Monitor Directory for Added Files

[dpbklyn]

Hello and TYIA,

 

Is it possible to have Alfred kick off a workflow when a file is added to a monitored Directory?

 

Thank you,

 

dp

[deanishe]

2 hours ago, dpbklyn said:

Is it possible to have Alfred kick off a workflow when a file is added to a monitored Directory?

 

No. Alfred, by design, only responds to user actions.

 

You can, however, use a Launch Agent to run a workflow via an External Trigger.

 

 

 

[GuiB]

Or, alternatively, use an Automator Folder Action that activate an External Trigger from a workflow.

 

To create one:

• Create a workflow in Alfred
• Add an External Trigger object
• Copy the content of the External Trigger inside the Sample Code section

 

• Open Automator
• Create a new Folder Action
• At the top right of the actions list, select the folder that you want to be watched
• Insert an Applescript action
• In the Applescript script, insert this:

 

on run {input, parameters}
	repeat with f in input
		(* Paste the content of the Sample Code of the External Trigger in Alfred here and change the "test" string to f; Ex: *)
		tell application "Alfred 3" to run trigger "extTriggerName" in workflow "workflowName" with argument f
	end repeat
end run

• Save the Folder Action
• Modify your Alfred Workflow to manipulate the added files in the folder

Edited September 22, 2017 by GuiB

[dfay]

Or get Hazel.  It's built for exactly this kind of scenario.