[JamesKass]

I'm for a script that will open a random file within a specified folder. (For example, say I have a folder that contains several sound files, and I'd like to play a random one each time the script is ran.) Any Suggestions?

------------------
James Kass (no, the other one...)
[email protected]
http://members.home.net/kassj

Here are a couple of sample scripts that might help you accomplish your goal. They require the scripting addition (also known as osaxen) "Jon's Commands".

For my example, I created a folder named "Sounds Folder" on the startup disk and copied all the sound files from the System to it. Feel free to tweak as you see necessary.

-- Script 1 --

set sound_folder to (path to startup disk as string) & "Sounds Folder"

set sound_list to list folder sound_folder

set sound_count to number of items in sound_list

set random_number to random number from 1 to sound_count

set my_sound to item random_number of sound_list

play sound my_sound

-- End Script 1 --


-- Script 2 --

set sound_folder to (path to startup disk as string) & "Sounds Folder"

set sound_list to list folder sound_folder

set my_sound to some item of sound_list

play sound my_sound

-- End Script 2 --

[mikebat]

This script uses the "some" keyword in AppleScript to select a random file in the System Folder.

Change "select" to "open" and "system folder" to (for example)
folder "Sounds" of startup disk

--start of script
tell application "Finder"
select some file of system folder
end tell
--end of script

[JamesKass]

Tried the "some", seemed to work... however...

Is there any way to make it more random? It always plays the songs in the same order each time the script is run. Any suggestions?

------------------
James Kass (no, the other one...)
[email protected]
http://members.home.net/kassj

[QuatermassX]

tell application "Appearance"
set picture file of monitor 1 to alias "Macintosh HD:System Folder:Appearance esktop Pictures:"
set picture positioning of monitor 1 to automatic
quit application "Appearance"
end tell

This is an AppleScript I picked up somewhere on the web. You can modify it quite simply for other sorts of media.

Have fun!!

[QuatermassX]

PS. All the Desktop Pictures need to be loose in whatever directory you choose to serve as the "Random Bin". Aliases work just as well for me.