on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
set item1 to item 1 of these_items
display dialog (item1 as string)
end adding folder items to
Usually, I try not to use folder actions, but this time it might be the other way around!
Still, there might be a faster way?
Edited: the folder action doesn’t do it. You still can’t get a reference to the file that was added. Back to the drawing board. Unless there’s a way to get the reference to where the file was, in another way in the folder action.
I found a solution with the folder action! We use the ‘removing folder items from’ right after. The file moves back to where you dragged it from and gives a reference to its new location.
Edited: I forgot to add that we need to undo the first move in the Finder. After you undo the file moves back to where it originally was. Then you get a reference to its new location which was its original laceration before the drag.
I still need to write the script and test it, but it might work.
Darn, it almost worked. There is still a delay before the second folder action runs. Here’s the two scripts:
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
set item1 to item 1 of these_items
display dialog (item1 as string)
tell application "Finder" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "z" using command down
end tell
end adding folder items to
on removing folder items from this_folder after losing these_items
set item1 to item 1 of these_items
display dialog (item1 as string)
end removing folder items from
I can’t remember if there was a way to speed this up.
Had an idea. We use the folder action, drop files on it, get the names of all the files that were dropped. So, we have the names of the files. Then do the undo. Then search all Finder’s windows for files with names in the list of file names. That might work!
A pseudo droplet, yes, but it works (or should work) as expected and above all by simply dragging files on an icon which is basically the droplet ease.
Started testing with the desktop window with an internet location file on the desktop. It seems to be working, but needs testing. Then expand to all open windows. Also, need to test consistency and time.
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
set item1 to item 1 of these_items
tell application "System Events" to set item_name to name of item1
display dialog item_name
tell application "Finder" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "z" using command down
end tell
tell application "Finder"
activate
try
set desk_window to window of desktop
set item1_ref to (first item of desk_window whose name is item_name) as alias
display dialog (item1_ref as string)
on error err_msg
display dialog err_msg
end try
end tell
beep 1
end adding folder items to
I needed to do some review of desktop window.
Edited: sometimes the folder action doesn’t work if you drop a second file on the folder to soon. Maybe need to update Finder or relaunch System Events. Still testing.
Edited: found that the folder action doesn’t fire if you drop the same we bloc file too soon after the first. But, if you alternate different files, then it seems to be working.
on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
set file_names to {}
repeat with this_item in these_items
tell application "System Events" to set item_name to name of this_item
set end of file_names to item_name
end repeat
tell application "Finder" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "z" using command down
end tell
tell application "Finder"
activate
set window_list to every window
if not (exists window "Desktop") then
set dtw to window of desktop
set end of window_list to dtw
end if
set the_items to {}
repeat with this_window in window_list
set found_items to (every item of this_window whose name is in file_names) as alias list
set the_items to the_items & found_items
end repeat
end tell
-- test the_items
set string_items to {}
repeat with this_item in the_items
set end of string_items to this_item as string
end repeat
activate
choose from list string_items
beep 1
end adding folder items to
It slows down with more open windows. Also, try not to drop the same files.
Edited: note that you cannot drag items of sublists when in list view.
Edited: I have a theory on why it doesn’t work when you immediately drop the same file on the folder. Finder seems to think that the file is still there. It has nothing to do with the name of the file though. Somehow, we need to force the Finder to now it’s not there. This happens in the opposite direction also. Rarely, when the file is moved (with undo) to the desktop, Finder thinks that something is there (i.e. under the hard disk) and moves the file to the next space. Tried updating the windows, but it didn’t work. Moving the file makes it work again with a longer delay.
Edited: getting real close. When I drop the same file and another file. The same file doesn’t show up in the choose from list dialog. I don’t think it’s erring. Need to check that out.
Edited: getting closer. The Finder thinks that some operation is not complete. Probably the undo?
Edited: I think System events is not reporting that the job is completed. I think this because, if I just manually move the file on the desktop and redrop it, then it works. Darn, let me try that again.
Edited: what I was thinking is that we might have to skip working with the desktop and just work with the desktop folder if it’s not already open.
I’ve come to the conclusion again that fodder actions is a lame technology. It’s too slow! That’s why I never used it. It might be ok for simple stuff like displaying a dialog when an item is dropped and hopefully not too often.
But, I did have a new idea to solving this problem.
I was thinking of using something like a folder watcher instead of folder actions. I’ll look into “watchpaths” whatever that is. Think I’ve read about something like that in one of the developer docs.
Also, was thinking about the original idea of getting the Safari windows (or whatever is the default), get the urls, and finding the files in Finder’s open windows.
Oops! Didn’t see your last posts earlier.
Just one thing: if you set item1 to item 1 of these_items you’ll never catch the other ones. Was it on purpose?
Yes, I was just testing. Sorry about not mentioning that.
As I was driving this morning, i remembered that an alias (path) reference follows the items where they are moved. So, it is not actually needed to check all Finder windows. So basically, all that needs to be done is get an alias list and undo the drag and drop. We then have a list of items wherever they came from! I must be getting old.
If you’re not too busy, I’ve noticed that when the files are removed from the drop folder, then the launch agent fires again. Should I unload the agent before removing the added items with:
then, remove the items from the drop folder. Or, is there a better way to not make it fire again? I couldn’t find anything in the man page for launched.plist for not having it fire again.
