"File Exists" object - would be nice if it supported variables instead of only checking {query}

[luckman212]

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/utilities/file/

 

Would be very useful to support variables for the file(s) to check, instead of having to swap around arg/query to use this object...

[Stephen_C]

I don't know if it helps you (especially as you're a much more advanced programmer than I am 😀) but I use the Does Path Exist Automation Task.

 

Stephen

[luckman212]

Quote

you're a much more advanced programmer

 

doubtful ! 🙃

still, I don't think the Automation Tasks can reference variables (yet) either.

 

Edited April 30, 2024 by luckman212

[Stephen_C]

2 minutes ago, luckman212 said:

I don't think the Automation Tasks can reference variables (yet) either.

You can certainly use a variable in the Path: section of the Automation Task to which I referred (as well as in a number of other Automation Tasks).

 

Stephen

[vitor]

Indeed, you can use {var:} in Automation Tasks.

As to the original question, you can also use the Inbound Configuration to set a custom argument to the File Conditional, which can also be a {var:}. I just noticed that screenshot is outdated, though, as it doesn’t yet show the Custom Argument option. I’ll get that fixed.

[luckman212]

Hmm that's (good) news to me! I tried putting {var:foo} in the AT configuration panel and it didn't work. Maybe I did something wrong, I will try again. Also, it's not mentioned in the docs that variables are supported...

 

edit: Hmmph. I just tried it again and yes, it works fine. Not sure what was going on earlier!

Edited April 30, 2024 by luckman212

[Stephen_C]

I've used variables successfully in the Folder Contents AT, Abbreviate with Tilde in Path AT, Does Path Exist? AT, and Path Dirname AT…among others. So there's no inherent problem, I think.

 

Stephen