Creating folders and moving files into them?

Ray_Barber · August 11, 2003, 7:31pm

Hi
I am pretty new to apple scripting I think it would make my job alot easier if I had a script that could take the hours into minute by doing this for me.

OK heres what I have
every month we are archiving files with names like
tcj080103
tcj100203
etc…
I am trying to figure out how to create folder based on the date in the file name, inside a folder named TCJ. I was wanting it to make folders named 080103, 080203 etc inside a folder tcj, and move the files into them with the same date. Do i make any sense, I’m not sure the best way to describe it.

Thanks

Ray_Barber · August 11, 2003, 7:55pm

Take a look at these scripts in our ScriptBuilders section…

http://scriptbuilders.net/category.php?search=datedfolder

http://scriptbuilders.net/category.php?search=folderorg

http://scriptbuilders.net/category.php?search=new+date

Hopefully, those can get you started…

Roland · August 12, 2003, 7:05am

Take a look at this

property s_Folder : “start” – path to sourcefolder
property d_folder : “TCJ” – path to destinationfolder

tell application “Finder” to set file_list to every file of folder s_Folder – reads all files in the sourcefolder
repeat with one_file in file_list – repeats with one file from the sourcefolder
tell application “Finder” to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file) – get the name of the file
set name_of_folder to items 4 thru 9 of one_file_name as string – get the name for the folder

-- creates a new folder if not exist and move the file in this folder
tell application "Finder"
	if not (exists folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder) then
		make new folder in folder d_folder with properties {name:name_of_folder}
		move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
	else
		move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
	end if
end tell

end repeat

Cheers
Roland

Ray_Barber · August 12, 2003, 3:50pm

Take a look at this

property s_Folder : “start” – path to sourcefolder
property d_folder : “TCJ” – path to destinationfolder

tell application “Finder” to set file_list to every file of folder s_Folder – reads all files in the sourcefolder
repeat with one_file in file_list – repeats with one file from the sourcefolder
tell application “Finder” to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file) – get the name of the file
set name_of_folder to items 4 thru 9 of one_file_name as string – get the name for the folder
-- creates a new folder if not exist and move the file in this folder
tell application "Finder"
	if not (exists folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder) then
		make new folder in folder d_folder with properties {name:name_of_folder}
		move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
	else
		move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
	end if
end tell
end repeat

Cheers
Roland

Hey the script works great, I have one other issue though?
I have many different folders and different file names other than the TCJ folder and files.
When I copy the script and change the prop letter it just sticks the files in random folders Here is what I have


property a_Folder : "Powerbook G3:PDFfiles" --Path To Source Folder
property b_folder : "Powerbook G3:PDFfiles:BHF (Business Hall Of Fame)" --Path to TCJ (Topeka Capital-Journal)
tell application "Finder" to set file_list to every file of folder a_Folder -- reads all files in the sourcefolder
repeat with one_file in file_list -- repeats with one file from the sourcefolder
	tell application "Finder" to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file) -- get the name of the file
	set name_of_folder to items 4 thru 10 of one_file_name as string -- get the name for the folder
	
	-- creates a new folder if not exist and move the file in this folder
	tell application "Finder"
		if not (exists folder name_of_folder of folder b_folder) then
			make new folder in folder b_folder with properties {name:name_of_folder}
			move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder b_folder with replacing
		else
			move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder b_folder with replacing
		end if
	end tell
end repeat

property s_Folder : "Powerbook G3:PDFfiles" --Path To Source Folder
property d_folder : "Powerbook G3:PDFfiles:TCJ (Topeka Capital-Journal)" --Path to TCJ (Topeka Capital-Journal)
tell application "Finder" to set file_list to every file of folder s_Folder -- reads all files in the sourcefolder
repeat with one_file in file_list -- repeats with one file from the sourcefolder
	tell application "Finder" to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file) -- get the name of the file
	set name_of_folder to items 4 thru 10 of one_file_name as string -- get the name for the folder
	
	-- creates a new folder if not exist and move the file in this folder
	tell application "Finder"
		if not (exists folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder) then
			make new folder in folder d_folder with properties {name:name_of_folder}
			move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
		else
			move file one_file_name of folder s_Folder to folder name_of_folder of folder d_folder with replacing
		end if
	end tell
end repeat

Roland · August 12, 2003, 5:25pm

are all the source files in the same PDFfiles-folder? then this script should work. i hope.
i am relativly new to applescript and have to learning each day.

property a_Folder : “start”
property pdf_folder : “PDFFiles”

tell application “Finder” to set file_list to every file of folder a_Folder
repeat with one_file in file_list
tell application “Finder” to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file)

set name_of_folder to items 1 thru 3 of one_file_name as string
set name_of_date_folder to items 4 thru 9 of one_file_name as string

-- here you can add all the other foldernames
if name_of_folder contains "bhf" then
	set d_folder to "BHF (Business Hall Of Fame)"
end if
if name_of_folder contains "tcj" then
	set d_folder to "TCJ (Topeka Capital-Journal)"
end if

tell application "Finder"
	if not (exists folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder) then
		make new folder in folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with properties {name:name_of_date_folder}
		move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
	else
		move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
	end if
end tell

end repeat

cheers
Roland

Ray_Barber · August 12, 2003, 6:13pm

Yes they are in the same folder. Thanks for your help I will see if it works.

Ray_Barber · August 12, 2003, 9:16pm

Ok I have gotten the script how I want it and it works great, just one issue when i run it I get the error finder out of memory please close some applications and try again. This is without anything running but the script. If i pull one folder and a set of files matching that folder over and run it it works fine but when i have all of them it gives this error. Is There something I can do to fix this. Here is what I have and it works this way just not when The folder is full .


property a_Folder : "Aquaman:Desktop Folder:PDFfiles"
property pdf_folder : "Aquaman:Desktop Folder:PDFfiles"
property d_folder : "Aquaman:Desktop Folder:PDFfiles"

tell application "Finder" to set file_list to every file of folder a_Folder
repeat with one_file in file_list
	tell application "Finder" to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file)
	
	set name_of_folder to items 1 thru 3 of one_file_name as string
	set name_of_date_folder to items 4 thru 10 of one_file_name as string
	
	-- here you can add all the other foldernames
	if name_of_folder contains "bhf" then
		set d_folder to "BHF (Business Hall Of Fame)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "BOT" then
		set d_folder to "BOT (Best of Topeka)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CAR" then
		set d_folder to "CAR (Race Day)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CBB" then
		set d_folder to "CBB (College Basketball)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "COK" then
		set d_folder to "COK (Cooking)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CPS" then
		set d_folder to "Cair-Paravel"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CRO" then
		set d_folder to "CRO (Topeka ScareCrows)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CRY" then
		set d_folder to "CRY (Counrty Stampede)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CUT" then
		set d_folder to "CUT (Credit Unions)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "CZR" then
		set d_folder to "CZR (Czars)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "END" then
		set d_folder to "END (End Zone)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "ESP" then
		set d_folder to "ESP (Estate Planning)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "FAA" then
		set d_folder to "FAA (Farm & Auction)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "FAM" then
		set d_folder to "FAM (Family)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "FIF" then
		set d_folder to "FIF (Beyond 50)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "FLG" then
		set d_folder to "FLG (Flower,Lawn & Garden)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "FRM" then
		set d_folder to "FRM (Topeka Farm Show)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "GAM" then
		set d_folder to "GAM (Gifts & More)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "GLF" then
		set d_folder to "GLF (Golf Kansas)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HBB" then
		set d_folder to "HBB (High School Basketball)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HER" then
		set d_folder to "HER (Hers Kansas)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HHS" then
		set d_folder to "HHS (Hayden)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HIS" then
		set d_folder to "HIS (Hispanic)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HOM" then
		set d_folder to "HOM (At Home)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HPS" then
		set d_folder to "HPS (Highland Park)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HSF" then
		set d_folder to "HSF (High School Football)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HSH" then
		set d_folder to "HSH (Homw Show)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "HST" then
		set d_folder to "HST (Topeka Home Show)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "IIT" then
		set d_folder to "Invest in Topeka)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "JOB" then
		set d_folder to "JOB (Job Fair)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "KCG" then
		set d_folder to "KCG (Kansas State Campus Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "KSO" then
		set d_folder to "KSO (Kansas Outdoors"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "KSP" then
		set d_folder to "KSP (Kansas Plus)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "LIT" then
		set d_folder to "LIT (Life in Topeka)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "NIE" then
		set d_folder to "NIE (Newspapers in Education)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "NOL" then
		set d_folder to "NOL (Northern Light)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "OLY" then
		set d_folder to "OLY (Olympics"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "OVS" then
		set d_folder to "OVS (Overland Station)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "POH" then
		set d_folder to "POH (Parade of Homes)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "PRG" then
		set d_folder to "PRG (Progress)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "RKS" then
		set d_folder to "RKS (Rock Kansas)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "RSM" then
		set d_folder to "RSM (Rossville/St. Marys)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "RTP" then
		set d_folder to "RTP & RTR (Road Trips)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "RTR" then
		set d_folder to "RTP & RTR (Road Trips)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SAS" then
		set d_folder to "SAS (Saturday Saver)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SED" then
		set d_folder to "SED (Special Edition)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SHH" then
		set d_folder to "SHH (Shawnee Heights)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SLH" then
		set d_folder to "SLH (Silver Lake)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SPG" then
		set d_folder to "SPG (Spring Planting Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SRW" then
		set d_folder to "SRW (ScareCrows)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SSG" then
		set d_folder to "SSG (Sunflower State Games)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SUN" then
		set d_folder to "SUN (Sunflower State Games)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SWG" then
		set d_folder to "SWG (Severe Weather Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "SWN" then
		set d_folder to "SWN (Southwest Neighbors)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "tcj" then
		set d_folder to "TCJ (Topeka Capital-Journal)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "TGT" then
		set d_folder to "TGT (Target)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "USO" then
		set d_folder to "USO (U.S. Open golf)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "VOT" then
		set d_folder to "VOT (Voter's Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WBB" then
		set d_folder to "WBB (Washburn basketball)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WCG" then
		set d_folder to "WCG (Washburn Campus Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WEA" then
		set d_folder to "WEA (Weather)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WED" then
		set d_folder to "WED (Weddings)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WGU" then
		set d_folder to "WGU (Wellness Guide)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WIB" then
		set d_folder to "WIB (WIBW)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WKE" then
		set d_folder to "WKE (Weekend)"
	end if
	if name_of_folder contains "WOT" then
		set d_folder to "WOT (Wings Over Topeka)"
	end if
	
	tell application "Finder"
		if not (exists folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder) then
			make new folder in folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with properties {name:name_of_date_folder}
			move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
		else
			move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder d_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
		end if
	end tell
end repeat

Roland · August 14, 2003, 6:51am

Hi

Maybe there are to much if statements. I dont know another way to do this but i try to figure it out

Cheers
Roland

Jean-Baptiste_LE_STA · August 14, 2003, 8:04am

You can try the following :

tell application “Finder” to set x to first folder of thePath whose name begins with theThreeCharCode

Roland · August 14, 2003, 9:38am

so, i think this should work better.

property a_Folder : “start”
property pdf_folder : “PDFFiles”

tell application “Finder” to set file_list to every file of folder a_Folder

repeat with one_file in file_list
tell application “Finder” to set one_file_name to name of (contents of one_file)
set object_name to items 1 thru 3 of one_file_name as string

-- here you can add all the object_names wich are different to the first 3 chars of the object_folder 
if object_name is "cps" then
	set object_name to "Cai"
end if


set name_of_date_folder to items 4 thru 9 of one_file_name as string
tell application "Finder"
	set object_folder to name of (every folder of (folder pdf_folder) whose name starts with object_name) as string
	if not (exists (folder name_of_date_folder of folder object_folder of folder pdf_folder)) then
		make new folder in folder object_folder of folder pdf_folder with properties {name:name_of_date_folder}
		move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder object_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
	else
		move file one_file_name of folder a_Folder to folder name_of_date_folder of folder object_folder of folder pdf_folder with replacing
	end if
end tell

end repeat