1. Mac Extract Files From Multiple Folders Without
  2. How To Extract Files From Multiple Folders At Once Mac
  3. Extract Files From Folders

Extracting all files from many different folders into one folder I am trying to take out picture (jpg) files from lots of different folders and put them into one main folder, so all of the pictures are listed in one folder. This thread is locked. You can follow the question.

  1. Mac X Open Multiple Zip Files To One Folder Unzip With OSX you can run a simple terminal command and extract all the files into the same directory without the need of a third party application.
  2. Open the parent folder and type Command + F. Select Kind = Document. That should display a list of all files in the folder and sub folders. You can then select all and drag them to a single designated folder. View answer in context.

Prompting for Files or Folders

It’s generally good practice to avoid hard-coding file and folder paths in a script. Prompting the user to select files and folders makes for a more dynamic script that won’t break when paths change.

Prompting for a File

Use the Standard Additions scripting addition’s choose file command to prompt the user to select a file. Listing 26-1 and Listing 26-2 demonstrate how to use this command to display the simple file selection dialog with a custom prompt shown in Figure 26-1.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-1AppleScript: Prompting for a file
  1. set theDocument to choose file with prompt 'Please select a document to process:'
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Documents:ImportantDoc.pages'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-2JavaScript: Prompting for a file
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var document = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select a document to process:'
  5. })
  6. document
  7. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Documents/ImportantDoc.pages')

Prompting for a Specific Type of File

If your script requires specific types of files for processing, you can use the choose file command’s optional of type parameter to provide a list of acceptable types. Types may be specified as extension strings without the leading period (such as 'jpg' or 'png') or as uniform type identifiers (such as 'public.image' or 'com.apple.iwork.pages.sffpages'). Listing 26-3 and Listing 26-4 show how to prompt for an image.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-3AppleScript: Prompting for an image
  1. set theImage to choose file with prompt 'Please select an image to process:' of type {'public.image'}
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0024.jpg'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-4JavaScript: Prompting for an image
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var image = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an image to process:',
  5. ofType: ['public.image']
  6. })
  7. image
  8. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0024.jpg')

Prompting for Multiple Files

To let the user choose more than one file, include the choose file command’s optional multiple selections allowed parameter. Listing 26-5 and Listing 26-6 display a prompt asking for multiple images, as shown in Figure 26-2.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-5AppleScript: Prompting for multiple images
  1. set theImages to choose file with prompt 'Please select some images to process:' of type {'public.image'} with multiple selections allowed
  2. --> Result: {alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0024.jpg', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0025.jpg', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0026.jpg'}

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-6JavaScript: Prompting for multiple images
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var images = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select some images to process:',
  5. ofType: ['public.image'],
  6. multipleSelectionsAllowed: true
  7. })
  8. images
  9. // Result: [Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0024.jpg'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0025.jpg'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0026.jpg')]

Prompting for a Folder

Use the Standard Additions scripting addition’s choose folder command to prompt the user to select a folder, such as an output folder or folder of images to process. Listing 26-7 and Listing 26-8 demonstrate how to use this command to display the simple folder selection dialog with a custom prompt shown in Figure 26-3.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-7AppleScript: Prompting for a folder
  1. set theOutputFolder to choose folder with prompt 'Please select an output folder:'
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Desktop:'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-8JavaScript: Prompting for a folder
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var outputFolder = app.chooseFolder({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an output folder:'
  5. })
  6. outputFolder
  7. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Desktop')

Prompting for Multiple Folders

To let the user choose more than one folder, include the choose folder command’s optional multiple selections allowed parameter, as shown in Listing 26-9 and Listing 26-10.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-9AppleScript: Prompting for multiple foldersMac Extract Files From Multiple Folders
  1. set theFoldersToProcess to choose folder with prompt 'Please select the folders containing images to process:' with multiple selections allowed
  2. --> Result: {alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Desktop:', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Documents:'}

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-10JavaScript: Prompting for multiple folders
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var foldersToProcess = app.chooseFolder({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an output folder:',
  5. multipleSelectionsAllowed: true
  6. })
  7. foldersToProcess
  8. // Result: [Path('/Users/yourUserName/Desktop'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Documents')]

Copyright © 2018 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Updated: 2016-06-13

Mac Extract Files From Multiple Folders

Prompting for Files or Folders

It’s generally good practice to avoid hard-coding file and folder paths in a script. Prompting the user to select files and folders makes for a more dynamic script that won’t break when paths change.

Prompting for a File

Use the Standard Additions scripting addition’s choose file command to prompt the user to select a file. Listing 26-1 and Listing 26-2 demonstrate how to use this command to display the simple file selection dialog with a custom prompt shown in Figure 26-1.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-1AppleScript: Prompting for a file
  1. set theDocument to choose file with prompt 'Please select a document to process:'
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Documents:ImportantDoc.pages'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-2JavaScript: Prompting for a file
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var document = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select a document to process:'
  5. })
  6. document
  7. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Documents/ImportantDoc.pages')

Prompting for a Specific Type of File

If your script requires specific types of files for processing, you can use the choose file command’s optional of type parameter to provide a list of acceptable types. Types may be specified as extension strings without the leading period (such as 'jpg' or 'png') or as uniform type identifiers (such as 'public.image' or 'com.apple.iwork.pages.sffpages'). Listing 26-3 and Listing 26-4 show how to prompt for an image.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-3AppleScript: Prompting for an image
  1. set theImage to choose file with prompt 'Please select an image to process:' of type {'public.image'}
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0024.jpg'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-4JavaScript: Prompting for an image
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var image = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an image to process:',
  5. ofType: ['public.image']
  6. })
  7. image
  8. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0024.jpg')

Prompting for Multiple Files

To let the user choose more than one file, include the choose file command’s optional multiple selections allowed parameter. Listing 26-5 and Listing 26-6 display a prompt asking for multiple images, as shown in Figure 26-2.

APPLESCRIPT

Mac Extract Files From Multiple Folders Without

Listing 26-5AppleScript: Prompting for multiple images
  1. set theImages to choose file with prompt 'Please select some images to process:' of type {'public.image'} with multiple selections allowed
  2. --> Result: {alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0024.jpg', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0025.jpg', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Pictures:IMG_0026.jpg'}

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-6JavaScript: Prompting for multiple images
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var images = app.chooseFile({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select some images to process:',
  5. ofType: ['public.image'],
  6. multipleSelectionsAllowed: true
  7. })
  8. images
  9. // Result: [Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0024.jpg'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0025.jpg'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Pictures/IMG_0026.jpg')]

Prompting for a Folder

Use the Standard Additions scripting addition’s choose folder command to prompt the user to select a folder, such as an output folder or folder of images to process. Listing 26-7 and Listing 26-8 demonstrate how to use this command to display the simple folder selection dialog with a custom prompt shown in Figure 26-3.

APPLESCRIPT

Listing 26-7AppleScript: Prompting for a folder
  1. set theOutputFolder to choose folder with prompt 'Please select an output folder:'
  2. --> Result: alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Desktop:'

JAVASCRIPT

Listing 26-8JavaScript: Prompting for a folder
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var outputFolder = app.chooseFolder({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an output folder:'
  5. })
  6. outputFolder
  7. // Result: Path('/Users/yourUserName/Desktop')

Prompting for Multiple Folders

To let the user choose more than one folder, include the choose folder command’s optional multiple selections allowed parameter, as shown in Listing 26-9 and Listing 26-10.

APPLESCRIPT

Mac extract files from multiple folders withoutListing 26-9AppleScript: Prompting for multiple folders
  1. set theFoldersToProcess to choose folder with prompt 'Please select the folders containing images to process:' with multiple selections allowed
  2. --> Result: {alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Desktop:', alias 'Macintosh HD:Users:yourUserName:Documents:'}

How To Extract Files From Multiple Folders At Once Mac

Files

JAVASCRIPT

Extract multiple filesListing 26-10JavaScript: Prompting for multiple folders
  1. var app = Application.currentApplication()
  2. app.includeStandardAdditions = true
  3. var foldersToProcess = app.chooseFolder({
  4. withPrompt: 'Please select an output folder:',
  5. multipleSelectionsAllowed: true
  6. })
  7. foldersToProcess
  8. // Result: [Path('/Users/yourUserName/Desktop'), Path('/Users/yourUserName/Documents')]

Extract Files From Folders

Copyright © 2018 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Updated: 2016-06-13