hotwheels 22 wrote:
having a better understanding would help a great deal.
A better understanding comes with study. I've already suggested an intro to AppleScript. Apple provides a Mac tutorial
<http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/work/>
of which iCal is lesson 8
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2513>
As to this thread's specific question, read on. I still believe that the task is in no way useful for the purpose you've outlined, but, in the best traditions of Apple Support Communities, WYWIWYG.
You have to go through the following stages:
1 Write script.
2 Test script.
3 Create & test iCal event.
4 Finalise iCal event.
1 Write script
Below is a slightly modified version of the script kindly provided by Niel.
The_prefix inserts a blank space as the folder name's first character; this will place it first in alphabetical order. The_sep(arator) inserts a hyphen for clarity.
The script is slightly more complicated than it should be for easier copying.
(The script includes a handler (on myDate… end myDate) used to create dates with leading zeros; various versions have been floating on the web since times immemorial.)
The script will fail if an item with that name already exists.
property the_prefix : space
property the_sep : "-"
on run
tell application "Finder"
set the_path to (path to documents folder from user domain)
set the_name to (the_prefix & item 1 of my myDate())
set the_name to (the_name & the_sep & item 2 of my myDate())
set the_name to (the_name & the_sep & item 3 of my myDate())
make folder at the_path with properties {name:the_name}
end tell
end run
on myDate()
set myYear to "" & year of (current date)
set myMth to text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & (month of (current date)) * 1)
set myDay to text -2 thru -1 of ("0" & day of (current date))
return {myYear, myMth, myDay}
end myDate
1.1 Copy the script from this post.
1.2 Open AppleScript Editor.
1.3 Paste the script in a new script document.
1.4 Click the Compile button, or choose Script > Compile. This will insure that there were no errors during copying.
1.5 Change the target path. Currently, the script creates the new folder in your Documents folder. Replace the text
path to documents folder from user domain
with the location where you want the folder created. This can be specified as
folder "x" of folder "y" of disk "z"
where x is a folder in y, which is a folder at the root level of z.
1.6 Click Compile again, and, if there are no errors, save it as script. A good location is <~/Library/Scripts>. For the purpose of this example, name it Folder-Date.scpt
2 Test script
2.1 Still in AppleScript Editor, run script by clicking the Run button or choosing Script > Run. Check if there are any errors and the folder has been created. If the folder has been created, trash it.
2.2 Quit AppleScript Editor.
3 Create & test iCal event
3.1 Open iCal. Go to Month view. The current day should already be selected.
3.2 Create a new event by double-clicking in the current day. Name it "Folder-Date".
3.3 Make "from" and "to" to current day and current time plus a few minutes (however long it takes you to accomplish steps 3.4–3.6).
3.4 In "alarm" choose "Run Script".
3.5 If you have no scripts defined in iCal, an Open dialogue will appear. (Otherwise, you'll have to choose Other… from the respective pop-up menu.) Navigate to and select Folder-Date.scpt.
3.6 Under the name of the script an item reading "15 minutes before" will appear. Double-click on the number "15". It will be selected. Type 0. The item now reads "0 minutes before"
3.7 Click Done.
3.8 Wait until the appointed time and check if the folder was created as expected. If not, review the procedure.
4 Finalise iCal event
4.1 Still in iCal, double-click on Folder-Date event to open it.
4.2 Click Edit.
4.3 In "from" and "to" enter the time of day when you wish to run this script.
4.4 In "repeat" choose "Every day". The "end" item should read "Never".
4.5 Click Done
You're done.
Note limitations of this method: the script will run only if,
(a) the Mac is powered on and awake at the due time, and,
(b) you are logged in.
If you have any further questions about the script, you should at least read an introduction to AppleScript first. You're likely to find the answers there already.
