Apple

Thanks for your response. I had actually tried that, trap the error of trying to open an already open file and close it. The problem is that it also errors on trying to close it and reports that it's closed. That's what so perplexing. The only way I have been able to correct it is open the file in a text editor, make some change then save it. That straightens the system out but doesn't help my automated script.

Hi John,

> The problem is that occasionally the finder will get confused and think the file is open.
> Is there anything I can do to force it closed?

I has a similar problem just last week.
This is the script I came up with and it worked fine for me.
I'm not taking any credit - the 'try - on error - end try' code came from Matt Neuburg's book (pp 344 and 345) together with gems from others on this list!

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global this_file

-- Create / open the file
set path_name to (path to desktop) as string
set file_name to path_name & "MyChangeLog.log"
try
set this_file to open for access file file_name with write permission
on error
close access file file_name
display dialog ("Problem opening log file")
return
end try

-- Clear any existing data and write the start time
try
set eof this_file to 0 -- Erase file if it exists
write_line("Starting at " & (current date) & return)
on error
close access file file_name
display dialog ("Error writing to file log (1)")
end try

-- Do your stuff here, probably in a loop

-- Create your log message
set this_name to "MyFile.jpg"
set log_message to "Done stuff with " & this_name & return
set log_message to log_message & "Updated: " & "MyOtherFile.jpg" & return & "---------" & return

-- Append the log message to the file
try
write_line(log_message)
on error
close access file file_name
display dialog ("Error writing to file log (2)")
end try

-- End of your stuff loop

-- Write the end time and close the file
try
write_line("Ending at " & (current date))
close access file file_name
on error
close access file file_name
display dialog ("Error writing to file log (2)")
end try

-- This sub-routine simply writes a string to the file with a return appended
on write_line(the_string)
write the_string & return as string to this_file
end write_line

----------------

Hope it helps,

Andrew