Move Selected Files into a New Folder using AppleScript and Automator

The basic steps are:

1. Write (or copy) your AppleScript code.
2. Copy the AppleScript into an Automator step
3. Save the Automator script as a Service

–Credit where credit is due:
–capitalj 04-16-2007, 10:16 AM
–http://hintsforums.macworld.com/archive/index.php/t-71077.html

try
    tell application “Finder” to set the this_folder to (folder of the front window) as alias
on error — no open windows
    set the this_folder to path todesktop folderasalias
end try

tell application “Finder”
    –grab the selected files and put them into a variable
    set selected_items to selection
    –prompt for a folder name.    
    set thefoldername to text returned of (display dialog “Folder name:” default answer “My New Folder”)
    –make the new folder in the same directory.
    set theFolder to (makenewfolderatthis_folderwith properties {name:thefoldername})
    –loop to move the selected files into the newly created folder.
    repeat with x in selected_items
        movextotheFolder–changed the variable from “thefoldername” to “theFolder”
    end repeat
    
end tell

When Automator launches, it offers up different types of Templates to get you started. Select the ‘Service’ option.

1. Click on Utilities
2. Click on Run AppleScript
3. Paste in the AppleScript into the text area provided.
4. Set the Service to run when Files or Folders are selected in the Finder.

Save the Service and it will now show up in your Services Menu

Select the files you wish to move into a new folder.

Go to the bottom of the popup list and look for ‘Services’ and then choose your newly added Service. I named mine ‘Move Selected Items into Folder’.

You will be prompted to name your folder. This part of the script may run a little slowly, because of the overhead involved with running an AppleScript and Automator. Be patient or purchase a faster computer.

Enter a meaningful name for your folder. Your selected files will show up in this folder.

While researching this article, I came across a small donationware app called ThisService that promises to cut Automator out of the equation. I tried it, but couldn’t get the newly created Service to show up in the contextual popup Services menu.

Hope you find this useful. I know it is going to make life easier for me. Thanks go out to ‘capitalj’ on the Macworld Forums for creating the working script.

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Shortening URLs using FileMaker

Update: 2013-01-05 Since upgrading to OS X Mountain Lion, there is now a menu command to gather files into a newly created folder.