How can I batch archive a folder list in Automator?

So, in my workflow, the first action might be

Get Selected Finder Items

Then my next action might be Run AppleScript that contains something like this

on run {input, parameters}

repeat with anItem from input

(* Your script goes here *)

end repeat

return input

end run

I don't see a way to loop through a list of folders - doing something different for each one - without AppleScript.

Hi,

Patrick J wrote:

i assume this means there is no direct way without applescript to loop through a list of folders in automator?

You can use this solution:

- Keep The first action, remove all other actions.

- Add the "Run Shell Script" action.

- In this action :

- Select "/bin/bash" in the first popup, select "as arguments" in the second popup.

- Cut all text.

- Copy/paste this text :

for f in "$@"
do
    /usr/bin/ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc "$f" "$f.zip"
    echo "$f.zip" ## return the path of each archive to the next action
done

Add red_menace's handy Dispense Items Incrementally action (http://automator.us/leopard/downloads/index.html) to your workflow and put a Loop action at the end:

Get Selected Finder Items

Dispense Items Incrementally

Create Archive

Loop

I'm pleased that Jacques's solution works because, upon further testing, I see that mine doesn't. I was using a very simple test case: two folders on the Desktop.

By the way, I had the Loop action set to Ask to continue. I see now that setting it to Loop automatically/Stop after 0 minutes will cause only the first item to be processed. Keeping Loop automatically and inserting a Pause action (at 2 secs) didn't help--the workflow still processes only the first item. Weird.