Here's how to auto-import files dropped into a folder on Mac OS X.

1) Enter the following script into the Script Editor application


--- SCRIPT STARTS HERE

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items

try
tell application "Isadora"
import media into document 1 from these_items
end tell

on error msg
display dialog "Error importing file into Isadora: " & msg
end try

end adding folder items to

-- SCRIPT ENDS HERE

 

2) Save it in the folder at /Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts/

3a) TIGER/LEOPARD OSX 10.4-5 Control-click (right-click) somewhere in the "Finder" (the desktop works) want to watch and choose "Enable Folder Actions" from the popup menu

3b) SNOW LEOPARD/LION OSX 10.6-7 Right-click on the folder that you want to watch and choose "Folder Actions SetUp" from the popup menu. Check mark in the box "Enable Folder Actions" and then select the action that you have just made in Apple Script app, that you have saved to the Apple Scripts folder as described above.

4) Control-click (right-click) in the finder and choose "Configure Folder Actions" from the popup menu

5) In the dialog, hit the "+" button under the left column and add the folder you want to watch. Make sure the folder you just added is selected by clicking on it

6) Then hit the "+" button under the right column; a list of scripts from the "Folder Action Scripts" folder will appear. Select your script.

7) Make sure Isadora is running

8) Drop some files in the folder... they will automatically be imported into Isadora

 

Thanks to Mark Coniglio for the Apple Script code.

 

EyeFi SD camera card

A good example of putting this into use, is with a wireless SD camera card made by EyeFi, that can be set up to transmit photos and video recordings from your still/video camera over a network to a folder on your computer that you have set an applescript up to watch. When new files arrive in the folder they auto-load into Isadora's media bin. If you have a 'Get Media Count' actor attached to the Movie or Picture player the new file will begin playing to the projector automatically.