Now that is interesting, but I am not convinced, that it will always work, with every object model, and if the property’s datatype is a string up front, then I prefer to use an explicit get anyway.
Hello!
I have stopped using Finder to delete files.
I also think I should be able to circumvent some of the list operations, to make it faster, using specialized handlers for this particular task
(* rewritten to assure finder doesn't crash or becomes unresponsive *)
set theFolder to ((path to documents folder from user domain as text) & "Week01:")
tell application "Finder"
set pxFolder to quoted form of POSIX path of (theFolder as alias)
set folToDel to (name of every item of its folder theFolder whose class is folder)
set filesToDel to (get name of its every file of its folder theFolder whose name extension is in {"", "jpg", "tiff", "png"})
end tell
set pxfolList to mkPxFileListString for folToDel
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -fR " & pxfolList
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListString for filesToDel
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -f " & pxfileList
-- get a list of what is left in the folder
tell application "Finder" to set {theNames, theExtensions} to (get {name, name extension} of its every file of folder theFolder)
set ct to (get count theNames)
set theList to {}
set i to 1
repeat ct times
set end of theList to {item i of theNames, item i of theExtensions}
set i to i + 1
end repeat
-- get a list of every file name with a name extension that is 7 chars long and isn't convert
set of7list to _filterL(theList, offending7s, 2)
set filesToDel to {}
set ct to get count of7list
set i to 1
repeat ct times
set end of filesToDel to item 1 of item i of of7list
set i to i + 1
end repeat
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListString for filesToDel
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -f " & pxfileList
tell application "Finder"
set theNames to (get name of its every file of folder theFolder) -- :)
set theNames to (sort theNames by name)
end tell
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, return}
set theNames to theNames as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
writeFile(theNames, (theFolder & "Files_to_Check.txt"))
to mkPxFileListString for aFilelist
local pxfileList
set pxfileList to {}
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
local tids
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, space}
set pxfileList to pxfileList as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
return pxfileList
end mkPxFileListString
to writeFile(theData, theFile)
(*For writing a file. Handles situations where the new file may be
shorter than the original file, since AppleScript's write command doesn't
reset EOF to the new data length.*)
--returns boolean success (true=success)
--Assumes: theFile is a file path string and file exists.
try
-- open file
open for access (theFile) with write permission
copy the result to theFile_ID
-- Set the file length to zero
set eof theFile_ID to 0
-- Write our message
write theData to theFile_ID
-- close the file
close access theFile_ID
return true
on error
try
close access theFile_ID
end try
return false
end try
end writeFile
on _filterL(L, crit, itemNo)
-- © Matt Neuburg AppleScript The Definitive Guide Second Edition.
-- reworked to work on lists of lists, finding criteria in chosen item of the sublist
script filterer
property criterion : crit
property itemnum : itemNo
on _filter(L)
if L = {} then return L
if criterion(item itemnum of item 1 of L) then
return {item 1 of L} & (_filter(rest of L))
else
return _filter(rest of L)
end if
end _filter
end script
return filterer's _filter(L)
end _filterL
on offending7s(x)
local ct
set ct to count x
if ct = 7 and x is not in "convert" then return true
return false
end offending7s
The power of xargs & find 
the following example removes all the directories in a given directory.
set theFolder to quoted form of text 1 thru -2 of (POSIX path of (path to desktop folder))
do shell script "find " & theFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -print0 | xargs -0 rm -rf"
The folder can’t have a trailing slash and I’m using null-terminated string (C-string) so I don’t have to quote the paths.
Hello!
This is tested, and it seems to work.
It is not the solution I hoped for, as the list optimization is dubious, but at least the call to finder to regenerate the lists are avoided! I also think that the file extension for is empty, so I test for the extensions, in the filenames, like Nigel does.
Edit:
Added properties and the usage of my to speed up stuff. I also see I can concatenate the delete operation,
speeding things up more.
(* rewritten to assure finder doesn't crash or becomes unresponsive *)
property folToDel : missing value
property theNames : missing value
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
set theFolder to ((path to documents folder from user domain as text) & "Week01:")
set folToDel to missing value
tell application "Finder"
set pxFolder to quoted form of POSIX path of (theFolder as alias)
try
set folToDel to (get name of every item of its folder theFolder whose class is folder)
end try
set my theNames to (get name of its every file of folder theFolder)
end tell
if folToDel is not missing value then
set pxfolList to mkPxFileListStringL for folToDel by 0
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -fR " & pxfolList
end if
set theRefList to {}
repeat with i from 1 to (get count theNames)
set end of theRefList to (a reference to item i of my theNames)
end repeat
set filesToDel to _filter(theRefList, unwantedXts)
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListStringL for filesToDel by 0
repeat with i from 1 to (get count filesToDel)
set contents of item i of filesToDel to missing value
end repeat
set theNames to my theNames's text
set theRefList to {}
repeat with i from 1 to (get count theNames)
set end of theRefList to (a reference to item i of my theNames)
end repeat
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -f " & pxfileList
-- get a list of what is left in the folder
-- get a list of every file name with a name extension that is 7 chars long and isn't convert
set filesToDel to _filter(theRefList, offending7s)
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListStringL for filesToDel by 0
repeat with i from 1 to (get count filesToDel)
set contents of item i of filesToDel to missing value
end repeat
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -f " & pxfileList
set theNames to my theNames's text
quickSort(my theNames, 1, (count my theNames))
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, return}
set theNames to my theNames as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
writeFile(my theNames, (theFolder & "Files_to_Check.txt"))
to mkPxFileListStringL for aFilelist by itemNo
local pxfileList
set pxfileList to {}
if itemNo = 0 then
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
else
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item itemNo of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
end if
local tids
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, space}
set pxfileList to pxfileList as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
return pxfileList
end mkPxFileListStringL
to writeFile(theData, theFile)
(*For writing a file. Handles situations where the new file may be
shorter than the original file, since AppleScript's write command doesn't
reset EOF to the new data length.*)
--returns boolean success (true=success)
--Assumes: theFile is a file path string and file exists.
try
-- open file
open for access (theFile) with write permission
copy the result to theFile_ID
-- Set the file length to zero
set eof theFile_ID to 0
-- Write our message
write theData to theFile_ID
-- close the file
close access theFile_ID
return true
on error
try
close access theFile_ID
end try
return false
end try
end writeFile
-- http://macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=38978
on quickSort(theList, theLeft, theRight)
set i to theLeft
set j to theRight
set v to item ((theLeft + theRight) div 2) of theList -- pivot
repeat while (j > i)
repeat while (item i of theList < v)
set i to i + 1
end repeat
repeat while (item j of theList > v)
set j to j - 1
end repeat
if (not i > j) then
tell theList to set {item i, item j} to {item j, item i} -- swap
set i to i + 1
set j to j - 1
end if
end repeat
if (theLeft < j) then quickSort(theList, theLeft, j)
if (theRight > i) then quickSort(theList, i, theRight)
end quickSort
on _filter(L, crit)
-- © Matt Neuburg AppleScript The Definitive Guide Second Edition.
script filterer
property criterion : crit
on _filter(L)
if L = {} then return L
if criterion(item 1 of L) then
return {item 1 of L} & _filter(rest of L)
else
return _filter(rest of L)
end if
end _filter
end script
return filterer's _filter(L)
end _filter
on unwantedXts(x)
set t to reverse of every character of x as text
if t starts with "gpj" or t starts with "ffit" or t starts with "gnp" then return true
return false
end unwantedXts
on offending7s(x)
local t
set t to reverse of every character of x as text
if (offset of "." in t) is 8 and x does not end with "convert" then return true
return false
end offending7s
My previous post was showing how you can properly remove files. The code you’re using I’m not fond of, because when cd fails any file can be removed on your HD. For instance:
do shell script "cd ~Desktop ; ls"
because of an typo (but also something else could go wrong) it will fail but won’t trow an error, instead it will list my HD. With do shell script I avoid cd as much as possible and will use absolute paths as much as possible. There are some cases when you can/need use a cd command. But I want to execute the second command only if the first was successful, so I need something like this:
do shell script "cd ~Desktop && ls"
Now an error will occur when trying to changing the current working directory and the second command is not executed. This is a more safe way of working. You could even return an alternative or default to avoid errors or do error handling yourself
do shell script "cd ~Desktop && ls || echo [NULL]"
. except, unfortunately, that it deletes all the subfolders, JPEGs, PNGs, etc. in the folder and logs everything that’s left into the text file. 
Chris’s requirements were to ignore folders, JPEGs, TIFFs, and PNGs; to delete files with seven-character name extensions (except for those with “.convert”) or with no extensions at all; and to write to a text file the names of files with five, six, eight, or more characters in their name extensions. (Actually, he also mentioned any unignored files which hadn’t been handled above. Your script may be right in that respect and mine wrong. I’ll have to look at it again tomorrow ” when I’ve rebuilt my test folder. ;))
Hello!
Well, I did read his requirments as deleting every subfolder, and understood it to be with contents.
I’m sorry about ruining your testfolder! Well, I think also I forgot to remove the files without any extension.
(I can’t seem to get that he wanted to keep the contents of the subfolders though.)
I’ll have to look at it tomorrow as well, its late… I’m thinking of leaving Finder be, as I don’t need a list of file extensions anyway! I’ll also merge the two filter operations and remove the deleted items in one go, to speed things up. I can’t see how it will help to sort the list by extension, nor length of extension in this particular case.
Only to sort the filnames, to make it easier to check them with the contents of the folder afterwards.
Edit
Today I’ll use Timemachine after I have constructed the test folder, -again! 
Hello!
I used the reference trick, to just keep all within a list, when declaring properties, and later on setting contents of the extracted list to missing value, it broke! It seems like I am doing a privilege violation or such.
So I removed the my references, in order for basis to work, slowing things down.
I have however merged the operations, so the overall speed should be faster than it was up front. The commandline is constructed under the assumption, that the bash commandline can be around 54.000 characters long, which will leave me with the possibility of deleting 400 files each with a file name length of 135 characters, before I get into trouble.
(* rewritten to assure finder doesn't crash or becomes unresponsive
optimized!*)
set theFolder to ((path to documents folder from user domain as text) & "Week01:")
-- Deleting subfolders
set folToDel to missing value
tell application "Finder"
set pxFolder to quoted form of POSIX path of (theFolder as alias)
try
set folToDel to (get name of every item of its folder theFolder whose class is folder)
end try
end tell
if folToDel is not missing value then
set pxfolList to mkPxFileListStringL for folToDel by 0
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; rm -fR " & pxfolList
end if
-- Starts processing unwanted files
set theNames to every paragraph of (do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; ls -1 |sort -f")
set theRefList to {}
repeat with i from 1 to (get count theNames)
set end of theRefList to (a reference to item i of theNames)
end repeat
set filesToDel to _filter(theRefList, unwantedFiles)
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListStringL for filesToDel by 0
ignoring application responses
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; { rm -f " & pxfileList & " ; } & "
end ignoring
-- Cleaning up before showing what to check
repeat with i from 1 to (get count filesToDel)
set contents of item i of filesToDel to missing value
end repeat
set theNames to theNames's text
-- Constructing the file
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, return}
set theNames to theNames as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
writeFile(theNames, (theFolder & "Files_to_Check.txt"))
to mkPxFileListStringL for aFilelist by itemNo
local pxfileList
set pxfileList to {}
if itemNo = 0 then
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
else
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item itemNo of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
end if
local tids
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, space}
set pxfileList to pxfileList as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
return pxfileList
end mkPxFileListStringL
to writeFile(theData, theFile)
(*For writing a file. Handles situations where the new file may be
shorter than the original file, since AppleScript's write command doesn't
reset EOF to the new data length.*)
--returns boolean success (true=success)
--Assumes: theFile is a file path string and file exists.
try
-- open file
open for access (theFile) with write permission
copy the result to theFile_ID
-- Set the file length to zero
set eof theFile_ID to 0
-- Write our message
write theData to theFile_ID
-- close the file
close access theFile_ID
return true
on error
try
close access theFile_ID
end try
return false
end try
end writeFile
on _filter(L, crit)
-- © Matt Neuburg AppleScript The Definitive Guide Second Edition.
script filterer
property criterion : crit
on _filter(L)
if L = {} then return L
if criterion(item 1 of L) then
return {item 1 of L} & _filter(rest of L)
else
return _filter(rest of L)
end if
end _filter
end script
return filterer's _filter(L)
end _filter
on unwantedFiles(x)
set t to reverse of every character of x as text
if t starts with "gpj" or t starts with "ffit" or t starts with "gnp" then
return true
else if (offset of "." in t) is 8 and x does not end with "convert" then
return true
else
return false
end if
end unwantedFiles
The limit is 262144 for most darwin kernels, run the following code:
do shell script "getconf ARG_MAX"
--or
do shell script "sysctl -n kern.argmax"
Also you told another good reason to use my example in my previous posts. When removing folders my way you will never get in trouble even if you want to remove millions of files.
Hello!
I’m not sure which posts you are referring to, but please do post a link, as I am sure they should be interesting to read!
One of those days, I’ll sit down and get a little bit more confident with the commands mentioned. I’m not a kernel builder! (getconf and syscntl)
Hello!
Actually, and honestly, I think all the deletion in my script is inferior to an ideal solution, the ideal solution would be a command line, that moves the files physically to the trash.
The reason for not using Finder for this, is that it sends to many events, in a to short time, and some laziness, as if I used Finder, then I’d rather close every window, that may show the contents of the folder.
So the original poster, is advised to use the Time Machine before running the script, if it ever might happen that some of the deleted items may have some interest, as with my solution, the files are gone forever!
So, I’ll upgrade my solution, during the afternoon, and move the items to ~/.Trash!
It’s in this topic:
An example how to remove multiple files
Here I said it’s not wise to use cd that way
Well for server software I prefer shell scripts over AppleScript I learned a lot here. Another reason is that most clients doesn’t use OS X servers anymore and steps over to Linux distributions; I’m forced to shell scripting. I’m fan of these command line interpreters, how fast they are and how piping and command substitution can be very useful. Through the years I’m very comfortable in the shell and when opening a shell’s overhead isn’t an issue I prefer shell over AS when not inter processing with applications, especially when text processing and file management.
Hello!
I am fond of the shell as well, for the same reasons, and the same exeptions. (But I prefer moving stuff to trash.)
I agree with you totally on the cd command I will make a string construct that should go like this as a replacment, under the hope that cd returns an errorcode when fed a non-existing directory: Edit It does!
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " && rm -fR " & pxfolList
For those not so well versed in shell, a command string is a string of commands separated by either && or || the && works like a short circuted and, in that if the error code of the command preceding that and returns with any other errorcode than 0, then the rest of the commandstring fails.
The || works like an or (inclusive ), the command after the || gets to be executed, no matter what error code the previous command returned with.
Thanks for pointing that out! I see that my script don’t catch that error early, in the finder tell block, so I shall implent a test for it there, before running the script, I will still use the string construct as I may be liable to copy paste code in the future!
As for the xargs construct; I really tried to used space separated qouted form of paths, fed to xargs with cat like this:
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " ; cat " & pxfileList & " |xargs rm -f "
But I didn’t manage to make xargs work for some odd reason! (I got an error saying it was missing a quote.)
I do however like the way you use find to remove all subdirectories, I seldom use find nowadays, with locate, and mdfind, or just spotlight! Consider your way snagged!.
(I really don’t understand how I failed to see that post yesterday, but I did! )
Hello!
I can’t seem to make this line of do shell script work!
try
do shell script "find " & pxFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -exec ditto -v \\{\\} ~/.Trash/\\{\\} \\;"
on error e number n
display dialog e & " : " & n
end try
Both this
find . -type d -depth 1 -exec ditto -v \{\} ~/.Trash/\{\} \;and this
find . -type d -depth 1 -exec ditto -v {} ~/.Trash/{} \;works fine on the command line! the path is used in other incantations of find, and should be ok!
Edit
I found a work around that works!
do shell script "find " & pxFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -print0 | xargs -0 -I {} cp -r {} ~/.Trash"
It is still interesting to know why it fails! I even spelled out the full path to ditto with no relief!
Hello!
It works, it is fairly tested, and robust. you now set the property hasSkepsis to true, to send the files to the ~/.Trash
I consider myself finished with this, unless the OP has some comments, and of course if anybody should find any errors in this!
” © McUsr with good help and productive comments by DJ Bazzie Wazzie
property hasSkepsis : true
(* rewritten to assure finder doesn't crash or becomes unresponsive
optimized!*)
try
set theFolder to ((path to documents folder from user domain as text) & "Week01:")
set theTest to theFolder as alias
on error
tell application "SystemUIServer"
activate
display dialog "The Folder : " & theFolder & " Does not exist.
You must edit the script!
Aborting." buttons {"Ok"} default button 1 with icon 2
end tell
error number -128
end try
-- Deleting subfolders
set folToDel to missing value
set pxFolder to quoted form of POSIX path of (theFolder as alias)
-- removing folders
if hasSkepsis then
try
do shell script "find " & pxFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -print0 | xargs -0 -I {} cp -r {} ~/.Trash"
end try
end if
ignoring application responses
try
do shell script "find " & pxFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -print0 | xargs -0 rm -rf"
end try
end ignoring
-- Starts processing unwanted files
set theNames to every paragraph of (do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " && ls -1 |sort -f")
set theRefList to {}
repeat with i from 1 to (get count theNames)
set end of theRefList to (a reference to item i of theNames)
end repeat
set filesToDel to _filter(theRefList, unwantedFiles)
set pxfileList to mkPxFileListStringL for filesToDel by 0
-- removing files
if hasSkepsis then
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " && { cp" & pxfileList & " ~/.Trash ; } & "
end if
ignoring application responses
do shell script "cd " & pxFolder & " && { rm -f " & pxfileList & " ; } & "
end ignoring
-- Cleaning up before showing what to check
repeat with i from 1 to (get count filesToDel)
set contents of item i of filesToDel to missing value
end repeat
set theNames to theNames's text
-- Constructing the file
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, return}
set theNames to theNames as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
writeFile(theNames, (theFolder & "Files_to_Check.txt"))
to mkPxFileListStringL for aFilelist by itemNo
local pxfileList
set pxfileList to {}
if itemNo = 0 then
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
else
repeat with i from 1 to (get count aFilelist)
copy quoted form of item itemNo of item i of aFilelist to end of pxfileList
end repeat
end if
local tids
set {tids, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, space}
set pxfileList to pxfileList as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to tids
return pxfileList
end mkPxFileListStringL
to writeFile(theData, theFile)
(*For writing a file. Handles situations where the new file may be
shorter than the original file, since AppleScript's write command doesn't
reset EOF to the new data length.*)
--returns boolean success (true=success)
--Assumes: theFile is a file path string and file exists.
try
-- open file
open for access (theFile) with write permission
copy the result to theFile_ID
-- Set the file length to zero
set eof theFile_ID to 0
-- Write our message
write theData to theFile_ID
-- close the file
close access theFile_ID
return true
on error
try
close access theFile_ID
end try
return false
end try
end writeFile
on _filter(L, crit)
-- © Matt Neuburg AppleScript The Definitive Guide Second Edition.
script filterer
property criterion : crit
on _filter(L)
if L = {} then return L
if criterion(item 1 of L) then
return {item 1 of L} & _filter(rest of L)
else
return _filter(rest of L)
end if
end _filter
end script
return filterer's _filter(L)
end _filter
on unwantedFiles(x)
set t to reverse of every character of x as text
if t starts with "gpj" or t starts with "ffit" or t starts with "gnp" then
return true
else if (offset of "." in t) is 8 and x does not end with "convert" then
return true
else
return false
end if
end unwantedFiles
set targetFolder to quoted form of POSIX path of (path to trash folder)
set pxFolder to quoted form of text 1 thru -2 of POSIX path of (path to desktop folder)
do shell script "find " & pxFolder & " -type d -depth 1 -execdir ditto -v $(basename {}) " & targetFolder & "$(basename {}) ';'"
Something like this? The example copies every folder of your desktop to the trash
EDIT:
- What I did different is set the working directory of ditto the the same directory as where the file is found (-execdir)
- To get the file name I used basename (with command substitution)
the result is the for example I have a folder ‘Test’ on my desktop that the execution will be similar as this:
ARRGGHHH :mad:
Of course! Given a directory, I would have needed to use the basename. Oh well, I have worked around it, but it wasn’t more difficult than that -my fault! I bet that ditto won’t make the necessary intermediary folders.
It is alwasy good to have know the explanation to the cause! Thanks!
Edit
I’ll stick with cp -r now, as it is convenient for this purpose, but I’ll be sure to remember to use the basename function, and expansion or substitution of it herafter when dealing with find and ditto and paths to folders.
It is a very convenient combo, find and xargs, and some command.
Hi guys,
You are fantastic, so much scripting experience it’s awesome. It will take me quite some time to digest all this.
I’ll have to try quite a number of your ideas for an optimum folder cleaning script but, I better wait for the end of the Olympics to recover a large sleep deficit and get a clear head.
In addition, I already know a few scripts I can improve with some of your technics discussed here. Also, a few ideas for new scripts.
Many thanks again and Best Regards,
Chris