Applescript to Create Watch Folder and move files within dropped files and created folders

Question

It has been a year or two since I have used Applescript so I am a bit rusty. Below are the problems I have been having with the script I currently have and some of the additional items I would like the script to do, but cannot make happen.

Problems:

Would like to create subfolders within the Data Processing Folder, the new names would be {"Data In", "Data Released"}; This often says that I do not have the variable defined when trying to do this
I would like for all the files and folders that were inside the dropped folder to move within the AGENCY folder under the Artwork folder; If I try not to do the above #1, I still get an error stating that the operation cannot be completed

Below is the script I have thus far, any and all help would be much appreciated.

    on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
-- added_items is a _list_ of the items just added, even when there's only one. Deal with each item in turn.
repeat with this_item in added_items
    tell application "Finder"
        -- 'item this_item' gets a Finder reference to the item so that its class can be determined.
        if (class of item this_item is folder) then
            try
                -- Make new folders in this dropped folder.
                set client_files_folder to (make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Artwork"})
                make new folder in client_files_folder with properties {name:"AGENCY"}
                make new folder in client_files_folder with properties {name:"EXPORT_TO_XMPIE"}
                make new folder in client_files_folder with properties {name:"XMPIE"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Data Processing"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Imaging_Laser"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Production Report"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Program Plan"}

                -- Move the following items from the dropped folder to the just-created "AGECNY" folder.
                move {every folder of this_item} to client_files_folder

            on error errMsg
                display dialog errMsg
            end try
        end if
    end tell
end repeat
end adding folder items to

======UPDATE====== I was able to get the subfolders to create but now I can't get folders to move into the correct subfolder. Can you provide any guidance on this? Please see my latest script below:

    on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
-- added_items is a _list_ of the items just added, even when there's only one. Deal with each item in turn.
repeat with this_item in added_items
    tell application "Finder"
        -- 'item this_item' gets a Finder reference to the item so that its class can be determined.
        if (class of item this_item is folder) then
            try
                -- Make new folders in this dropped folder.
                set ART_Folder to (make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Artwork"})
                set Data_Folder to (make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Data Processing"})
                set Agency_Folder to (make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"AGENCY"})
                make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"EXPORT_TO_XMPIE"}
                make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"XMPIE"}
                make new folder in Data_Folder with properties {name:"Data In"}
                make new folder in Data_Folder with properties {name:"Data Released"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Imaging_Laser"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Production Report"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Program Plan"}

                -- Move the items from the dropped folder to the just-created "AGECNY" folder.
                move folders in this_item to Agency_Folder

            on error errMsg
                display dialog errMsg
            end try
        end if
    end tell
end repeat
end adding folder items to

=======Answer Provided by Vadian prior to being deleted=========

I tried the below on my system which is running macOS Sierra (10.12.2) but it would not run on my system.

*

The major issue the operation cannot be completed occurs because you are going to move all items including the currently new created folders rather than only the existing items before creating the folders. The shell command mkdir can create a folder hierarchy in one line. This is much more efficient than using the Finder. Try this

*

    on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
repeat with this_item in added_items
    tell application "Finder"
        if (class of this_item is folder) then
            set allItems to every item of this_item
            do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of POSIX path of this_item & "{Artwork/{AGENCY,EXPORT_TO_XMPIE,XMPIE},'Data Processing'/{'Data In','Data Released'},Imaging_Laser,'Production Report','Program Plan'}"
            -- Move the following items from the dropped folder to the just-created "AGECNY" folder.
            move allItems to folder "Artwork:AGENCY:" of this_item
        end if
    end tell
end repeat
end adding folder items to

I explained in my answer why your script cannot work. I deleted the answer because you completely ignored my suggestions. — vadian
Vadian - I actually tried your script and it did not work for me. I copy and pasted it as was and did not process the files at all. This was not at you at all. I appreciate anyone and everyone's time. I am using OS Sierra and I believe there are some errors within that OS when it comes to Applescript — John D

John D John D · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-25T21:54:03

After much testing and reviewing of Stack Exchange and its various contributors I was able to put together the following code to meet my objectives outlined in my post

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
-- added_items is a _list_ of the items just added, even when there's only one. Deal with each item in turn.
repeat with this_item in added_items
    tell application "Finder"
        -- 'item this_item' gets a Finder reference to the item so that its class can be determined.
        if (class of item this_item is folder) then
            try
                -- Make new folders in this dropped folder. If you want to be able to have subfolders created for any of your structure you would have to list as shown below
                set ART_Folder to (make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Artwork"})
                set Data_Folder to (make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Data Processing"})
                set Agency_Folder to (make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"AGENCY"})
                -- The below shows subfolders and how to input if you want additional folders inside of folders
                make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"EXPORT_TO_XMPIE"}
                make new folder in ART_Folder with properties {name:"XMPIE"}
                make new folder in Data_Folder with properties {name:"Data In"}
                make new folder in Data_Folder with properties {name:"Data Released"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Imaging_Laser"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Production Report"}
                make new folder in this_item with properties {name:"Program Plan"}

                -- Move the items from the dropped folder to the just-created "AGECNY" folder.
                move (every file of this_item) to Agency_Folder
                move (every folder of this_item whose name is in {"Links", "Lowres PDFs"}) to Agency_Folder
                move (every folder of this_item) to Agency_Folder



            on error errMsg
                display dialog errMsg and (say "error")
            end try
        end if
    end tell
end repeat
end adding folder items to

Applescript to Create Watch Folder and move files within dropped files and created folders

1 Answers