Folder Actions and child folders

On 2008-03-27 15:15:32 -0700, Dave Balderstone
<dave.DeleteThis@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> said:

> In article <2008032714554516807-phantom@examplecom>, Phantom
> <phantom.DeleteThis@example.com> wrote:
>
>> I've been playing around with Folder Actions (very cool!), wondering if
>> it's possible to get a Folder Action to trigger when a *child folder*
>> is changed. i.e. attach the action to ParentFolder, then trigger when a
>> file is added to ChildFolder or GrandChildFolder, etc.
>>
>> The script we have needs to monitor all interior folders, since they
>> are the ones that get populated, rather than the parent, and those
>> folders get created on the fly by an independent application.
>
> I'd use a stay-open AS app, not folder actions.

good thought, but in this case, it needs to be a folder action.

I like your thinking, though.

This message is not archived

In article <2008032714554516807-phantom@examplecom>,
Phantom <phantom.RemoveThis@example.com> wrote:

> I've been playing around with Folder Actions (very cool!), wondering if
> it's possible to get a Folder Action to trigger when a *child folder*
> is changed. i.e. attach the action to ParentFolder, then trigger when a
> file is added to ChildFolder or GrandChildFolder, etc.
>
> The script we have needs to monitor all interior folders, since they
> are the ones that get populated, rather than the parent, and those
> folders get created on the fly by an independent application.

If this must be achieved through FolderActions, you'll need to assign
the FolderAction to each individual 'child' folder (which can of course
be automated[1]).

But it's not possible to give good advice when you simply state which
tool you have chosen -- not of the goal you aim to achieve: Message-ID:
<2008032715313675249-phantom@examplecom>.


[1] You could make it part of the child folder creation process, or you
could assign a FolderAction to the parent folder that assigns
FolderActions to child folders when they are created (those
FolderActions will in turn will have to do the same, if you anticipate
grandchildren.)

--
Sander Tekelenburg, <http://www.euronet.nl/~tekelenb/>

Mac user: "Macs only have 40 viruses, tops!"
PC user: "SEE! Not even the virus writers support Macs!"

On 2008-03-27 15:45:50 -0700, Dave Balderstone
<dave.TakeThisOut@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> said:

> In article <2008032715313675249-phantom@examplecom>, Phantom
> <phantom.TakeThisOut@example.com> wrote:
>
>> On 2008-03-27 15:15:32 -0700, Dave Balderstone
>> <dave.TakeThisOut@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> said:
>>
>>> In article <2008032714554516807-phantom@examplecom>, Phantom
>>> <phantom.TakeThisOut@example.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I've been playing around with Folder Actions (very cool!), wondering if
>>>> it's possible to get a Folder Action to trigger when a *child folder*
>>>> is changed. i.e. attach the action to ParentFolder, then trigger when a
>>>> file is added to ChildFolder or GrandChildFolder, etc.
>>>>
>>>> The script we have needs to monitor all interior folders, since they
>>>> are the ones that get populated, rather than the parent, and those
>>>> folders get created on the fly by an independent application.
>>>
>>> I'd use a stay-open AS app, not folder actions.
>>
>> good thought, but in this case, it needs to be a folder action.
>
> I think you misunderstand how FAs work, but good luck in your quest.

not at all... I just need the action to fire when *anything* *within*
the folder gets added. the action works great, it just isn't working
for child folders.

This message is not archived

On 2008-03-28 00:17:41 -0700, Sander Tekelenburg <user RemoveThis @domain.invalid> said:

> In article <2008032714554516807-phantom@examplecom>,
> Phantom <phantom RemoveThis @example.com> wrote:
>
>> I've been playing around with Folder Actions (very cool!), wondering if
>> it's possible to get a Folder Action to trigger when a *child folder*
>> is changed. i.e. attach the action to ParentFolder, then trigger when a
>> file is added to ChildFolder or GrandChildFolder, etc.
>>
>> The script we have needs to monitor all interior folders, since they
>> are the ones that get populated, rather than the parent, and those
>> folders get created on the fly by an independent application.
>
> If this must be achieved through FolderActions, you'll need to assign
> the FolderAction to each individual 'child' folder (which can of course
> be automated[1]).
>
> But it's not possible to give good advice when you simply state which
> tool you have chosen -- not of the goal you aim to achieve: Message-ID:
> <2008032715313675249-phantom@examplecom>.
>
>
> [1] You could make it part of the child folder creation process, or you
> could assign a FolderAction to the parent folder that assigns
> FolderActions to child folders when they are created (those
> FolderActions will in turn will have to do the same, if you anticipate
> grandchildren.)

wow, what an awesome idea! a recursive action! I'll play with that
later, thanks for keeping me on track.

cheers
P.

On 2008-03-31 12:46:16 -0400, Phantom <phantom DeleteThis @example.com> said:

>> I think you misunderstand how FAs work, but good luck in your quest.
>
> not at all... I just need the action to fire when *anything* *within*
> the folder gets added. the action works great, it just isn't working
> for child folders.

Like Dave said, you don't understand how they work...

They only trigger for the folder to which they are attached, not for
subfolders. Fortunately an individual script can be attached to more
than one folder. The solution is to have a mechanism in your FA script
to auto-attach it to child folders when they appear in the folder
hierarchy.

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