FileLib

FileLib is a free AppleScript library of essential folder and file routines for use in AppleScript scripts and applications.

FileLib Handlers

WriteToFile ( _data , _filename , _append ) – Write data to filename and either overwrites the filename or append the data to it.
ReadFromFile ( _filename , _delimiter ) – Read from the filename up to the delimiter character passed. Reads in whole file if delimiter is null.
UniqueFileName ( _path , _name , _extension , _delimiters ) – Returns a unique file name. A sequential number, surrounding by the characters in delimiters list, is appended to the end the name. Delimiters default to { “_” , “” } if null. E.g., “Untitled_1.pdf”, “Untitled_2.pdf”, “Untitled_3.pdf”, etc.
DeleteFile ( _path , _filename ) – Deletes the file.
TestExists ( _path , _type ) – Use “test” shell script command to test for either a directory (type = “d”) or file (type = “f”). Returns true if it exists and false if it doesn’t.
FolderExists ( _path ) – Use Finder to test whether a folder or directory exists. Returns true if it exists and false if it doesn’t.
FileExists ( _path ) – Use Finder to test whether a file exists. Returns true if it exists and false if it doesn’t.

Free AppleScript Library

FileLib Library Code: Copy the selected code (click on Select All to highlight all the code) to the clipboard and paste it into a newly created Custom Function. Download code as a text file from here.

style=”width:100%; height:180px; font-family:Arial,Helvetica; font-size:.90em; line-height:normal;”>on WriteToFile(_data, _fileName, _appendFile) 
	–Format: my WriteToFile(_data, _fileName, _appendFile) 
	set _fileName to _fileName as text 
	try 
		set _fileRef to open for access file _fileName with write permission 
		if not _appendFile then set eof of _fileRef to 0 –False = overwrite, True = append. 
		write _data to _fileRef starting at eof 
		close access _fileRef 
		return true –Success. 
	on error 
		close access _fileRef 
		display alert “WriteToFile error: ” & _eNum & ” ” & _eMess buttons {“Continue”} 
		return false –Failure. 
	end try 
	–if (_fileRef is not missing value) then close access _fileRef –Not needed since the access is closed in the try. 
end WriteToFile
on ReadFromFile(_fileName, _delimiter) 
	–Returns a a list containing the file contents separated by the delimiter. 
	–Null delimiter returns the entire un-separated file contents. 
	set _fileName to _fileName as text 
	set _delimiter to _delimiter as text 
	try 
		set _fileRef to (open for access _fileName) 
		set _fileContents to read _fileRef using delimiter _delimiter 
		close access _fileRef 
		return _fileContents 
	on error _eMess number _eNum 
		close access _fileRef 
		display alert “ReadFromFile error: ” & _eNum & ” ” & _eMess buttons {“Continue”} 
		return false –Failure. 
	end try 
	–if (_fileRef is not missing value) then close access _fileRef –Not needed since the access is closed in the try. 
end ReadFromFile
on UniqueFilename(_path, _name, _extension, _delimiters) 
	–Returns a file or folder _name unique to the contents of the passed _path. 
	–Format UniqueFilename(text_path, text_name, text_extension, _delimiters) 
	–Appends a number enclosed by the left and right delimiter charcters to obtain a unique name. 
	–Do not return a file name with extrension unless _name is sent with an extension that equals _extension. 
	–the _extension indicates the extension, if present in _name, to be removed for unique naming. Reattach only if in _name. 
	set _path to _path as text 
	set _name to _name as text 
	set _extension to _extension as text 
	if _delimiters is “” or (count of _delimiters) < 2 then set _delimiters to {"_", ""} --Default delimiters.
	set _extensionIsDirectory to ((offset of _extension in ":/") > 0) as boolean 
	set _maxLength to 255 –Max filename length. 1024 for directory names. 
	if _extensionIsDirectory then set _maxLength to 1024 
	set _testExtension to “” –_extension will be “”, “:”, “/”, or character extension without the period. 
	if _extension is not equal to “” and not _extensionIsDirectory then set _testExtension to “.” & _extension –Create “.x…x” character extension, else it is empty or a folder separator. 
	set _extensionOffset to offset of _testExtension in _name –Check if in _name. 
	set _extensionIsInName to (_extensionOffset > 0) as boolean –If _extension is in _name, reattach it to unique name at end. 
	set _trimmedName to _name 
	if _extensionOffset is equal to (((length of _name) – (length of _testExtension)) + 1) then set _trimmedName to text 1 thru (_extensionOffset – 1) of _name –Remove the _extension if at the end of _name. 
	set _testType to “-f ” –“file” 
	if _extensionIsDirectory then set _testType to “-d ” –“directory” 
	set _testName to _trimmedName –Default to the sent name without extension. 
	–tell application “Finder” 
	tell current application 
		try –Without on error trap. 
			if (do shell script “test ” & _testType & quoted form of POSIX path of (_path & _testName & _testExtension)) = “” then –If this name is the same. 
				set _nameIncrement to 1 –Add increment to get unique name. 
				repeat 
					set _testName to (_trimmedName & item 1 of _delimiters & (_nameIncrement as text) & item 2 of _delimiters) 
					if not ((do shell script “test ” & _testType & quoted form of POSIX path of (_path & _testName & _testExtension)) = “”) then 
						exit repeat 
					else 
						set the _nameIncrement to _nameIncrement + 1 –Increment the counter. 
						if length of (_path & _testName & _testExtension & (_nameIncrement as text) & (_delimiters as text)) > _maxLength then 
							if length of _trimmedName > 1 then 
								set _trimmedName to text 1 thru ((length of _trimmedName) – 1) of _trimmedName –Reduce trimmed name size. 
								if _trimmedName = “” then return “” –Return empty string if trimmed to null. 
								set _testName to _trimmedName –Set _testName for return out of repeat. 
								if not ((do shell script “test ” & _testType & quoted form of POSIX path of (_path & _testName & _testExtension)) = “”) then exit repeat 
								set _nameIncrement to 1 –Restart the increment. 
							else 
								return “” –Return null too short to trim. 
							end if 
						end if 
					end if 
				end repeat 
			end if 
		end try 
	end tell 
	if _extensionIsInName then set _testName to _testName & _testExtension –Reattach extension if present in _name. 
	return _testName –File or folder name unique to _path contents. 
end UniqueFilename
on DeleteFile(_path, _fileName) –Deletes a file only if it exists. 
	tell application “Finder” 
		repeat until not (exists document file _fileName of _path) 
			try 
				delete document file _fileName of _path 
			on error number _eNum 
				if _eNum = -128 then exit repeat –Catch cancel. 
			end try 
		end repeat 
	end tell 
end DeleteFile
on TestExists(_path, _type) 
	–_type says _path is a directory or file (d or f). 
	set _script to “test -” & (character 1 of _type) & ” ” & quoted form of POSIX path of _path 
	try 
		return ((do shell script _script) = “”) as boolean 
		return true 
	on error _eMess number _eNum 
		return false 
		–if _eNum = 1 then return false –1 = False, 0 = True 
		–display dialog _eNum & ” ” & _eMess with title “TestExists Error” 
	end try 
end TestExists
on FolderExists(_path) 
	–Avoid tell.. end tell blocks inother code. 
	tell application “Finder” to return folder (_path) exists –True if exists, else False. 
end FolderExists
on FileExists(_path) 
	–Avoid tell.. end tell blocks in other code. 
	tell application “Finder” to return file (_path) exists –True or False, if exists. 
end FileExists

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FileLib – File Routines Library

FileLib

FileLib Handlers

Free AppleScript Library

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