Play Songs I Want
This application will let you select songs you want from your iTunes collection, adjust settings for the songs and add the songs to a new playlist. iTunes will then play the songs from the new playlist, using the options you selected.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Find Songs in iTunes
Step 2: Set Options of iTunes Songs
Step 3: Add Songs to Playlist
Step 4: Start iTunes Playing
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Find Songs in iTunes
- Find: Select Songs
- Whose: Select Playlist is Library
- Check Show this action when workflow runs
Step 2: Set Options of iTunes Songs
- Leave all the boxes checked
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 3: Add Songs to Playlist
- Select New playlist and write new list in the text box. These settings can be changed when the workflow runs.
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 4: Start iTunes Playing
Add Song Info to Multiple Songs
This application lets you add information to multiple songs at one time. For example, you can change the genre for several songs when you run the application.
First, you will be asked to select a playlist in iTunes. Next, you can enter information for all of the songs in the playlist. You can then add all of the songs to an existing playlist or create a new playlist for the songs. Note that you need to manually put a check in the box for the information you want to add or the application will not change the data in iTunes.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Find Songs in iTunes
Step 2: Set Info of iTunes Songs
Step 3: Add Songs to Playlist
First, you will be asked to select a playlist in iTunes. Next, you can enter information for all of the songs in the playlist. You can then add all of the songs to an existing playlist or create a new playlist for the songs. Note that you need to manually put a check in the box for the information you want to add or the application will not change the data in iTunes.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Find Songs in iTunes
- Find: Select Songs
- Whose: Select Playlist is Library
- Check Show this action when workflow runs
Step 2: Set Info of iTunes Songs
- Leave all the boxes unchecked
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 3: Add Songs to Playlist
- Leave the default settings for Existing playlist and Library. These settings can be changed when the workflow runs.
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
Add to iPhoto
This application lets you select multiple images to add to an album in iPhoto or you can create a new album for the images. You can also have the application delete the source images after they are imported into iPhoto.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
Step 2: Import Files into iPhoto (Import Photos into iPhoto)
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
- Start at: Select Desktop
- Type: Select Files
- Check Allow Multiple Selection
Step 2: Import Files into iPhoto (Import Photos into iPhoto)
- Leave the top drop-down boxes as they are. You can select different options when the application runs.
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
Batch Spotlight Comments - Files
Select multiple Finder files and you can add the same Spotlight comment to all of the files with this application.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
Step 2: Set Spotlight Comments for Finder Items
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
- Start at: Select Desktop
- Type: Select Files
- Check Allow Multiple Selection
Step 2: Set Spotlight Comments for Finder Items
- Check Append to existing comments
- If you want to be able to change the above option when the application is run, check Show this action when the workflow runs
Back Up, Archive & Burn
With this application, you can select multiple folders and the contents of all the selected folders will be copied to a new folder. A compressed archive file will be created from the new folder and you can then burn the archive file to a CD or DVD.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
Step 2: Get Folder Contents
Step 3: Create Archive
Step 4: Burn a Disc
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
- Start at: Select Desktop
- Type: Select Folders
- Check Allow Multiple Selection
Step 2: Get Folder Contents
- Check Repeat for each subfolder found
Step 3: Create Archive
- Save as: Type a name for the archive file in the text box
- Where: Select the location for saving the archive file
- Check Ignore unreadable items
- If you want to be able to change the above options when the application is run, check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 4: Burn a Disc
- Disc Name: Type a name for the burned disk in the text box
- Burn Disc In: Select the disk burner to use
- If you are using a RW disk and you want to erase it before burning the data, check Erase first
- After Burning: Check Verify burned data
- Select the option you want: Eject Disc or Mount on Desktop
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs
URL Links to TextEdit
This application will extract links on a Safari web page and create a list of the links in a TextEdit document. Note that if you have a document already open in TextEdit, the application will append the links to the open document rather than creating a new document with the links.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Get Current Webpage from Safari
* Note - Safari must be open to a web page for this step to work
Step 2: Get Link URLs from Webpages
Step 3: Set Contents of TextEdit Document
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Get Current Webpage from Safari
* Note - Safari must be open to a web page for this step to work
Step 2: Get Link URLs from Webpages
- Check Only return URLs in the same domain as the starting page
- If you want to be able to change the above option when the application is run, check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 3: Set Contents of TextEdit Document
- By: Select Appending
PDF Contact Sheet
This application will take any images you select and create and save a PDF contact sheet of all the images. You can then view the contact sheet in Preview or Adobe Reader. This is an easy and quick way to view several images at one time.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
Step 2: New PDF Contact Sheet
Step 3: Apply Quartz Filter to PDF Documents
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
- Start at: Select Desktop
- Type: Select Files
- Check Allow Multiple Selection
Step 2: New PDF Contact Sheet
- Save as: Type a name for the pdf file in the text box
- Where: Select the location for saving the pdf file
- Paper size: Select the paper size for the pdf file
- Columns: Select the number of columns you want for the images
- If you want to be able to change the above options when the application is run, check Show this action when the workflow runs
Step 3: Apply Quartz Filter to PDF Documents
- Filter: Select Reduce File Size
- If you want to be able to change the options for setting the quartz filters when the application is run, check Show this action when the workflow runs
Create Audio Email
Create an email message in TextEdit and launch this Automator application. Your message will be converted to an audio file and attached to an email message that you can send to a friend. The audio file is saved in .aiff format so it will be a large file if your message is long. This application is best for short messages you want to send as audio files.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: New Mail Message
Step 2: Get Contents of TextEdit Document
Step 3: Text to Audio File
Step 4: Add Attachments to Front Message
Automator Workflow
Step 1: New Mail Message
- Account: Select Default Account or the email account you want to use to send the message
Step 2: Get Contents of TextEdit Document
Step 3: Text to Audio File
- System Voice: Select the voice you want to use for the message and check it by pressing the Play button
- Save As: Type the file name you want for the audio file in the text box
- Where: Select the location to save the audio file
Step 4: Add Attachments to Front Message
Combine PDF Files
Do you sometimes have small PDF files that you would like to combine into one file? With this application, you locate the PDF files to join and Automator creates one file for you and then asks you to select a program for viewing the file.
This is my favorite and most used Automator application that I've created. I often download several PDF files that I need for a blog post and it saves me time and paper when I can combine and print them as one file instead of as several separate files.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
Step 2: Combine PDF Pages
Step 3: Open Finder Items
This is my favorite and most used Automator application that I've created. I often download several PDF files that I need for a blog post and it saves me time and paper when I can combine and print them as one file instead of as several separate files.
Automator Workflow
Step 1: Ask for Finder Items
- Start at: Select Desktop
- Type: Select Files
- Check Allow Multiple Selection
Step 2: Combine PDF Pages
- Combine documents by: Select Appending pages
Step 3: Open Finder Items
- Open with: Select Default Application or your favorite PDF application
- Check Show this action when the workflow runs if you want to be able to select an application for the Open with option
Welcome to My Automator Applications Blog
I've redesigned this site to have it function like a blog instead of a website.
I've also changed the content - the new blog no longer has links to software that you can download. Instead, I will list the steps for Automator applications that you can create with Mac OS X 10.5, as well as information on Automator.
All of the applications described on this blog should work with Mac OS X 10.5.
I hope you will enjoy the information and instructions I provide and that they will help you get started creating your own Automator applications.
I've also changed the content - the new blog no longer has links to software that you can download. Instead, I will list the steps for Automator applications that you can create with Mac OS X 10.5, as well as information on Automator.
All of the applications described on this blog should work with Mac OS X 10.5.
I hope you will enjoy the information and instructions I provide and that they will help you get started creating your own Automator applications.