iTunes. What I want is to create a ...
CommunityBot
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0
answers
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Show all services on right click (mac) [closed]
Whenever you have more than 4 services, they are put in a dropdown option "Services" on right click instead of just being added to the right click menu itself.
Is this an option somewhere that can ...
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Need an everyday reminder at a specific time of the day on Mac OS X?
Does anyone know how I can create an everyday reminder that pops up every day at a specific time to remind me of doing something? I need to make it remind me everyday at 1:00pm to update my daily blog....
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Automator to find specific file in folder and then delete the folder
I have created an Automator workflow which asks the user for a folder and then it looks for files that meet x requirements. It then copies those files to another location.
How can I then make it ...
- 1
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votes
2
answers
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views
Apple Automator "New PDF from Images" maintaining same filename
I will potentially have 26k of old legacy PICT images to transfer first to PDF for migration. I am using Apple Automator and also the "Dispense Items Incrementally" to loop through it. However, I can'...
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Remove All Illegal Characters from All Filenames in a Given Folder and subfolders
I Know this was was basically answered and the automator with the shell script (Sanitize Filenames) works great, but I need it to also do all subfolders as well. And if possible trim the file name ...
- 323
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votes
1
answer
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views
How to create a shortcut to toggle Chrome Settings on Mac
In Mac Chrome, I like to switch the default, global Page Zoom settings from 100% to 125%. I'd like a shortcut to do it quickly instead of needing to go to Settings, click Show Advanced Settings, and ...
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1
answer
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Split large PDF into smaller Two-page PDFs [duplicate]
I have several very large PDF files that I need to split into smaller ones by page number.
For example: In a 100 page long PDF, I want to have one PDF with pages 1-2, one with 3-4, one with 4-5 and ...
- 65.2k
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votes
1
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254
views
Delete all images in a folder except those with defined string in title?
I have around 50,000 images in a folder (I'm using Mac OSX), and I'd like to delete all of them unless they have x300 or 300x in them. I was hoping it's possible using the terminal or automator, but ...
- 65.2k
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vote
0
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273
views
How to get input with a custom dictation command
I'm trying to write a few scripts to allow me to write code via voice. However, I need a way to specify a way to capitalize a variable name. For example, I want to be able to say, "stud my super ...
- 169
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1
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Create a separate zip from many folders
I have a many folders with files for project.
I need:
Create a zip from folder "X"
Move Zip in the folder "X"
Name of Zip must be "X"
I'm a Mac OS user. How I can automate the process?
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votes
1
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441
views
Automatic open new browser tab on Mac OS X
Im trying to create a action in Automator, but I am not sure if its possible only use this software or I would need use applescript.
I need to create a action for when I set a specific URL in some ...
