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JC Denton · Apr 21, 2005, 01:31 AM

Okay, maybe this feature only sounds cool to me, but it's something I hadn't heard about until today. It seems like there will be several ways of accessing all the cool scripting power of Automator, but the ability to craft your own plug-ins in �just a matter of minutes" seems to me a really handy feature. Sometimes I think Apple likes to hide some of their best technology behind some pretty unwieldly user interfaces (i.e. Script Editor 1.0 for OS X), but the more I hear about Automator, the more I think this is one technology that has a bright future.

Derrick Story's Tiger Notes from NAB

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Apr 21, 2005, 01:52 AM

So far I have found Automator to be very buggy that I can't even use it.

vmpaul · Apr 21, 2005, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by JC Denton

Okay, maybe this feature only sounds cool to me, but it's something I hadn't heard about until today. It seems like there will be several ways of accessing all the cool scripting power of Automator, but the ability to craft your own plug-ins in �just a matter of minutes" seems to me a really handy feature. Sometimes I think Apple likes to hide some of their best technology behind some pretty unwieldly user interfaces (i.e. Script Editor 1.0 for OS X), but the more I hear about Automator, the more I think this is one technology that has a bright future.

Derrick Story's Tiger Notes from NAB

Wow, that RSS screensaver looks interesting. Can't wait.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Apr 21, 2005, 05:49 PM

Automator, much like Spotlight, opens up a means of accessing and using the system that average users had no idea they could do before. It's going to be intense.

Any workflow can be dropped in as a CM, that's just the tip of the iceberg. One easy, cool thing to do: Perform a Spotlight search, grab a bunch of results, say the images, click the CM for Automator, it pops open those files in Automator, add an action, say renaming, and bam, done. Then save that Workflow as an app, bam, you've just made your own "a better finder rename"...

vmpaul · Apr 21, 2005, 06:36 PM

I'm wondering if it can automate the creation of a PDF document.

Right now, you select 'Print', than 'Save as a PDF', and then pick a place to file the PDF. I'd like to do it with one keystroke or as a CM.

JC Denton · Apr 22, 2005, 01:41 AM

vmpaul:

That's a great idea! It's so simple, I wish I had thought of it! Either way, I'm hoping it will be easy to implement, since I'm always creating PDFs from the Print dialog.

I wasn't too excited about Automator before, but the more I hear about it, the more I can't wait for the 29th.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Apr 22, 2005, 08:26 AM

I'm hoping that's easy to implement as well. At the moment, not so much...

JKT · Apr 22, 2005, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by vmpaul

I'm wondering if it can automate the creation of a PDF document.

Right now, you select 'Print', than 'Save as a PDF', and then pick a place to file the PDF. I'd like to do it with one keystroke or as a CM.

I don't know how to Applescript but, in Jaguar and Panther, I imagine you could make that one less step right now using the PDF services feature. That is, create an Applescript that will auto-place the PDF in a folder of your choice, drop it in ~/Library/PDF Services and the next time you print, you can just pick that service from the Save as PDF button in the print dialogue.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Apr 22, 2005, 01:15 PM

^ yeah, that's doable. You could also do it as a folder action.

It should be noted that in Tiger, the pdf services Applescripts have been replaced with workflows (although I suspect you could still drop straight Applescripts in there).

vmpaul · Apr 23, 2005, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by JKT

I don't know how to Applescript but, in Jaguar and Panther, I imagine you could make that one less step right now using the PDF services feature. That is, create an Applescript that will auto-place the PDF in a folder of your choice, drop it in ~/Library/PDF Services and the next time you print, you can just pick that service from the Save as PDF button in the print dialogue.

Yeah, that's a good reduction. Maybe in combination with Automator and PDF services I could get it down to one step. Can't wait to try it.

Thanks.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Apr 23, 2005, 07:49 PM

Right now it would have to be a combination of Automator with an embedded Applescript, because there's no direct facility to print to pdf. It's also tricky because different apps have slightly different print dialogs, which is currently the only way Applescript can access the print to pdf features (afaik). So essentially you would have to make a separate Workflow for each app you wanted to save PDFs from.

Hopefully Apple will provide a universal action for print to pdf to save a lot of this headache.

maxintosh · Apr 23, 2005, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by vmpaul

Wow, that RSS screensaver looks interesting. Can't wait.

Here's a clip

Spliff · Apr 23, 2005, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn

Automator, much like Spotlight, opens up a means of accessing and using the system that average users had no idea they could do before. It's going to be intense.

Any workflow can be dropped in as a CM, that's just the tip of the iceberg. One easy, cool thing to do: Perform a Spotlight search, grab a bunch of results, say the images, click the CM for Automator, it pops open those files in Automator, add an action, say renaming, and bam, done. Then save that Workflow as an app, bam, you've just made your own "a better finder rename"...

But are you limited to renaming the same files? FYI, I have no clue how automator is supposed to work.

RonnieoftheRose · Apr 23, 2005, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by vmpaul

Wow, that RSS screensaver looks interesting. Can't wait.

From what I can tell all it does is show headlines, one headline at a time. If it showed pictures and video clips it would be closer to the future of internet news. That's what it should look like - a wall of images with headlines streaming along the bottom. Select an image and it zooms up and takes you to a site.

vmpaul · Apr 23, 2005, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by maxintosh

Here's a clip

That IS cool. Thanks. Looks like you have to be quick to click on the correct link. They are links, correct?

I'd like to see something like that tied to Mail.app.

vmpaul · Apr 23, 2005, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Spliff

But are you limited to renaming the same files? FYI, I have no clue how automator is supposed to work.

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're talking about but I've found that saving off PDF files from Safari (my main PDF acticity) often generates it's own uniquely named file. It must depend on the website because it's not true in all cases but most of them. Anyway, that would be fine if one was able to make a CM out of Automator that would save off a PDF with one action. Even if it didn't I'm sure it could prompt you to replace or rename the file. Or it would tag on an -02 as it does now.

maxintosh · Apr 23, 2005, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by Spliff

But are you limited to renaming the same files? FYI, I have no clue how automator is supposed to work.

No Automator actions can be applied to any group of files you throw at it. (For example, you can access it through a contextual menu.)

RevEvs · Apr 24, 2005, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by vmpaul

That IS cool. Thanks. Looks like you have to be quick to click on the correct link. They are links, correct?

I'd like to see something like that tied to Mail.app.

It has a number attached to each item, so you dont have to be quick. you just have to remember a number. i.e. "Press 2 to read more"

ashtoash · Apr 24, 2005, 03:34 AM

It's pretty obvious that the Automator Engineers don't do their jobs. I found lots of bugs in the retail version (a clean install) in 2 seconds. Try generating a PDF contact sheet, just gives applescript errors.

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Apr 24, 2005, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by ashtoash

It's pretty obvious that the Automator Engineers don't do their jobs. I found lots of bugs in the retail version (a clean install) in 2 seconds. Try generating a PDF contact sheet, just gives applescript errors.

There are definitely problems with it (such as spinning a long time when accessing iTunes or iPhoto libraries). In this instance, I tried the PDF contact sheet. It gives me an applescript error as well, but the contact sheet generated correctly.

Cadaver · Apr 24, 2005, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by ashtoash

It's pretty obvious that the Automator Engineers don't do their jobs. I found lots of bugs in the retail version (a clean install) in 2 seconds. Try generating a PDF contact sheet, just gives applescript errors.

Guess we know what 10.4.1 is going to include...

pcurtner · May 19, 2005, 04:54 PM

10.4.1 sure didn't fix that error message for me.

Not a big deal really, as the PDF does get made, but since the workflow exits with an error, it does limit its usefulness...

That and there should be more details: number of across by down (what's wrong with 2 x 2?), including filenames, etc.

Guess I'm stuck using iView Media Pro yet again. Here's hoping this gets patched up soon.