AppleScript equivilent of ~/directory (i.e. home folder)

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
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#1

Hello all-

I need a method to copy a file to the current users home folder like this:
~/Library/Preferences/filenamehere.plist

and/or

Is there a proper way of getting the current user’s name and applying it to the path?

/Users/UserNameHere/Library/Preferences/filenamehere.plist

I understand that it needs to be in the POSIX format, but how to translate the tilde?

Thanks!

#2

Does this work for you?

set userPrefs to path to "pref"
tell application "Finder" to duplicate file "path:to:plist" to userPrefs
#3

The solution needs to be dynamic. That way if the default user changes, etc. the script doesn’t break. Does that make sense?

#4

When I run:

set userPrefs to path to “pref”
– > alias “Powerbook G4:Users:rjj:Library:Preferences:”

I’m pretty sure that it will reflect the current user. If not, this should work (but I think it will result in the same thing).

set currUser to path to “cusr”
set prefs_ to (currUser as text) & “Library:Preferences:” as alias
– > alias “Powerbook G4:Users:rjj:Library:Preferences:”

And to get the posix, add:

set quotedPrefs to quoted form of POSIX path of prefs_
– > ‘/Users/rjj/Library/Preferences/’

#5

The path to command has a number of parameters that should be able to help you;

path to current user folder → ~/

and

path to preferences → ~/Library/Preferences

would be the most pertinent to your request.

#6

Since you’re probably using the Finder to duplicate whatever, you can just use the ‘home’ property. Something like this:

tell application “Finder”
duplicate folder “Test Folder” to home
end tell

where “Test Folder” is a folder on the desktop.