Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
The new iCloud sync for AppleScript and Automator are great additions to OSX but has anyone had issues with using Automator services that are saved to iCloud?
I can get the files to sync between my 2 iMacs but they are not available in the services menu in Finder, Mail etc.
Any suggestions?
OS X Mavericks (10.9)
I had a similar issue. I created an Automator Service on my MacBook Air to handle certain things in Mail. When I dragged & dropped into the iCloud panel that fired when I opened Automator the service stopped appearing in the Mail Services menu list.
Opened Automator on my iMac and open the service for editing and the iMac asked if I'd like to install the service. I have no idea what triggered this and I can't see how to do it manually. I said yes, and the service now appears on my iMac in Mail. However, all it appears to have done is move the service from iCloud into the local filing structure in ~/Library/Services
The source is now no-longer in iCloud, so I can't see it on my MacBook Air any longer and they're no-longer being kept 'in sync'.
Doesn't appear to be the greatest implementation of the iCloud process.
I had a similar issue. I created an Automator Service on my MacBook Air to handle certain things in Mail. When I dragged & dropped into the iCloud panel that fired when I opened Automator the service stopped appearing in the Mail Services menu list.
Opened Automator on my iMac and open the service for editing and the iMac asked if I'd like to install the service. I have no idea what triggered this and I can't see how to do it manually. I said yes, and the service now appears on my iMac in Mail. However, all it appears to have done is move the service from iCloud into the local filing structure in ~/Library/Services
The source is now no-longer in iCloud, so I can't see it on my MacBook Air any longer and they're no-longer being kept 'in sync'.
Doesn't appear to be the greatest implementation of the iCloud process.
I am seeing similar behavior. I can create a service in iCloud but cannot install it on my MacBook Pro - even the one I created it in. The options to Move the file via Automator are also not available.
However, I did find a way to manually install the services. Open Auotmator and bring up the main iCloud window - the one that allows you to choose iCloud or "On My Mac". If you have Automator running already you should be able to get this window open by choosing File > Open. Now select the service you want to install in iCloud. While holding Option, drag this into a Finder with your ~/Library/Services folder open, and it will copy the file to your services folder. It's worth noting that the little green plus icon you'll usually see when copying (not moving) a file is not visible when doing this, but on my system it is copying the file, not moving it.
Another option is to copy the file from Finder by browsing to the iCloud source. This is located in the ~/Library/Mobile Documents folder - easiest way to get there is via Finder, hold Command+Shift+G and enter "~/Library/Mobile Documents", then you can find the scripts located under your com~apple~Automator/Documents folder. From here it's a simple matter of copying the file to your ~/Library/Services folder to install it. Of interesting note, the Finder winow will show the tile of the "Mobile Documents" folder as "iCloud", but you can't get to it by entering this in the "Go to the folder" dialog.
Hope this helps.
I'm actually starting to think that this behaviour is intended, but this implentation of iCloud sync is kind of defeating the object of iCloud is it not?
It seems as if the only purpose of iCloud sync for Automotor is to move/copy Automator files between devices rather than having them in one location and being able to run those actions from whatever device you are on without having to think about if you have a particular service installed.
I also thought there would be a lot more coverage of this restriction but I can't find any mention of it on any other forums.
I too have just encountered this issue. I saw similar behaviour when I dragged some Garageband files into the iCloud pane deleted them from my Mac and moved them to the iCloud folder. This seems to be the standard implementation of it - the problem with this with Automator is that Automator requires the files to be stored locally. Apple seem to have overlooked this, and as a result moving to iCloud disables the scripts from running entirely. A bit stupid if you ask me.
Basically, as mentioned above, the only use of the iCloud panel in Automator is to move files between computers, but I don't think this is the intended purpose; I think this functionality hasn't been properly thought out.
Automator and iCloud
