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Level 1

22 points

Many automator actions failing since Mavericks

I have several automator actions that previoulsy worked fine and now are failing under Mavericks with no errors or console message thrown and I am stumped as to what the problem is. Most are simple automator actions with some basic AppleSript and shell scripting usually affecting a Finder selection. One example is a simple Automator action where I select a file/folder and run automator to create a soft link (ln -s) in another location. Again - no errors are thrown and running the action from within Automator works fine - just not in the FInder when using the contextual menus and automator actions.

Any clues on what might be going on?

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 8:36 AM

26 replies

Jan 5, 2014 10:10 AM in response to Margo Burns

i am haing trouble creating a simple service that will rename a batch of files and pop up a prompt for a new file name. all examples on web wont work for me and im not sure why

Jan 13, 2014 3:12 PM in response to bluehz

None of my Automator services are working since upgrading to Mavericks OS X 10.9.1.

Automator isn't listed as an option under System preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy

Jan 21, 2014 7:38 AM in response to Margo Burns

The error is now saying "Error: 1 "29:85: execution error: Finder got an error: every item of the desktop whose class ≠ disk doesn't understand the "delete" message. (-1708)"

Still VERY frustrated on this one since it's REALLY a helpful thing when running my lab.

Jan 21, 2014 7:46 AM in response to red_menace

Got it! THANK YOU!

Jan 31, 2015 12:17 AM in response to red_menace

HOLY CRAP, I made my login just to say THANK YOU for reminding me I had to do this... I was going ABSOLUTELY NUTS thinking I was recording something stupid and this completely answered the issue I had. You are truly a rockstar my friend!

Jan 31, 2015 5:31 PM in response to bluehz

For those transitioning AppleScript and Automator utility scripts to Mavericks, this may be useful readiing. Yosemite brings additional changes.

I had a GUI script working on Mavericks for Pages v5.2.2, that broke on Yosemite Pages v5.5.2. Everything was visually the same in terms of menu, panel, and button selection, but Apple completely changed the UI element hierarchies in the Yosemite version of Pages. This will always be the achilles heel of GUI scripting.

The other issue is changes in the application scripting dictionaries that bite back.

Mar 11, 2015 1:49 AM in response to red_menace

This was the answer!

System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy tab -> Plus button -> (add your automator script and whatever apps your automator script uses)

You may need to "click the lock" to make changes.

c2arl

Level 1

0 points

May 26, 2015 2:02 AM in response to pudjam666

Sadly this does not help. At least in my case:

My workflow [type: Program]:

*menu translated from german to englisch sorry*

1. Search for pdf's with more than 4 pages

2. Move them to a different folder, e.g. my ebook pdfs

3. Show that folder to sort out pdfs that aren't ebooks by hand, e.g. long invoices etc

I always get the return: Error when searching PDF Documents. Every time I review my little workflow app the "Search for PDF Documents" settings are set to default. Naturally that error message would appear. But why does the setting get restored? Testing the app in automaton works perfectly.

Jun 25, 2015 12:17 AM in response to c2arl

Why is Automator and Watch Me Do not running the workflow i recorded properly? Need help. Thanks!

DDTriGuy

Level 1

4 points

Sep 11, 2015 7:38 AM in response to Jossunen

Yep, this worked like a champ!

Aug 14, 2016 5:13 PM in response to bluehz

up vote0down vote

I'm having issues with GUI AppleScript clicking as well. When I give my special remove Finder icon AppleScript app the required accessibility permissions it works partially but does not actually click through to execute the action. Please see linked video for a demonstration. It selects the proper menu item but does not actually click it. https://vid.me/olQd

Many automator actions failing since Mavericks