Mac - Automator

[robinb]

Anyone use the automator tool ?

If so what tasks for.

Never used it but feel I should.

 

[ohood]

I use it mostly for batch-renaming files and mounting network shares automatically, but it is very, very powerful. I know it can do some impressive things work-flow wise.

 

[JasonRS]

I use it for stuff like syncing backup folders across a pair of NAS. e.g. Lightroom folder backups, syncing new additions / deletions etc.

Very powerful tool, you've just got to know what you want to achieve before you dive in, otherwise it's a bit daunting.

 

[stp23]

I use it for automatically resizing photos when they are added to a specific folder and ftp uploads

 

[robinb]

I use it for automatically resizing photos when they are added to a specific folder and ftp uploads

That sounds interesting.

I sometimes move selected images to 3 folders.

The picture is copied as original, original backup and a small reduced (200 pixel or so).

Could this be done with a automator task ?

Thanks

 

[JasonRS]

That sounds interesting.

I sometimes move selected images to 3 folders.

The picture is copied as original, original backup and a small reduced (200 pixel or so).

Could this be done with a automator task ?

Thanks

Yep.

 

[robinb]

Is there an idiots guide how to do this somewhere I could read ?

 

[JasonRS]

The inbuilt help is pretty good.

Have a look here for a rough idea of where to start.

http://mac.elated.com/2009/07/27/automator-tutorial-getting-started-with-the-mac-os-x-automator/

When planning a workflow (for this or anything else) I strongly recommend sitting down with a pencil and a bit of paper and mapping it out first, before trying to create the script, it makes things much easier in the long run.