Automatically move files into correct folder on server

applescriptautomatorterminal

I often need to move files from one location on a server into a set of hierarchical folders.

The filenames are usually 7 digits long – sometimes with some extra characters at the end.

The folders are set up as nested sets for each digit – 3 deep. So, a file named '6753687a.eps' for example would need be filed in the '675' folder, which is in the '67' folder, which is in the '6' folder, which is in the 'Images' folder at the root of the volume. There is no '6753' folder.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to drop groups of files into a folder or a droplet or something, and have the files automatically moved into their correct folders.

Does anyone know of a way to do this?

Best Answer

Automator Droplet

You can do this with an Automator workflow and a script (I'm using Python, but it could be done with Bash, Applescript or anything else really).

Open up Automator, and choose Application type.
Add a Run Shell Script action to the workflow.
In the Run Shell Script action, set the Shell option to /usr/bin/python, and Pass input: to as arguments.
Set the script text to the script as shown below. Be sure to change the destination path to your desired destination.
Save the application to your desired location.

Script

import sys
import os
import subprocess

destinationPath = '/Users/rob/Desktop/test'

for f in sys.argv[1:]:
    name = os.path.basename(f)
    newdir = os.path.join(destinationPath, name[:1], name[:2], name[:3])
    print newdir

    if not os.path.exists(newdir):
        os.makedirs(newdir)

    subprocess.call(['mv', f, os.path.join(newdir,name)])
#eof

Important: Change the destinationPath = line to the path you want (i.e. the folder that contains your numbered folders). Make sure to retain the single quotes around the path.

Usage

Just drag and drop the files you want onto the application file you saved, and they'll be moved accordingly. If the proper folders don't exist already, they will be created.

Related Solutions

Way to manually(!) sort files into folders

I thought I might like to have something like this too, so I threw together an app that does this. Feel free to try it out! Warning though: I have one video where the skip value doesn't work. I'm not sure why it only has an issue with this one video... Just a heads up. It works 99% of the time though!

Push 1 to place the video or image being shown in sort folder 1, and 2 to place it in sort folder 2. Also make sure to select a folder source with the content! This should be able to play anything that VLC can play, which is to say, pretty much everything. I don't have access to a code signing certificate at the moment, so you'll have to right click on the application from within the Finder and click "Open". After that you'll be good to go!

Can Automator distribute a large number of files into counted subfolders

This should do what you've asked for. As coded, the only thing you may need to change in the bash script is filesPerSubDir="128" if you want a different file count per subdirectory within the parent directory that's passed to the Run Shell Script action.

Add a Run Shell Script action to your Automator application/service/workflow and set Shell: /bin/bash and Pass input: as arguments. Remove the default code and then copy and paste the code below into the Automator Run Shell Script action.

#!/bin/bash

filesPerSubDir="128"

for argument in "$@"; do
    if [[ -d $argument ]]; then
        cd "$argument" || exit 1
        dirName="$(basename "$argument")"
        fileCount="$(find . -maxdepth 1 -flags nohidden -type f ! -iname ".*" | awk 'END{print NR}')"
        subDirCount="$(( fileCount / filesPerSubDir + 1 ))"
        for (( i = 1; i < subDirCount+1; i++ )); do
            find . -maxdepth 1 -flags nohidden -type f ! -iname ".*" | head -$filesPerSubDir > .moveList
            if [[ -s  .moveList ]]; then
                mkdir "$dirName $i"
                while IFS= read -r file; do
                    mv "$file" "$dirName $i"
                done < .moveList
            fi
        done
        rm .moveList
    fi
done

The image below shows a testing of the code and the workflow completed successfully as noted by the green circles with the check mark. This is just and example of how to implement the Run Shell Script action, it can be done numerous ways however you just have to pick what method you want to pass the Folders in Finder to it, the rest is done by the script.

The image below shows the code with syntactical highlighting and is included as it helps in reading the code (especially when the code isn't commented, sorry don't have time at the moment).

Note: The bash script is not coded to handle an embedded newline in the name of a filesystem object, which IMO doesn't belong there in the first place! Feel free to modify as needed/wanted to suite your needs, adding/modifying code and or additional error checking if/when wanted/needed. Additionally, this is by no means the only way to code the script to handle what you want automated but it's what I threw together to get something posted for you. If you have any questions, just ask.