Adding Applications to Automator

This may be a similar problem, but I am not sure. I recently watched the MACBREAK Podcast regarding PHOTO BOOTH and Automator. Pretty neat, but the problem is that PHOTO BOOTH is missing from the Automator Library.
Can anyone tell me how to add PHOTO BOOTH, so I can see it in the Automator Library? Everything else is in there. My PHOTO BOOTH Works. Just can't see it on automator, so I can do the workflow they mentioned in the MACBREAK Episode. please help.

Azql,

Thank you for replying. I understood how to use the automator and how to download the actions. What I am referring to is that the program "PHOTO BOOTH" that works with the built-in ISight camera on my Macbook Pro is not available on the automator Library list. So, even if I dowload the actions, there is no way to take the picture without getting an external camera.

On the MACBREAK Episode 23, they showed on their IMAC screen the Automator Library having the PHOTO BOOTH. When I checked the automator home page, I noticed that PHOTO BOOTH was not on the automator screen for MAC OS X 10.4 either.

After some thought, I think I figured it out. The MACBOOK and MACBOOK Pros shipped with ISight built-in, but for some sleazy business reason (I suspect and I hope I am wrong), Apple decided to take out Photo Booth on Automator, SO people will buy an external ISight Camera.

On the Automator library list, in place of the Photo Booth is "Image Capture" that is not connected with the Built-in ISight Camera (and no way to turn-on the built Camera, as far as I know, so it will work with the image capture) on the Macbook and Macbook Pros.

At first, I thought that MB Pro is configured wrong when it was shipped to me, so I checked my wife's MacBook and sure enough, the Photo Booth is not in the automator library list either.

if my guess is true, then I think it is a little bit sleazy for Apple.

Azql,

As Homer Simpson would say, "DUH!"

I am disappointed that there actually is no conspiracy! I am just paranoid, i guess. 🙂

I almost bought the external ISight camera for my wife, so she can use it on top of her Media Display. Good thing I didn't.

Anyways, thank you for your instructions. I followed it and now, i can see the Photo Booth on Automator. Now, I can waste more time with my computer.

Thanks Again.

I have exactly the same problem

The developers of the Automator actions should have specified an application for each action. If they had, then Automator automatically groups the actions for the applications. It sounds like they didn't do that when they created the actions. You should inform the developers of these actions that they need to fix that, or rather politely let them know it's not working for you and can they please help you. 😉


However, if you are actually referring to workflows instead of actions, you can create a new grouping in Automator's listing on the left. Just use the "+" button in the lower left corner of an Automator window and type a name.

I haven't been able to simply drag the workflows from "My Workflows" to a new group. What has worked for me is to drag the workflows from the Finder and drop them into the new group. If you have duplicate workflows, just delete them with the Delete key, while being careful you really mean it. 😉 You can always add them again, anyways.

I think I found the MacBreak episode you're talking about, episode 23, though it would have been simpler if you had referenced it. 😉

http://www.twit.tv/mb23

If you watch it again, you would find out that they reference a website with the Automator actions necessary. The web site is http://automator.us and then you go to their downloads page to find the list of Automator actions. In MacBreak 23, they used the "Automator Loop Utility" action (the first one in the list) and the "Take Picture" action (near the end of the list). Just download those actions and add them to Automator, which is what they talk about doing in MacBreak 23.

Besides watching MacBreak 23 a few more times, you might also try visiting Apple's web page for Automator at http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/automator/

There is a list of informative links in the lower right side of that web page. Keep in mind you can pause or rewind the MacBreak 23 video to watch an important part without having to watch the whole video. Just drag the slider at the bottom of the movie.

Hope that helps, and have fun. 🙂

So, it must be a conspiracy, eh? sigh

lol :-D

Okay. I should have tried it myself first before telling you to just follow their instructions. Anyways, after your post of it not working, I decided to try it out. Here's my experience with it.


I immediately went to http://automator.us and then their downloads page and clicked on the "Take Picture" link. That scrolled the page down to a short description of it and a download link. Before downloading it, I opened Automator and checked to make sure there was not a "Photo Booth" item in the list. No, there was not one. Good. Quit Automator.

So, I downloaded the "Take Picture" action and checked it out. Turns out there was an installer for the action and that it would also provide the project files for it in case I wanted to make modifications. I wasn't interested in that at the moment, and I don't like installers, so I opened it as a folder. I used the action button in a Finder window and chose "Show Package Contents" and dug into the Resources folder, then copied the action (named NYHTPROD-Take Picture.action) to my Automator folder in my Library.

I opened Automator and this time there was a "Photo Booth" item and it listed "Take Picture" as an action.


Hmm, well that didn't work. I actually got Automator to show the "Photo Booth" in the list and its actions on the first try. Drats. Hmm, better uninstall the action and try the installer like everybody else.


Okay, so I quit Automator, uninstalled the action, and then opened Automator to make sure the "Photo Booth" item wasn't there anymore. Yes, it is gone. Good. Quit Automator.


I double clicked the "Take Picture" installer and it installs the action to my Automator folder in my Library, and it also places a folder with the source code on my Desktop. Nice, but I don't care about the source right now.

I opened Automator and this time there was a "Photo Booth" item and it listed "Take Picture" as an action. It worked again. Double drats.


Oh well. Enough trying to make it not work. Have you tried installing the actions in either way? I'd say just double click on the "Take Picture" installer you download. That's the easiest thing to do. Then just delete the source code it places on your desktop.


Oh, and hey. Just to clarify, Photo Booth actions for Automator are not included with the operating system. Not every application has Automator actions. Applications will not show up in Automator's listing if they don't have actions. That's why you don't see Photo Booth or any other application without actions in the list. The reason you see Photo Booth in the listing shown in the MacBreak 23 video is because they had successfully installed the actions for Photo Booth, namely the "Take Picture" action.


Well, I hope relating my experiences with installing this action in more than one way helps you out. Good luck, and may you find your way out of your conspiracy. 😉



P.S. Image Capture is a different program. Its "Take Picture" action was included with the OS and it's different from the action you downloaded for "Photo Booth", but that doesn't mean it's not worth trying out. It might work for your needs, too.