Automator (macOS)

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Automator_Icon

Automator is an application developed by Apple Inc. for macOS. It was first introduced with Mac OS X Tiger and has been included in every subsequent version of macOS. Automator allows users to create custom workflows for automating repetitive tasks without requiring programming knowledge.

Features

Automator provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating workflows. Users can select from a library of actions, which are pre-defined tasks that can be combined to create a workflow. These actions can interact with various applications and system services, such as Finder, Safari, and Mail.

Workflow Types

Automator supports several types of workflows:

• Application: A standalone application that runs a workflow when opened.
• Service: A workflow that can be accessed from the Services menu in macOS.
• Folder Action: A workflow that runs when files are added to a specific folder.
• Calendar Alarm: A workflow that runs at a specified time or date.
• Print Plugin: A workflow that runs when printing a document.
• Image Capture Plugin: A workflow that runs when importing images from a camera or scanner.

Actions

Automator actions are the building blocks of workflows. They can perform a wide range of tasks, such as:

• Manipulating files and folders
• Interacting with web pages
• Sending emails
• Running AppleScript or shell scripts
• Extracting data from documents

Usage

Automator is used by both novice and advanced users to streamline their workflows. For example, a user can create a workflow to rename a batch of files, resize images, or back up important documents. Advanced users can integrate Automator with other scripting languages to create more complex workflows.

Related Technologies

Automator is part of a suite of automation tools available on macOS, which also includes:

• AppleScript
• Shortcuts
• Script Editor

See Also

• macOS
• AppleScript
• Shortcuts (app)
• Script Editor (software)
• Finder (software)
• Safari (web browser)
• Mail (Apple)

External Links

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