2 Applescripts for Final cut pro Editors
Here are two scripts that I recently made. I use one script at work that is remarkably similar to this, so I wrote these two up to share.
FCPFolderMaker
is a simple app that builds a folder structure for you to organize your project with. The structure is as seen in the photo below. It generates folders named Projects, Assets, Cache, and Exports. The idea is that this type of directory structure will greatly ease finding assets and clean things up considerably.
FolderDateMaker
is an app that has many potential uses, but it only does one simple thing: it creates a folder named with today’s date. I use it in my export folder to keep apart every day’s exports.
Both scripts will need to be pasted into “Script Editor” and saved out as an app. From there I suggest you either drag them into the sidebar in your finder window, or (even better) the top bar. I used a cute animal and a monster icon for mine (that I got from this icon site), and you can clearly see them in the top bar of each finder window above. Then to call the script, just double click on them. They will do their respective business in the top most finder window. You should download both of them here because wordpress mangles the code below.
FCPFolderMaker
(*
This script creates a folder structure suited for organizing a video editing job. It can be modified easily to
create whatever folder structure you may desire. Ideally this script is saved as an app and run from either
the script menu docklet or placed in the finder window. For more info go to http:/
blog.youDownWithFCP.com. Written by Ross 2010-01-20
*)
tell application "Finder"
try
set theLocation to the front window
set assetsFolder to make new folder at theLocation with properties {name:"Assets"}
set stillFolder to make new folder at assetsFolder with properties {name:"Still"}
set incomingFolder to make new folder at stillFolder with properties {name:"Incoming"}
set conformedFolder to make new folder at stillFolder with properties {name:"Conformed"}
set videoFolder to make new folder at assetsFolder with properties {name:"Video"}
set incomingFolder to make new folder at videoFolder with properties {name:"Incoming"}
set conformedFolder to make new folder at videoFolder with properties {name:"Conformed"}
set animationFolder to make new folder at assetsFolder with properties {name:"Animation"}
set incomingFolder to make new folder at animationFolder with properties {name:"Incoming"}
set conformedFolder to make new folder at animationFolder with properties {name:"Conformed"}
set audioFolder to make new folder at assetsFolder with properties {name:"Audio"}
set incomingFolder to make new folder at audioFolder with properties {name:"Incoming"}
set conformedFolder to make new folder at audioFolder with properties {name:"Conformed"}
set projectsFolder to make new folder at theLocation with properties {name:"Projects"}
set editFolder to make new folder at projectsFolder with properties {name:"Edit"}
set animationFolder to make new folder at projectsFolder with properties {name:"Animation"}
set dvdFolder to make new folder at projectsFolder with properties {name:"DVD"}
set exportFolder to make new folder at theLocation with properties {name:"Export"}
set finalFolder to make new folder at exportFolder with properties {name:"Final"}
set briefsFolder to make new folder at theLocation with properties {name:"Briefs"}
set cacheFolder to make new folder at theLocation with properties {name:"Cache"}
on error
beep 1
end try
end tell
FolderDateMaker
(*
This script creates a folder based on todays date. It creates the folder Year-Month-Day so the
date is finder-sortable. Ideally this script is saved as an app and run from either
the script menu docklet or placed in the finder window. For more info go to http:/
blog.youDownWithFCP.com. Written by Ross 2010-01-20
*)
tell application "Finder"
try
tell (current date) to tell (year * 10000 + (its month) * 100 + day) as string to set MyDate to text 1 thru 4 & "-" & text 5 thru 6 & "-" & text 7 thru 8
make new folder at the front window with properties {name:MyDate}
on error
beep 1
end try
end tell
If you end up using these, or if you find a better way to go about this let me know in the comments! I'm also always on the prowl for more final cut related workflows and scripts. Let me know!
[…] thanks to Ross at YouDownWithFCP for sharing these scripts with the rest of us…visit his site for more information and to download. Share this […]
FCP Free: Two Applescripts for keeping Final Cut Pro editors organized « FCPDaily :: Final Cut Pro Tips, Tricks and Reviews :: Updated Each Weekday said this on February 18, 2010 at 6:05 am
Great scripts, very useful thanks for the scripts and great website.
Great looking scripts.
Have you tried PostHaste?
Dave – No i hadn’t but PostHaste looks pretty cool. Here’s the link for those interested.
http://conigs.com/posthaste/
nice work š
will gives these a try
Hey, just discovered this blog and absolutely love it. Great design and articles.
āFolder with a dateā script is especially useful.
As for other useful scripts, I often have a folder containing many other folders each harbouring footage to be transcoded. I found a small script by Jeff Fischer called āCopy Folder Treeā which duplicates the folders (none of the files), allowing me to direct the compressed footage easily into an identical folder structure.
Can be found here: http://mac.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/Copy-folder-tree.shtml
Look forward to more useful scripts!
cool! Thank you Alex!
[…] – not full apps, but still useful compressor presets / droplets. some applescripts like these magic bullet […]
fcp swiss army apps said this on March 3, 2010 at 3:29 am
PostHaste is awesome! I can’t wait to have everyone at work start using it. It should save hours per editor over the course of the year and keep consistent folder structure and project file names.
Ross-
You and I are of similar mind. I’m the “developer” of Post Haste and its basis is in scripts similar to this that I wrote to stay on top of project organization. (I say “developer” because really, I’m an editor & motion designer. I mostly built Post Haste out of necessity.)
Let me know if you have any suggestions or questions about Post Haste.
Also, thanks for giving me another site to put in my feed reader!
[…] a couple of Applescripts for FCP editors. Haven’t tried […]
The Editblog » March Linkage 2010 said this on March 13, 2010 at 7:42 am
[…] Final Cut Assistant is free software, but it still costs money to write, support, and distribute it. The continued donations of users is what allows Final Cut Assistant to be available for free today. FCPFolderMaker and FolderDateMaker […]
The DV Show: 14 Must Have FREE Plugins & Tools for Final Cut Pro said this on May 15, 2010 at 8:38 am
[…] is a follow up post to my original “2 applescripts for final cut editors” post and boy is it a doozy! I didn’t write these – both scripts have been found […]
2 more applescripts for final cut pro and after effects! said this on November 10, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Hi Ross,
is there an applescript for final cut pro which can import an Xml and the parameters are passed to that applescript from Filemaker. Filemaker is good in using apple scripts and we can assign the filenames and location of xml very easily.
Thanks
hi lutfishah.
I don’t use filemaker, but xml export would be a good way to look. Good luck.