Getting File Name in Automator workflow - combine PDF

Here is an automator workflow that does something similar so I believe you can adapt to your needs. This workflow is setup as a service workflow. It will combine PDFs in the order in which they are selected/clicked via the Shift key. The default name of the combined output file will be the name of the first file clicked. Automator can be activated by CTRL clicking any of the selected PDFs.

1. Service receives PDF files in Finder

2. Automator Action: Run AppleScript

on run {input, parameters}

display dialog "Files will be combined in the order selected via the Shift key" as text

return input

endrun

3.. Automator Action: Trim input items

keep the first one

you will need to download and install this autotmator action from here:

http://www.menace-enterprises.com/Files/Automator/Actions/Trim%20Input%20Items.d mg

4. Automator Action: Run AppleScript

(* Note & Definitions

This Applescript extracts the basename of the first selected file without its .pdf extension

"path_basename_ext" is full path and name, e.g. User/desktop/file.pdf

"NmExt" is filename with extension, e.g. file.pdf

"baseName" is the base filename without extension, e.g. file

"Ext" is the file's extension, e.g. pdf

*)

on run {input, parameters}

set path_basename_ext to input

tell (info for path_basename_ext) to set {NmExt, Ext} to {name, name extension}

set baseName to text 1 thru ((get offset of "." & Ext in NmExt) - 1) of NmExt

baseName

return baseName

end run

5. Automator Action: Set Value of Variable

define baseName as the variable

6. Automator Action: Get selected finder items

Options: check ignore input

7. Automator Action: Combine PDF pages

choose Combine by appending

8. Automator Action: Move Finder Items

choose To: Desktop

Options: check show this action when workflow runs

9. Name Single Items

choose Basename only to: baseName

Options: check show this action when workflow runs

10. Open Finder Items

EDIT: Underdog101's answer does the same as this answer, only difference is I used Run Shell Script (I was going to delete it after I realized this, but decided not to as the screenshots add a little bit to the discussion)

Try:

Folder Action targets folder where 1st PDF is added(I want this FILE NAME).

Then: Set Value of Varible (I named it file)

Then: Run Shell Script [Pass input as arguments] (to strip path from PDF1name)

name=${1##*/}

echo ${name%.*}

Then: Set Value of Varible (I named it PDF1name)

Get Specified finder item selects 2nd PDF to be combined.

Sort Finder Items makes sure the new PDF pages are ordered properly.

Combine PDF Pages combines the pages.

Move Finder Items saves the files where i want it.

Name single item is whre i thought to add my standard text plus the variable of FILE NAME.

Now, after your std txt, drag the variable PDF1name to the box

Open File in mail to set up my email.

Here's a a test Workflow

Just noticed that the OP is 9 months old 🙂

In the last step, will your solution return the basename or basename.pdf for the Variable PDF1name?

It will return: basename.pdf, so if the PDF selected in the 1st step is "Test.pdf", then in the last step, the combined PDF will be named "TonyTest.pdf"