Q: Copying and moving files with Automator, non-recursively

Considering that no specific 'Library' items, nor respective 'Action' items were provided, in the original post, the following code sample is one example.

01. Select the 'Library, Applications, Finder's 'Ask for Finder Items' Action.
02. Select the 'Library, Applications, Finder's 'Get Folder Contents' Action. Leave the 'Repeat for each subfolder found' check box un-checked.
03. Select the 'Library, Applications, Automator's 'View Results' Action.

The above works, as requested, here.

This still gets folders in the given folder.

What if you only want to get the files in the given folder?

The filter action is far too limited, only giving three choices, and automator in general lacks a negation option.

I want to do something very similar:

1) find all files in ~/downloads, no subfolders
2) filter out folders so only files remain
3) move the files to another directory

I can't do number 2 or number 3 because there is no way to filter only files or find only non-folders, and number 3... I can only find copy actions, not move actions.

It seems like the finder section in Automater is pretty weak, and is missing tons of common file operations.

I'm searching for extra actions to fill in the gaps so any hints appreciated.

It seems to me that Leopard reduced the number of actions, even though I read in the feature list that there are more of them.

Is there some optional package you can install to get more automator actions?

Message was edited by: cshapple

It occurs to me that what is needed is for the filter options in Find Finder Items to be added to the Filter action or maybe the get folder contents action.

cshapple's entry is a new subject, and should have been posted as such.

'This still gets folders in the given folder.' - yes, the 'Library' and related 'Actions', provided do list all items (files and folders) of the choosen folder; not, the contents of any sub-folders (of the choosen folder), as per the original posts request.

To obtain a list of only files -

In place of 02. above - select the 'Library, Applications, Automators 'Run AppleScript' Action. Then replace the contents of the 'Run AppleScript's textedit field with ..

on run {input, parameters}

try
tell application "Finder" to set input to files of folder (input as string)
end try

return input
end run

... One way to 'move' files - from one folder to another folder, on the same partition, is shown below.

on run {input, parameters}

try
tell application "Finder" to move (files of folder (input as string)) to folder (((path to desktop folder from user domain) as string) & "Test:")
end try

return input
end run

..., and yes - if the destination folder is on another partition, even the 'move' command actually 'copy's the item(s). It is left as an exercise for the programmer to determine if the destination folder is on another partition, and to delete the original items - after a guaranteed copy has been performed.

'It seems like the finder section in Automater is pretty weak, and is missing tons of common file operations.' - from Apple, yes; from others offering free 'Actions', no.

'Is there some optional package you can install to get more automator actions?' - no. Packages, yes.
See 1, 2, and 3.