Use an alias as a discreet reminder

(This was a personal favourite from my old site.)

I have a number workflows and applications I run at regular and varying times on my MacBook to backup my files and to keep things running smoothly, so I need a way to either run these tasks automatically or to remind me to run them myself.

The logical solution would be to simply set a reminder in iCal, or another scheduling capable app such as Proxi, to launch whichever workflow or app at the specified time. But one or two of the tasks in question require internet access and, being a creature of habit, I always turn off my wireless connection if I’m running on the battery and don’t need network access. There’s also the likely possibility that I’m in the middle of something and I don’t want another process starting-up in the middle of it.

Another thing to consider, at least in my world, is that other people use my MacBook too and quite often it’s simply to browse the web and/or check their email, so nine times out of ten it’s easier to just slide it across to them rather than logging out and into their own or the guest account.

So, how can I get iCal (or Proxi etc.) to remind me to run a workflow in a discreet and not-easy-to-cancel-and-forget way?

The solution I came up with that I liked the most was to write a short and simple script to create an alias to the workflow and place it on the desktop. That way the next time I see the desktop I’ll also see the alias and can simply double-click it, and when it’s done I can drop the alias into the trash — there’s no interruption when the reminder time comes around and there’s no pop-up to cancel and forget.

Open up Script Editor and enter something like:

set workflow to "Mac OS X:Users:yourshortname:Documents:Automator:Backup to iDisk.app"
set alias_path to "Mac OS X:Users:yourshortname:Desktop:"
set alias_name to "Backup to iDisk"
set alias_full to (alias_path & alias_name)

tell application "Finder"
  if not (exists file alias_full) then
    make new alias file to file workflow at desktop with properties {name:alias_name}
  end if
  set label index of file alias_name to 2
end tell

The line set label index … changes the colour label for the alias’ icon and is entirely optional — alter the number to anything from 1 to 7 for orange, red, yellow, blue, purple, green or grey respectively. Remember to replace the names and paths in the first three lines with your equivalents.

To schedule the running of this script, simply create an event or reminder in your preferred scheduling app; in iCal you’d need something like:

iCal event to run 'Create alias' script

And that’s about it. Try it out, change it for your purposes and feel free to offer suggestions for other uses and/or improvements.

Explore posts in the same categories: Automated

Tags: applescript

Both comments and pings are currently closed.