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How can I batch archive a folder list in Automator?

hello --


in principle it should be rather easy, but i think i am missing something. all i want to do is this:


1.) Get Selected Finder Items

2.) foreach Folder create archive with same name and same location


i can't find a way to tell automator to use each selected folder instead of all of them as input for the create archive function. any suggestions how i can do that would be much appreciated.


thank you in advance.


p.

Posted on Nov 16, 2012 11:18 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Nov 16, 2012 12:01 PM

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

9 replies

Nov 17, 2012 10:16 AM in response to Patrick J

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

Nov 19, 2012 4:56 AM in response to Patrick J

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.

How can I batch archive a folder list in Automator?

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