applescriptautomatorpdf
My default PDF App is Preview. Now, I have one folder (with sub-folders in it) with PDFs that I would like to have to open all the time with another program. So basically I need to put a "Default program" for a restricted path.
Unfortunately the "Always open…" is not an option (even if it would work), because the documents in this folder change pretty often.
Does someone know if Automator or AppleScript may help me with this?
Instead of AppleScript, you could do it by adding a Run Shell Script module with this content:
for F in "$@"; do
cp "$F" "${F%/*/*}/Folder1/Folder2/${F##*/}"
done
Edit the names of Folder1/Folder2 to match your actual case.
Choose As arguments from the Pass Input: pop-up at right where it says to stdin.
$@ stores the full path of all files selected. $F is each individual file's path as it is processed by the for loop. The weird ${F%/*/*} is the full path of the file minus the file name and its parent folder name. The weird ${F##*/} is the file name itself.
Test first for safety!
The other way to do it, which I think would be easier in the long run:
cdspace and drag the folder containing your files into the window. (This will paste in the path to that folder. Be sure to include the space after cd before you drag-and-drop.)cp *Video* ../Folder1/Folder2I would go with option #2.
You can use command line tools to handle the encryption. A quick google search reveals a free, for non-commercial use, tool
http://community.coherentpdf.com/
which you can call using applescript like this:
do shell script "cpdf -encrypt AES \"pass\" \"\" in.pdf -o out.pdf"
This way there are no dialog boxes to enter a password. It will encrypt them with the same one if that is ok. Less secure but more convenient.
HTH
Best Answer
Using Finder for file management?
Drag your program of choice into the toolbar and drop it there:
Now double click on a PDF will open the PDF still in Preview.
You can select your other PDFs and then drop them on the Toolbar icon for the program of your choice.
Using a more programmery way would be to make an alias to
Then you type in Terminal your alias, drag&drop all your special PDFs on the Terminal. Terminal then expands all the paths to your PDFs and upon hitting Enter your preferred viewer should open all those PDFs.
Even easier would be an alias that reads as follows:
If more automation is required, then you might have a look into Folder Actions Reference.
For double-clicking AFAIK it's either one or the other. But depending on special filetype characteristics RCDefaultApp might be worth a look.