How do I have Aperture watch a folder and automatically import new photos?

No direspect to Terence Devlin, but creating an Automator action like that will not make a "watch folder". A watch folder is a folder in which the program actively changes the contents of it's database based on changes in a particular folder. The following things would be recognized:

1. New/Moved Files
2. Copied Files
3. Deleted Files
4. New/Moved folders/subfolders
5. Copied folders/subfolders
6. Deleted folders/subfolders

An automator script like that only recognizes one thing:

New files

An Automator action attached to a Finder Folder should do what you want. I use Sony cameras, which Aperture does not support for tethering, but I tether them all same, and have a "Hot Uploads to Aperture" Finder folder that automatically bounces files saved to it to a Project in Aperture. You should be able to do something similar with C1P.

Here is a Google search for "automator folder action"

Again, read my post above. Automator actions cannot produce a watch folder. It can be used to drag and drop pictures into your database, but it will not enable Aperture to watch the folder for updated changes made in Finder, for example.

The person I responded to stated his/her need:

What I would like to have done is to have those images in the folder that are being taken and in real time duplicate it/them in another folder on the laptop/computer or even on an external USB/firewire drive.

I replied:

An Automator action attached to a Finder Folder should do what you want.

Neither the question nor the answer were about a watch folder as you have carefully defined it.

Equally to the point, Terence did not say that his recommendation would create a watch folder. He implied -- correctly -- that the OP could solve his/her problem by using an Automator action attached to a Finder folder.

The OP _specified_ his/her needs: to " ... have Aperture watch a folder and automatically import new photos". He/She was not looking for a "watch folder".

You're responding to a thread that is two years old with incorrect information. Automaor will do as Terrence described. It is used for that function (have a script run when a folder changes) by many many people.

Is there a point to this?

Message was edited by: Frank Caggiano - Actually I don't care

You are correct, Kirby. I was looking for watch folder capability when I found this thread. I read what I wanted to read, without actually understanding the original request.

My apologies!

@Frank,

Although I admit that I made a mistake above regarding the original post, the information I posted about watch folders is correct. Aperture does not scan folders like Picasa, for example. Most likely due to the non-destructive editing system.

Thank you for your gracious apology. Accepted 😎 .

Cheers,

--Kirby.

(Added:) Ah -- you'd done well, and then ... added the response to Frank. Terence never said that Automator would create a "watch folder". When you said

No direspect to Terence Devlin, but creating an Automator action like that will not make a "watch folder".

your disrespect was evident. That is to what (I'm sure) Frank responded. The information you presented is correct. The conclusions you drew from it were hasty and -- as you admitted -- wrong.

Message was edited by: Kirby Krieger

Not so gracious after his edit 😀

Alas. See my additions above, and then let's agree to never visit this thread again 🙂 .