open file that has been added to a folder

[the_salmon_mouss]

Hi guys,

i'm mostly new to scripting, besides a few little "new txt-file"-scripts ... but i wanted to add a function to my system:

i'd like have automatically opened all new (txt-)files that will be added to a certain folder. i thought i'd use launchd and the 'watchpath'-function, but i don't get it, how i exactly to write the script ...

anyone to give me a little tutorial?

thanks
Tim

[hayne]

Google for: applescript folder actions

[the_salmon_mouss]

thank you, i should have mentioned, that was something i thought first of.
But i wasn't sure how to replace the alert-message part with a correct string to open the newly added files.
I tried this:

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving added_items
	try
		tell application "Finder"
			--get the name of the folder
			set the folder_name to the name of this_folder
		end tell
		
		-- find out how many new items have been placed in the folder
		set the item_count to the number of items in the added_items
		--create the alert string
		if the item_count is greater than 1 then
			tell application "Finder"
				activate
				open the added_items
			end tell
		end if
	end try
end adding folder items to

[NovaScotian]

I use Hazel to do that, but for setting up launchd, I recommend Lingon 3. Either of those approaches is much more reliable than a Folder Action.

[the_salmon_mouss]

great, thank you! Hazel did the trick for me!