applescript to duplicate open numbers file

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Level 5

5,047 points

applescript to duplicate open numbers file

AppleScript is nothing like any other language I have used.. cant figure out what should be so simple.

I am just trying to make a script that would create a local back up of an open document. ( I will reopen the original iCloud version afterwards, but cant get past the saveas)

I tried to use "SAVE <document> IN <Path>" but couldn't figure it out, switched to "DUPLICATE" and am still stuck...

I failed so many times on SAVE, I tried DUPLICATE thinking might be better.

you can see I have tried multiple different things, cant figure out why it keeps failing with different errors that I don't understand. (I commented the error first then the line that throws that error)

These same kinds of things came up with the ability to ?"Save <document> in <path>"

tell application "Numbers"
	set filePath to file of front document
	set the_name to name of front document
	
	set theNewFilePath to "Macintosh HD:Users:MyName:Documents:backups:numbers:"
    --cant make the <filepath> into type location specifier... its literally saying use the 
    -- front document and filepath came from another script 
    -- that makes it for me that i found online and it seems to be the riught format from others  
 --duplicate front document to theNewFilePath

    --Cant get Document whose name is... but it got the name from the front document?
 --duplicate (the document whose name is the_name) to theNewFilePath
	
    --Cant make <filename> into type specifier ... what the heck is this specifier type?
 --duplicate the_name to theNewFilePath
end tell

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Jason

iMac 27″ 5K

Posted on Apr 16, 2023 11:38 AM

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Answer 1

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jaxjason Author

Level 5

5,047 points

Apr 16, 2023 2:43 PM in response to jaxjason

Turns out after days of working on and off... after posting the above. I finally got it to work... not sure what change I made that made the difference... I took out the "file of" on the document line and added "as string" after the file path (not sure why a string isn't defined with them quotes)....

tell application "Numbers"
	activate
	--create timestamp
	set todaysDate to (current date)
	set DayIs to text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & (day of todaysDate as string))
	set MonthIs to text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & (month of todaysDate as number))
	set YearIs to (year of todaysDate as string)
	set TimeStamp to DayIs & space & MonthIs & space & YearIs

	--get references
	set thisDocument to front document
	set the_name to name of front document

	--create filename and save
	--Only using this in numbers, so the extension will always be 8
	set NewName to text 1 thru ((length of the_name) - 8) of the_name
	set NewName to NewName & "-- " & TimeStamp & ".numbers"
	set theNewFilePath to "Macintosh HD:Users:Myname:Documents:backups:numbers:" & (NewName) as string

	save thisDocument in file theNewFilePath
end tell

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Answer 2

SGIII

Level 8

35,546 points

Apr 18, 2023 8:57 AM in response to jaxjason

Just for fun here's what ChatGPT suggested when I prompted:

I have an open Numbers document on the Mac. Write an AppleScript that will save a copy of it in a folder called "Backups" and add today's date to its name.

In about half a minute it gave this, followed by an explanation.

tell application "Numbers"
	-- Get the name of the document
	set docName to name of front document
	
	-- Get today's date in the format YYYY-MM-DD
	set today to current date
	set yearNum to year of today
	set monthNum to (text -2 thru -1 of ("00" & ((month of today) as integer)))
	set dayNum to (text -2 thru -1 of ("00" & (day of today)))
	set formattedDate to yearNum & "-" & monthNum & "-" & dayNum
	
	-- Get the path to the backup folder
	set backupPath to POSIX path of (path to documents folder) & "Backups/Numbers/"
	
	-- Create the backup folder if it doesn't already exist
	do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of backupPath
	
	-- Save a copy of the document with today's date added to the name
	set backupName to (text 1 thru -7 of docName) & " " & formattedDate & ".numbers"
	set backupPathWithName to backupPath & backupName
	save front document in backupPathWithName
	
	-- Display a dialog box to confirm that the document was backed up
	display dialog "Document backed up to " & backupPathWithName buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
end tell

Pretty close. Had an extra ) after integer. But it looks as if it can save a lot of time!

SG

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Answer 3

jaxjason Author

Level 5

5,047 points

Apr 18, 2023 9:52 AM in response to SGIII

I tried a few VBA macro requests with ChatGPT and it was always kinda close, but not quite there... Needed to have some expertise to fix its little mistakes.

Might try again with AppleScript on my next one... thanks for the idea SG

Jason

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applescript to duplicate open numbers file

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