[Laurence]

I was trying to create an automator action to fix some filenames. Basically what I want to do is to replace all spaces with underscores. easy enough. Then I want to replace all _-_ strings with just a single dash. that was easy enough as well. Then I want to add a word/phrase to the beginning of the filename. This is the tricky part. I want the action to prompt me for the word before adding it to the beginning of a selection.

Basically I want to be able to select a bunch of files in the finder and strip spaces as well as add something to the beginning of each file name. I want all the files selected to have the same something added to the beginning of the filename, but an hour later when I select a bunch of different files I want to add a different something to the beginning of the filename.

Right now I just edit the workflow each time to place the constant string value at the beginning of the action, but I just know there has to be a way to take a string returned from a propmt and add it to the filename.

I can't seem to figure out how to have two different actions feed into a third. I can't imagine that automator only works in a linear method from top to bottom?

Any solutions?

[JKT]

I don't know enough to guide you through this but there is an automator action called Super Re-org of which one of the actions in its workflow is to append text (before or after the filename) having previously run some other renaming actions within the same workflow. You might be able to work out to do what you want by examining the structure of that workflow:

Super Re-org

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

What you want to do is click the "Options" triangle for the rename actions, and select "Show Action When Run". This will allow you to change the rename parameters as the workflow runs.
See this simple workflow to see how it works:
http://www.automatorworld.com/2005/04/28/batch-rename/

Automator is linear, but you can stack actions to affect the output. For example, as with the Super Re-Org workflow mentioned above, you can have the rename action applied multiple times in one workflow to change the names of the set of files selected.

[Kyros]

I also have a question about Automator, is there a way to make it do something at a certain time of day, I looked through it a few times but could never find a way of creating such a condition.

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Yes: save the workflow as a plug-in > iCal Alarm, then schedule the time of day to trigger it.

[TheIceMan]

Silky: I checked out your site at AutomatorWorld and also search MacNN but couldn't find what I'm looking for.

Can Automator:
1. Import photos (from a digital camera) into iPhoto
2. Resize the photos, into say 640 x 480

iPhoto doesn't allow you to resize a photo directly inside the gallery of thumbnails. The only way to resize is to Export it and then reimport it, which is insane!

Can Automator do this task? Or am I trying to make things too complicated?

iView MediaPro lets me resize...no problems. I like certain things about iPhoto, especially the slideshow and so would like to keep using it. Thanks for any advice.

[Edit:] I did find the ImPhotos WorkFlow. But it doesn't resize photos.

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Iceman-

How about a workflow where you scale the images *before* importing them into iPhoto. For example, you might try:

1) "Download Pictures"
2) "Scale Images"
3) "Import Photos to iPhoto"

I recommend scaling copies of the originals--you don't want to lose those.

[AlanMitchell]

Could use some Automator help! I'm trying to automate some repetitive actions: 3 times a week I spend a number of hours using my laptop (G4 TiBook) in a place with no power and no Wi-Fi, so I'd like an action that would shut Airport off, turn the screen brightness to 50%, and put my Mail mailbox to Offline. When I get home, I'd like to reverse the proceedure.

I can't seem to find any of those actions in Automator or in other palces that have downloadable scripts.

Any help or suggestions?

[TheIceMan]

Thanks for the tip Silky. I just got so sick of iPhoto that I trashed that piece of garbage.