The finder dictionary for Applescript doesn't have an event for merging windows. So, I assume something similar as what you see here isn't possible.
tell application "Finder"
activate
merging(merge all windows)
tell every window to merging
end tell
Is there any workaround?
No AppleScript needed.
Open two Finder Windows, then ctrl+shift+W. Both windows will merge to one, and in my case as tabs.
You can probably do it with GUI scripting, but telling System Events to click on the specific menu.
One easier way is to add a keyboard shortcut to the Merge All Windows command, and then then just tell System Events to press the shortcut.
Here is how that last one would work.
1) Add a shortcut to "Merge All Windows" (in this example, Command-Option-M; adjust accordingly if you choose a different shortcut):
2) Do the Applescript this way:
tell application "Finder"
activate
end tell
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "m" using {command down, option down}
end tell
m - command - option is minimize all windows so either you will get a conflict or more likely you will lose that facility - you could choose a keystroke which doesn't conflict with an existing one. This script will do it without having to set a keystroke (though that's a useful option by itself):
tell application "System Events"
tell process "Finder"
click menu item "Merge All Windows" of menu "Window" of menu bar 1
end tell
end tell
Start by creating a folder (in this example called "New folder" on the Desktop. Then open all the folders whose contents you want to move to New Folder. Then run this script (replacing 'xxxx' with the name of your Home Folder, of course):
tell application "Finder"
move every item of (every window whose visible is true) to folder "New folder" of folder "Desktop" of folder "xxxx" of folder "Users" of startup disk
end tell
(Note that there are only three lines here, the forum display may break line 2). You can of course call the new folder anything, and place it anywhere you like provided you amend the script to show the path.
This script will move the files, leaving the original folders empty. You may prefer to copy the files, so that they remain in position as well as appearing in the new folder, just as a safety precaution. Then you can delete the original folders if you wish.
tell application "Finder"
copy every item of (every window whose visible is true) to folder "New folder" of folder "Desktop" of folder "xxxx" of folder "Users" of startup disk
end tell
Roger Wilmut1 wrote:
m - command - option is minimize all windows so either you will get a conflict or more likely you will lose that facility. This script will do it without setting a keystroke (though that's a useful option by itself):
tell application "System Events"
tell process "Finder"
click menu item "Merge All Windows" of menu "Window" of menu bar 1
end tell
end tell
Good call - I just picked a shortcut as an example, and did not take the time to check
Your solution is the right one. I knew it is was something like that but I know the "keystroke" command by rote...
Once you have the keyboard shortcut set for Merge All Windows, and if you need AppleScript, the following will have System Events perform that keyboard shortcut for you, and merge all open Finder windows.
tell application "Finder"
activate
-- 59 = control, 56 = shift, 13 = W
tell application "System Events" to key code {59, 56, 13}
end tell
return
Sorry, Roger. This is not what I meant. I was talking about the menu Window > Merge All Windows in the Finder app.
I should have written my question more properly.
Thank you, Luis, I will keep this example for further uses.
Many thanks. That's what I was looking for.
applescript: merge windows in finder
