Workflow Design Examples

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Dynamic Folder Workflows

This example demonstrates how the location for new folders, copied files and moved files can be dynamically created.

In this example two Workflows are used to build an Internet photo gallery containing images of varying sizes:

• Create New Photo Gallery Folders Workflow: this Workflow creates three folders for Thumbnails, Enlargement and Full Size Enlargements images. The Workflow locates the three folders inside a Gallery folder that has a date appended to its name.
• Make Photo Gallery Images Workflow: this Workflow processes the images – resizes and saves them as jpegs ­– and then moves them into the folders created by the other Workflow.

Whenever the Create New Photo Gallery Folders Workflow is run, the locations of the folders it creates are saved into a global saved result. This ensures that whenever the "Make Photo Gallery Images" Workflow runs, images are moved into the right location (folders).

This example uses the Save Result, New Folder Inside Result Folder and Move Finder Items to Result Folder Actions.

Create Dynamic Folders Workflow – Create New Photo Gallery Folders

Workflow Description
This Workflow takes a base folder – specified by the user – and saves it in a saved result. It then creates a gallery folder, using the base folder saved result to set the location. A new saved result is then created with the gallery folder. The gallery folder saved result is used to create three folders: Thumbnails, Enlargements and Full Size Enlargements. The location of each folder is saved into separate global saved results.

Example Description
Here is a description of what each Action does.

This Workflow would be best saved as a plug-in for use in the Script Menu. This would make it executable from the Script menu on the right-hand side of the menu bar.

Using Dynamic Folders Workflow – Make Photo Gallery Images

Workflow Description
This Workflow takes the Finder items (image files) selected by the user and saves them into a saved result. The selected Finder items are then passed to an external Workflow where they are processed and then returned as a new set of files (Full Size Enlargements). The returned files are then moved to the appropriate folder using a global saved result to set the location for the files. The saved result containing the Finder items is opened and passed to another external Workflow where the images are processed and then returned as a new set of files (Enlargements). The returned files are moved to the appropriate folder using a global saved result to set the location for the files. The open, process and move files repeats one more time (for Thumbnails).

Example Description
Here is a description of what each Action does.

This Workflow would be best saved as a plug-in for use in the Finder. This would make it executable from the menu that appears when you control-click a Finder item.