Automator (macOS)
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Automator is an application developed by Apple Inc. for macOS, which can be used to automate repetitive tasks through point-and-click or drag and drop.
Automator enables the repetition of tasks across a wide variety of programs, including Finder, Safari, Calendar, Contacts and others. It can also work with third-party applications including Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. The icon features a robot holding a pipe, a reference to pipelines, a computer science term for connected data workflows. Automator was first released with Mac OS X Tiger (10.4).<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
FeaturesEdit
Automator documents are called workflows, and are made up of actions. Workflows are run sequentially, with each action being given the previous action's output, which it can then process or act upon. Variables can be specified, which can be modified or processed by subsequent actions.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Workflows can also incorporate loops and variables.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Automator comes with a library of actions (file renaming, finding linked images, creating a new mail message, etc.).<ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Actions can also run custom scripts, including AppleScript, JavaScript, or shell scripts. Workflow documents can be run directly in Automator or saved as applications that run the workflow when launched. Workflows can also be added to the contextual menu, to process any selected text or file.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Kissell">Template:Cite book</ref>
Template:As of, Microsoft has bundled Automator actions with Microsoft Office, which can be used to automate Outlook, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.<ref name=":2" />
The following is a non-exhaustive list of Automator's features:
- General
- Simulate the pressing of any key on the keyboard at specified intervals<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Run AppleScript, JavaScript, Python, Ruby scripts, or shell scripts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Create Folder Actions, a Finder feature that applies certain workflows to all files in a folder<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Create Services, which can be started in the Services menu<ref name=":6" />
- Automator can integrate with Calendar, to launch workflows at an Calendar event's specified time and date (and the event can be set to repeat automatically)<ref name=":3" />
- Automator can also launch workflows with programmable voice commands (called Dictation Commands, added in OS X Yosemite)<ref name=":6" />
- Internet
- Download webpages as PDF<ref name=":5" />
- Extract an RSS feed from a given URL, and extract article text contents from that feed<ref name=":3" />
- Compose new emails, with specified subject line and attachments (which can be an output from a previous Action)<ref name=":3" />
- Upload files to FTP servers<ref name=":5" />
- Multimedia
- Control USB-connected cameras to take pictures at regular intervals<ref name=":4" />
- Perform Finder actions on images, including rotation, applying Quartz filters (like black & white), and converting audio and video files to different formats<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Batch resize photos<ref name=":6" />
- Import audio files to iTunes, and add them to playlists<ref name=":3" />
- Play an iTunes playlist<ref name=":6" />
- Text and documents
- Turn text files to audio files, using the Mac's built-in text-to-speech feature<ref name=":3" />
- Extract text from PDF files<ref name=":3" />
- Combine PDF documents<ref name=":7">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Extract annotations from PDFs<ref name=":7" />
- Move files across folders, into folders, or out of subfolders<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Process strings text, including adding quotations around text or outputting word count<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Print files; and when combined with the "Get Folder Contents" action, it can print all files in a "drop box" folder<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
InterfaceEdit
Automator provides a graphical user interface for automating tasks without knowledge of programming or scripting languages. Tasks can be recorded as they are performed by the user or can be selected from a list. The output of the previous action can become the input to the next action.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The icon for Automator features a robot, known as Otto the Automator.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
HistoryEdit
Starting in macOS Monterey, Automator exists alongside Shortcuts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Apple's official Automator page
- Apple's official Automator developer documentation
- Automator.us, a site with examples and tools, by Sal Soghoian (AppleScript Product Manager at Apple) and others