Problems copying files with AppleScript

Try this:

tell application "Finder"
set dest_folder to (path to current user folder)
set src_file to file "foo.txt" of desktop
copy src_file to folder dest_folder
end tell

The result of *“set dest_folder to (path to current user folder)”* is an alias, not a string. You cannot concatenate operands of different classes.

Message was edited by: Pierre L.

also, "copy" is not a supported command (at least not in 10.5.x). use "duplicate" instead:

tell application "Finder"
 set dest_folder to (path to current user folder) as text
 set src_file to dest_folder & "Desktop:foo.txt"
 
 duplicate file src_file to folder dest_folder
end tell

please read the Finder scripting dictionary for details.

also, "copy" is not a supported command (at least not in 10.5.x). use "duplicate" instead:

You're right: “copy” doesn't seem to appear anywhere in the Finder scripting dictionary (except as a “not available yet” command which would copy the selected items to the clipboard). I overlooked that, although I tested the script before posting.

That's puzzling: how come one can use a command which doesn't exist? You must use “duplicate” in the script, however, if you want to add “with replacing” or "without replacing". More surprising yet: even if you use the word “duplicate” in the script, it always seems to be replaced with the word “copy” in the Event Log History window. Why? And why that “error number 0” which also appears in the same window?

Pierre L. wrote:
That's puzzling: how come one can use a command which doesn't exist?

as far as I can tell, 'copy' was included in the AS dictionary to allow for copying finder objects to the clipboard (possibly to mimic windows-style copy/paste operations?), but then that feature never got implemented. it's a relic; might disappear someday, might not.

Maybe you could try this:

set src_file to choose file default location (path to desktop)
set dest_folder to choose folder default location (path to home folder)
tell application "Finder"
set src filename to name of src_file
set dest foldercontent to name of document files of folder dest_folder
if src filename is in dest foldercontent then
display dialog "The folder “" & (name of dest_folder) & "” already contains a document file named “" & src filename & "”." & return & return & "Do you want to replace that file?" with icon 1 buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 1 giving up after 15 -- or any other text
if button returned of result is not "OK" then return
end if
duplicate src_file to folder dest_folder with replacing
end tell