Save 35% on Peachpit Mac Automation Made Simple Videos

My 8 chapter Mac Automation Made Simple video series is 35% off through the end of the year if you use coupon code VIDEO12.

[Learn more here or visit the Peachpit website]

Now Available: New Mac Automation Made Simple Videos!

Peachpit has bundled a new series of my Mac Automation Made Simple videos on Automator.  They're now available for purchase as DRM-Free downloads, so you can play them on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.  Topics in this 8-part series include:

  • Automate generating job folders - If you use job folders for multiple projects to keep organized, learn how to save time and reduce errors by building workflows in Automator to create job folders consistently and quickly. You'll also learn the basics of actions and variables in Automator.
  • Batch-create folders from an Excel list - If your workflow ever requires you to create a large number of folders or sets of subfolders with specific naming conventions, Excel and Automator can work together to eliminate the manual creation of folders. By using the powerful features in Excel to build lists of file names in large numbers and use Automator to process those lists into hundreds of folders in minutes.
  • Display Growl notifications for new content - File sharing over a network is great for larger files that you wouldn't send via email, but how can you be sure that you're always notified when a new file lands in your folder? Learn how to team Automator with the popular notification software Growl to build a great workflow that eliminates the need for you to get an email or phone call notifying you of new files.
  • Schedule backups via a network - Do you manually back up your Mac to a server? If so, you've probably had to set up calendar reminders and run through the process on a regular basis or risk losing your data. In this lesson, learn how to make that process automatic and painless with Automator and iCal.
  • Share files via Dropbox - Take the powerful PDF tools offered in OS X a step further by building your own Print Plugin with Automator. You'll learn how to set up a Print Plugin that automatically posts any document you print to PDF to the online file sharing tool Dropbox. You'll also learn the basics of setting up actions to rename files to be friendly for upload tools by removing offending characters.
  • Batch-convert image files to PDF - If you've ever had the daunting task of scanning a book or a box of images with a flat bed scanner, you know that it isn't easy to combine all those files into a single PDF without some heavy-hitting applications like Photoshop and Acrobat Pro. But what if you don't have those applications or are just looking for an easier way? Learn how to set up a quick and easy way to combine multiple images into a single PDF without the hassle.
  • Batch-process images for iPhoto - If you're like most people with a smart phone, an amature photographer or have a large photo digitizing project on your plate, you'll import, manipulate and save hundreds to thousands of images a year. In this lesson, you'll learn how to unleash the power of Automator and free third-party tool to streamline your workflow and make importing images to your iPhoto library a snap.
  • Batch-process multiple InDesign files to PDF - Exporting multiple InDesign files to PDF can be as quick and easy as dragging and dropping your files. You'll learn how to create a drag-and-drop application with AppleScript and Automator that opens, exports, names, and saves PDFs from InDesign. You'll be able to use the same custom application for both InDesign CS4 and CS5.

Sold as a set, or individually, you can find them on Peachpit's website.

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Creating Branching Automator Workflows with AppleScript

Episode 30
Date: 02.23.2010
Duration: 00:10:34
Creating Branching Automator Workflows with AppleScript
One of Automator's key limitations is its inability to perform branching. In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie demonstrates how AppleScript can be used to work around this limitation and create a branching Automator workflow..
[View in iTunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Creating Scheduled AppleScripts

Episode 29
Date: 01.26.2010
Duration: 00:08:39
Creating Scheduled AppleScripts
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie discusses how to create AppleScripts that run at scheduled intervals. Learn to write scripts that back up your music library at night and automatically reconnect to server volumes..
[View in iTunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Creating Drop Scripts in AppleScript

Episode 28
Date: 12.29.2009
Duration: 00:07:49
Creating Drop Scripts in AppleScript
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie discusses how to drop scripts in AppleScript. Learn how to write a simple image processing AppleScript application that processes dropped files and folders..
[View in iTunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Getting Started with Handlers in AppleScript

Episode 27
Date: 11.25.2009
Duration: 00:10:57
Getting Started with Handlers in AppleScript
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie demonstrates how to write AppleScripts more efficiently through the use of handlers. Learn how to modularize your scripts, making them more expandable, easier to update, and more..
[View in iTunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Building Automator Service Workflows in Snow Leopard

Episode 26
Date: 10.27.2009
Duration: 00:09:44
Building Automator Service Workflows in Snow Leopard
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie demonstrates how to build Service workflows with Automator in Snow Leopard. Become more efficient by creating workflows that process files, folders, and text, and even ones that run AppleScripts!.
[View in iTunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Getting Started Providing Feedback in AppleScript

Episode 25
Date: 09.29.2009
Duration: 00:07:59
Getting Started Providing Feedback in AppleScript
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie demonstrates how to provide a basic level of feedback, such as dialog messages, audio alerts, and speech alerts in AppleScript. Providing feedback is essential to building user friendly scripts..
[View in Tunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]

Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Getting Started with Error Handling in AppleScript

Episode 24
Date: 09.03.2009
Duration: 00:07:52
Getting Started with Error Handling in AppleScript
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie discussing implementing basic error handling techniques in AppleScript. Learn how to catch errors in your scripts and handle them gracefully by taking different courses of action..
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Mac Automation Made Simple Video Podcast > Using Repeat Loops in AppleScript

Episode 23
Date: 07.22.2009
Duration: 00:09:14
Using Repeat Loops in AppleScript
In this episode of Mac Automation Made Simple, Ben Waldie continues discussing AppleScript's core language, which a focus on using repeat loops. Learn how to perform infinite and incremental repeat looping in your scripts..
[View in Tunes...] [View at Peachpit.com...]