FolderScript Live

[ivan]

Lame name, brilliant idea!

Pitch:
It would be fantastic if it would be possible for a script to be applicable to a specific folder and have it run continuously (or run it on a timer every x minutes/seconds)

Use:
I have a portable HDD with a bunch of stuff on it that I want to transfer to my main HDD. Potentially, if such script and functionality for the script are present then I'll be able to pick up a bunch of different files, drop them into this "Live" folder and the script would move those files to appropriate folders. Also, providing the backend script is implemented then dragging and dropping certain file types into a particular folder would launch the appropriate apps with appropriate parameters and so on.

In a way, it's like adding rules to your Outlook. An email comes in and, depending on the rules, gets put somewhere etc so such behaviour, while not being native to file managers (scripting isn't either), is present in similar form in apps that deal with items (items -> emails -> files).

Let me know what you think. I reckon having something like that would be taking scripting and file management to the next step

[jacky]

Well, you have two things here :

- Have a script react differently according to the current folder or the file's name. That can be done, you just have to write it! Of course, it'll be easier with scripting 2.0 with conditions & loops, but that will come.

- A script to run with a timer or watching a folder's activity : I don't think that one is a good idea actually. I mean this isn't really file management anymore, you're going for something else here.

There are apps that allow you to schedule actions to be triggered at a certain time, with a timer, etc and there are apps to watch a folder and trigger an action when a file or folder is added/renamed/deleted/etc

It's one thing to have a script react to the content of a folder and take appropriate actions, it's another to have it run constantly in the background, and we're leaving file management per-se I think here.

onEvents Scripting has been mentioned before, and I could see an event "onLocationChanged" or whatever, so that a script could be executed whenever the current location is changed. If that happens, you could have your script, when in the appropriate location, do the task you need which may differ depending on the file's names, that will be up to you

[ivan]

- A script to run with a timer or watching a folder's activity : I don't think that one is a good idea actually. I mean this isn't really file management anymore, you're going for something else here.

I think it is still is file management because such script would be overseeing file activity and be part of the overall reacting to changes from the first part. So it's indirect file management if you will.

There are apps that allow you to schedule actions to be triggered at a certain time, with a timer, etc and there are apps to watch a folder and trigger an action when a file or folder is added/renamed/deleted/etc

Well if such actions are possible with a script then why would I need to look elsewhere for solutions? There are apps out there which batch-rename files but that hasn't stopped XY having similar functionality.

It's one thing to have a script react to the content of a folder and take appropriate actions, it's another to have it run constantly in the background, and we're leaving file management per-se I think here.

I disagree. It's more about empowering and making scripts more intelligent. Watch and react. See and do something about it. I think you get the idea. Wouldn't be the first or last time XY would step outside the boundaries of conventionality.

[jacky]

Well if such actions are possible with a script then why would I need to look elsewhere for solutions? There are apps out there which batch-rename files but that hasn't stopped XY having similar functionality.

Yes, but going there would be like asking XY to do image editing, that's going a bit too far I feel.

This is for tasks running automatically, in the background, and not for daily file management for which XY is being used. There's a difference I think between scripts to automate recurring tasks you have to do and still requires manual interactions, and completely automatic tasks that needs no user to be there at all.

[ivan]

Yes, but going there would be like asking XY to do image editing, that's going a bit too far I feel.

This is for tasks running automatically, in the background, and not for daily file management for which XY is being used. There's a difference I think between scripts to automate recurring tasks you have to do and still requires manual interactions, and completely automatic tasks that needs no user to be there at all.

I don't think it's like asking XY to do image editing, because it wouldn't change the content of a file. It would look what kind of file it is (maybe some words in the name and also the size) and put it into a specific folder. While it about running tasking in auto-mode, the action to trigger them would need to be done manually (me dropping some files into a folder). So I'm not going all the way to removing the user, but I am in favour of a person dragging and dropping some files and then going to have a cup of tea.