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Re: Need Suggestions For appending Date to Filename
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Re: Need Suggestions For appending Date to Filename


  • Subject: Re: Need Suggestions For appending Date to Filename
  • From: kai <email@hidden>
  • Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 20:38:34 +0100


On Thursday, May 5, 2005, at 08:48 am, Jack Stewart wrote:

For many tears I used a file naming protocol which includes suffixing filenames which I create with the current date. I use the format "/YYMMDD" for the date. (Yes, I am aware of the potential Unix conflict using the "/" character).

I have been trying to think of a real simple way to create a keyboard shortcut which I could use to append this date string to any filename which I happen to be typing. I'm not having any great ideas. I think that calling Applescript is probably too slow but maybe I have the blinders on.

I don't think custom keyboard shortcuts can be implemented in Mac OS X as shipped, Jack.


Through the keyboard control panel in OS 9, we could assign any file to any function key - which I found very useful for running a selection of scripts. In vanilla OS X, it seems possible only to put the keyboard focus on certain predefined elements (Menu, Dock, Window, etc.) - but nothing as flexible as before, I'm sorry to say.

However, there are a number of third-party utilities which you might like to check out, such as:

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

AliasKeys:
http://mac.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/AliasKeys.shtml

HotApp:
http://trufsoft.com/HotApp.html

iKey (formerly Youpi Key):
http://www.scriptsoftware.com/ikey/

QuickKeys:
http://www.cesoft.com/products/quickeys.html

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

Before you go to any added expense, though, there's also the question of how you might configure a script to do what you describe above. It's obviously worth making sure that a script can achieve what you want first.

The following suggestion is an example of how one might add a date stamp to, say, an application's "Save As..." dialog. I went in that direction, rightly or wrongly, because of your above reference to typing. It therefore won't really work too well if you're trying to edit filenames in the Finder - although that could be achieved quite easily if required, too. (If you are simply naming in the Finder, it might be worth considering a routine that adds a date stamp to a batch of filenames, rather than on a one-by-one basis.)

To test the script, save it as a stay-open application. (If you intend to use it regularly, this will also save time relaunching). Since the idle handler is configured to execute only on initial launch, or when the date changes, the tapping of processor cycles when not actually in use should be minimal.

From the Script Menu, open the Scripts Folder and place the saved application there. This will allow you to launch the applet from the Script Menu, so that you can keep frontmost the application in which you are currently working. Alternatively, add the saved script to the Dock. Either way is about as near as you're likely to get to a reasonable simulation (given that menu/dock selection takes longer than hitting a hot key combination). You should also be on the lookout for unexpected behaviour: certain applications may react slightly differently.

Oh yeah - the script is configured so that it can be added to your login items, to be launched automatically when you login. So if you open it manually, it won't do anything notable first time around. However, reopening it thereafter should result in some visible activity.

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

global myName, dateStamp

on idle
	set dateStamp to "/" & (do shell script "date +%y%m%d")
	set today to current date
	set tomorrow to today + days
	set tomorrow's time to 0
	tomorrow - today
end idle

on reopen
	tell application "System Events"
		set process myName's visible to false
		keystroke dateStamp
	end tell
end reopen

on run
	tell application "System Events"
		set myName to (path to me)'s displayed name
		set process myName's visible to false
	end tell
end run

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

---
kai

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 >Need Suggestions For appending Date to Filename (From: Jack Stewart <email@hidden>)

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