How to sort files into different folders in Finder

2022-06-29 10:54:42.094Z

I'm trying to separate and sort files in Finder

In finder, a file is manually selected, or a folder is selected
the script is triggered
If no files are selected (and a folder is selected), then the script should act on the all files within the selected folder
Otherwise if a file or multiple files are selected, the script should act on all the files within the parent folder
File extensions are noted by SoundFlow
New folders created with the names of the file extensions
Folder names should be capitalised
Files with matching extension moved into new folder

For example if the folder contains
P100713.jpg
P100713.RW2
P100714.jpg
P100714.RW2
P100715.jpg
P100715.RW2
The .jpg files would be moved into a new folder called JPG
The .RW2 files would be moved into a new folder called RW2

Some folders might contain more than 2 filetypes.

This is what I have so far but I'm getting stuck. I know it's not complete but I don't know which direction to go. Do you have any pointers?


/* 
Separate files by type and move into new folders
*/

sf.ui.finder.appActivate();

var fullPath = sf.ui.finder.firstSelectedPath;

var directory = fullPath.split('/').slice(0, -1).join('/');
var filenameFirst = fullPath.split('/').slice(-1)[0];
var extension = filenameFirst.split('.').slice(-1)[0];
var extensionFolder = directory + '/' + extension;

// log(extensionFolder)

sf.engine.runInBackground(() => {

    function moveToFolder() {

        sf.ui.finder.selectedPaths.forEach(filePath => {
            // Get each file name
            var fileName = filePath.split('/').slice(-1)[0];
            var destinationFile = extensionFolder + '/' + fileName;

            // Move files
            sf.file.move({
                sourcePath: filePath,
                destinationPath: `${destinationFile}`
            });

        });
    }

    moveToFolder();

});

Solved in post #4, click to view

Reply

8 replies

samuel henriques @samuel_henriques

2022-07-01 13:03:34.214Z

Hello Andrew,
I didn't test your script, but it looks like you were going the correct way.
Here's my take on this.

const selectedPaths = sf.ui.finder.selectedPaths
if (selectedPaths.length === 0) { alert("Please Select Files or Folders."); throw 0; };

const firstSelectedPath = selectedPaths[0]
const isFolder = firstSelectedPath.charAt(firstSelectedPath.length - 1) === "/"
let filePaths

if (isFolder) {
    filePaths = sf.file.directoryGetFiles({
        path: selectedPaths[0],
    }).paths
} else {
    filePaths = selectedPaths
}


filePaths.forEach(filePath => {

    const locationPath = filePath.split("/").slice(0, -1).join("/")
    const fileName = filePath.split("/")[filePath.split("/").length - 1]
    const extention = filePath.split(".")[filePath.split(".").length - 1]
    const destinationPath = locationPath + "/" + extention + "/" + fileName
    const destinationFolder = locationPath + "/" + extention + "/"

    sf.file.directoryCreate({
        path: destinationFolder
    });

    sf.file.move({
        sourcePath: filePath,
        destinationPath: destinationPath
    });

});

AAndrew Sherman @Andrew_Sherman
2022-07-01 14:39:21.423Z
Thank you Samuel, this is great. I'm going to make a few tweaks to it and I'll upload the result here in case anyone needs it.
Reply 1 Like

In reply tosamuel_henriques⬆:

A Andrew Sherman @Andrew_Sherman

2022-07-20 09:39:05.210Z2022-07-20 13:28:43.434Z

Hi Samuel, I hope you're well.

I have made some tweaks to this script (if only one file is selected, then it first selects all and runs the script.

however it seems to run quite slowly when doing it like that; the processing time for the folder method or multiple files selected method seems to be quicker. Do you know why this might be?


/* 
Separate files by type and move into new folders
https://forum.soundflow.org/-7947/how-to-sort-files-into-different-folders-in-finder#post-2
*/

sf.ui.finder.appActivate();

const selectedPaths = sf.ui.finder.selectedPaths;

if (selectedPaths.length === 0) { alert("Please select a folder."); throw 0; };

const firstSelectedPath = selectedPaths[0];
const isFolder = firstSelectedPath.charAt(firstSelectedPath.length - 1) === "/";
let filePaths;
var fileQuantity = selectedPaths.length;

if (fileQuantity > 1) {
    if (isFolder) {
        filePaths = sf.file.directoryGetFiles({
            path: selectedPaths[0],
        }).paths
    } else {
        filePaths = selectedPaths
    }
} else if (fileQuantity == 1) {

    if (isFolder) {
        filePaths = sf.file.directoryGetFiles({
            path: selectedPaths[0],
        }).paths
    } else {
        sf.ui.finder.menuClick({
            menuPath: ["Edit", "Select All"]
        })
        filePaths = sf.ui.finder.selectedPaths
    }
}

filePaths.forEach(filePath => {

    const locationPath = filePath.split("/").slice(0, -1).join("/");
    const fileName = filePath.split("/")[filePath.split("/").length - 1];
    const extention = filePath.split(".")[filePath.split(".").length - 1];
    const destinationPath = locationPath + "/" + extention + "/" + fileName;
    const destinationFolder = locationPath + "/" + extention + "/";

    if (extention !== "DS_Store") {

        sf.file.directoryCreate({
            path: destinationFolder
        });

        sf.file.move({
            sourcePath: filePath,
            destinationPath: destinationPath
        });

    }

});

Reply Solution

samuel henriques @samuel_henriques
2022-07-20 12:53:53.440Z2022-07-20 13:05:59.560Z
Hey Andrew,
I'm away from my computer, so I can't test. But I think I would approach this differently.
If it's not DS_Store....
```
if (extention !== "DS_Store"){
/// Do stuff
}
```
Reply
1. A Andrew Sherman @Andrew_Sherman
  2022-07-20 13:27:59.286Z
  Great, that's nice and simple. I've updated the code above it include this now.
  Reply

J
In reply toAndrew_Sherman⬆:
Johan Nordin @Johan_Nordin
2023-10-30 18:53:23.843Z
Hello! I was searching for almpost exactly what this script is doing. Really good job with this one!

I tried to make some adjustments, but my coding knowledge is still not good enough. So I was wondering if @Andrew_Sherman or @samuel_henriques would like to give my adjustments a try. This is what I would like to add to the existing script:

If there's only one file type, nothing happens. :) My plan is to use this script at the and of another script, and I only want the script to launch if there's more than one file extension type. For example, if there's only wave files in the folder, everything stays as it is.

If there's a file extensions missing for some of the files, it could make an alert, for example "One or more files doesn't have a file extension." This one is not necessary, but I thought if the script is already checking the number of file types, why not make something of all possible outcomes.

If there's .mov or .mp4 files, the scrips puts theese files into a folder called "previews" instead of the file extension name.

Best regards, Johan Nordin
Reply
1. A Andrew Sherman @Andrew_Sherman
  2023-10-31 08:49:07.973Z
  Hi Johan, this should be easy enough to do with if/else statements. What I normally do is use Chat GPT with an example of the script as well as a detailed description of the changes that I'm looking for, you should be able to get some progress with that
  Reply
  J Johan Nordin @Johan_Nordin
  2023-10-31 11:17:26.970Z
  That's a really smart way!! Thanks for the idea. :)
  
  Reply

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