kallain
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Automator, copy each item in a tab delineated file

Hello,

 

I am new to automator, and I'm trying to get it to do the following...

 

I have a filemaker pro database with a field that contains mac file paths. I have set up a script in filemaker to export the contents of this field as a tab delineated file to my desktop. I would like to use automator to open the tab file, copy the file path, and reveal the file in the finder so it can be uploaded via FTP, and loop through the rest of the tab file, finding the remaining file paths.

 

I know this is possible, but I'm too much of a layman to know where to begin. I appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

K

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 30, 2012 4:11 PM

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kallain

Q: Automator, copy each item in a tab delineated file

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  • by fane_j,

    fane_j fane_j Mar 30, 2012 6:22 PM in response to kallain
    Level 4 (3,677 points)
    Mar 30, 2012 6:22 PM in response to kallain

    kallain wrote:

     

    I am new to automator […] I'm too much of a layman to know where to begin.

    It's customary to begin at the beginning.

     

    Mac 101: Automator

    <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2488>

     

    I'm not an Automator expert, so don't take my word for it, but I believe that what you need cannot be done in Automator; I don't see how the variable you need can be passed from one action to another.

     

    It's been many years since my doing any scripting in FileMaker, so I don't know what it can do now and I don't remember much about what it could do back then, but I'd look first into ScriptMaker to see if it can't handle the whole job. If not, the solution is AppleScript. Don't bother with exporting—pass the file paths from the found set on to AppleScript as a list, then pass the list on to the FTP client. Use a client which supports AppleScript (eg, Fetch), or use the built-in ftp client with AppleScript's "do shell script" command.

  • by Donald Collier1,

    Donald Collier1 Donald Collier1 Apr 14, 2012 3:25 AM in response to kallain
    Level 1 (29 points)
    Apple TV
    Apr 14, 2012 3:25 AM in response to kallain

    There are a lot of different ways FileMaker can do this itself  probably the two best, without looking at your problem in detail are:

     

    1. Run and apple script within filemaker to push the file by FTP

    2. Use a Plug in (there are several)

     

    Let me knwo if you need more help