Help me automate my processing...
November 19, 2010 9:04 AM Subscribe
Help me process my files ... automatically! I need a Windows application which will sit in the system tray, and watch for files being dropped in a folder, and do something to them when they're done being written to. (Modification time over an hour ago or something similar.) Difficulty: Need to be able to run arbitrary commands, not just move or copy them to another folder.
I've spent a fair amount of time searching for such a tool. I've found Hazel, which would be great if I had a Mac. I've found Belvedere, which would be great if I didn't need to run arbitrary commands. I've found Hygeia, which would be great if it worked. I've found DropFolders, which would be great if I (only) wanted to run HandBrake on the files. I can't find an all-purpose app like this that, well, works. Surely something exists. Preferably cheap or free. I don't want to have to resort to cygwin bash scripts and at jobs. Help?
PS> I've looked at previous questions on this topic, and AutoIt looks like it might have promise, but also looks like a steeper learning curve than I was hoping for.
I've spent a fair amount of time searching for such a tool. I've found Hazel, which would be great if I had a Mac. I've found Belvedere, which would be great if I didn't need to run arbitrary commands. I've found Hygeia, which would be great if it worked. I've found DropFolders, which would be great if I (only) wanted to run HandBrake on the files. I can't find an all-purpose app like this that, well, works. Surely something exists. Preferably cheap or free. I don't want to have to resort to cygwin bash scripts and at jobs. Help?
PS> I've looked at previous questions on this topic, and AutoIt looks like it might have promise, but also looks like a steeper learning curve than I was hoping for.
Response by poster: Unfortunately I don't think Folder Monitor is going to do what I need, the files I'm dealing with are large enough they're going to take some time to transfer, so acting on create won't work, and acting on change will trigger every time a chunk is written to the file. Time between events is only going to prevent it from re-triggering each time a chunk is written, it's not going to ensure it's done being written to. It's the right idea, though.
posted by jferg at 10:47 AM on November 19, 2010
posted by jferg at 10:47 AM on November 19, 2010
So you want the action to be performed when the file is closed? You want an arbitratry batch file run at that time?
posted by DarkForest at 5:41 PM on November 19, 2010
posted by DarkForest at 5:41 PM on November 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
It cannot look at the modification time though but you could probably fudge it with the "seconds between events" option (as in, set it to 3600).
Disclaimer: Never tried it. Cannot vouch for it.
posted by mr_silver at 9:41 AM on November 19, 2010