Unable to ask applescript 'if file exists' 'else'

Question

Level 1

13 points

Unable to ask applescript 'if file exists' 'else'

Hello everybody!

I've been googling for hours on end for this. Can't find anything.

I thought it would have been simple enough: get applescript to do a check to see if a file exists, and do something. If it does not exist, do something else.

My script is (more or less) as follows:

set file_yes to (("~/") & "FILE.txt")

tell application "Finder"

if exists file file_yes then

do shell script " SHELL SCRIPT " with administrator privileges

tell application "Finder" to display alert "Shell Script complete!"

try

do shell script "rm ~/FILE.txt" with administrator privileges

end try

else

tell application "Finder" to display alert "No file!"

end if

end tell

But the program constantly skips to 'No file!'. All I get is that alert. I cannot get the 'shell script complete' message, nor delete the file. What am I doing wrong?

FYI: I am not an applescript expert (as you can tell...). I know a bit of it and make many programs for myself, but I can't get this one going. I know the basics. Not everything.

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Dec 21, 2015 1:51 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Dec 21, 2015 1:55 PM in response to Sharkey101

You need to use a Mac OS X-style path when addressing the Finder:

if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

(137423)

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Answer 2

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:21 PM in response to Niel

Niel wrote:

You need to use a Mac OS X-style path when addressing the Finder:

if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

(137423)

Thanks, Niel.

Unfortunately, I am now receiving an error: the variable 'home' is not defined.

I did a 'set home to ("~/")' to try fix it, and now I'm getting 'Can't make FILE.txt into type integer'.

What is wrong now?

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Answer 3

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Sharkey101

Put it inside the tell block, in the same location where the current 'if exists' line is.

(137427)

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Answer 4

Dec 21, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Sharkey101

Try:

set home to POSIX path of (path to home folder)

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Answer 5

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:30 PM in response to Niel

Put it inside the tell block, in the same location where the current 'if exists' line is.

Same thing is happening. Still have 'Can't make FILE.txt into type integer'.

As for

Try:

set home to POSIX path of (path to home folder)

I get the same 'Can't make FILE.txt into type integer'.

...

Thanks for the fast replies, though!

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Answer 6

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:32 PM in response to Sharkey101

Put the line of code I posted above inside the tell block instead of trying to set home yourself.

(137428)

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Answer 7

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:39 PM in response to Niel

Put the line of code I posted above inside the tell block instead of trying to set home yourself.

Sorry. Misunderstood.

Now I am getting: Finder got an error: Can’t set home to \"/~:\".".

...

I'm setting home to 'POSIX path of ("~/")' not 'POSIX path of ( \"/~:\".")'

...

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Answer 8

Dec 21, 2015 2:39 PM in response to Sharkey101

Niel is well-versed in AppleScript, so give his suggestion a go.

However, I have been playing around with it, and this script worked for me:

set home to POSIX path of (path to home folder) as text

set filePath to home & "File.txt"

if exists filePath then

display dialog "Found!"

else

display dialog "Not found!"

end if

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Answer 9

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:44 PM in response to Sharkey101

Since you're using the Finder, don't bother with either 'POSIX path' or trying to set home at all. Run the following:

tell application "Finder"

if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

do shell script " SHELL SCRIPT " with administrator privileges

tell application "Finder" to display alert "Shell Script complete!"

try

do shell script "rm ~/FILE.txt" with administrator privileges

end try

else

tell application "Finder" to display alert "No file!"

end if

end tell

(137429)

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Answer 10

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:43 PM in response to stevejobsfan0123

However, I have been playing around with it, and this script worked for me:

set home to POSIX path of (path to home folder) as text

set filePath to home & "File.txt"

if exists filePath then

display dialog "Found!"

else

display dialog "Not found!"

end if

Hmm... tried that. Now I'm getting the opposite of what I was before. Now instead of what I said earlier,

"the program constantly skips to 'No file!'. All I get is that alert. I cannot get the 'shell script complete' message, nor delete the file.",

I am now getting constant 'shell script complete'.

Gaah! Frustrating!

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Answer 11

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:48 PM in response to Niel

tell application "Finder"

if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

do shell script " SHELL SCRIPT " with administrator privileges

tell application "Finder" to display alert "Shell Script complete!"

try

do shell script "rm ~/FILE.txt" with administrator privileges

end try

else

tell application "Finder" to display alert "No file!"

end if

end tell

Now applescript wants an 'else' at the end (after the final 'end tell').

😟

EDIT: Fixed that. Now I've got the same error as I started with. A constant 'No File!'

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Answer 12

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Dec 21, 2015 2:49 PM in response to Sharkey101

If simply adding the 'else' doesn't work, post your entire code.

(137430)

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Answer 13

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 3:09 PM in response to Niel

If simply adding the 'else' doesn't work, post your entire code.

I didn't simply add 'else', but here you are, anyway:

set question to display dialog "YES or NO?" buttons {"YES", "NO", "Cancel"}

set answer to button returned of question

if answer is equal to "YES" then

#Check if FILE.txt exists. If yes, Error! Already YES! If no, do as follows:

do shell script "SHELL SCRIPT" with administrator privileges

set ipaddress to IPv4 address of (get system info)

tell application "Finder" to display alert "ALERT" & ipaddress

do shell script "echo 'FILE' >~/FILE.txt" with administrator privileges

end if

if answer is equal to "NO" then

#tell application "Finder"

# set home to POSIX path of ("~/")

#end tell

#if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

#set home to POSIX path of (path to home folder) as text

#set filePath to home & "FILE.txt"

#if exists filePath then

tell application "Finder"

if exists file "FILE.txt" of home then

do shell script "SHELL SCRIPT" with administrator privileges

tell application "Finder" to display alert "SHELL script complete"

try

do shell script "rm ~/FILE.txt"

end try

else

tell application "Finder" to display alert "Error! No file!"

end if

end tell

end if

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Answer 14

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,458 points

Dec 21, 2015 6:35 PM in response to Sharkey101

set theFile to ((path to home folder) as text) & "FILE.txt"

set status to false as boolean

tell application "Finder" to if exists theFile then set status to true

if status is true then

display alert "shell script complete"

else

display alert "No file."

end if

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Answer 15

Sharkey101 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2015 8:42 PM in response to VikingOSX

settheFileto ((path tohome folder) astext) & "FILE.txt"

set status to false as boolean

tell application "Finder" to if exists theFile then set status to true

if status is true then

display alert "shell script complete"

else

display alert "No file."

end if

That is perfect. Thanks, VikingOSX, Niel and stevejobsfan0123. You've all been a big help! Thanks for replying fast, too 🙂

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