Aperture import automator!

[etherfarm]

Ian,

Great stuff--works well, and thanks for providing it to us.

Is there any way to modify the workflow to bring up Aperture's import screen rather than automate the process entirely and deal with the images post-import? I find the import dialog preferable for mass import.

I'm guessing that Aperture's Automator library doesn't support this?

[robertwright]

Ok this is my breakdown of the behaviour of the app/workflow:

If I use the automator app included in the download the images always end up in the Library in a project called M8. this I understand and is expected behaviour.

I then used the M8 aperture importer.workflow, and changed the last step, Import Photos, to "show action when run" and saved that as an application. However, if I use the workflow from automator it does the same thing. My alteration and saving it as an application bears no difference.

What I am trying to do is get it to take images from a card or my desktop, convert the files, and import the files into aperture as referenced originals in either an existing project of my choosing or in a new project, AND, in a location other than the card or desktop. This is what happens:

If I try to select "import by reference" in the workflow and have aperture set to store the images in the Library, they end up in .tmp

If I deselect "import by reference" in the workflow and have aperture set to store the images in the library, they end up in the library. That is an expected behaviour.

If I select "import by reference" in the workflow and have aperture set to store the images in "Pictures" , they end up in .tmp

If I select "import by reference" in the workflow and have aperture set to reference the images "in their current location" they end up in .tmp

If I deselect "import by reference" in the workflow and have aperture set to reference the files "in their current location" they end up in the Library. That is not an expected behaviour.

Conclusion: "import by reference" preference in workflow does nothing.
Additionally, there is no way to use this workflow with referenced originals no matter how Aperture is set.

Where I am missing?

Additionally, if there are jpegs in the source folder the import process stops at the last DNG before the jpeg and does not skip the jpeg to continue converting. I can understand the error handling has not dealt with this case yet, but everything above is not working as expected givent the inputs.

[hfehsenfeld]

Originally Posted by robertwright

What I am trying to do is get it to take images from a card or my desktop, convert the files, and import the files into aperture as referenced originals in either an existing project of my choosing or in a new project, AND, in a location other than the card or desktop
………
Additionally, if there are jpegs in the source folder the import process stops at the last DNG before the jpeg and does not skip the jpeg to continue converting. I can understand the error handling has not dealt with this case yet, but everything above is not working as expected givent the inputs.

@Robert
From my understanding the automater app made by Ion is just a quick and dirty method to save time and will not give you all the options of deciding upon source and destination as you normally can. So it should work but yes you will find the imported images always in the projekt "M8".
I can’t help in modifying it.

Best
Holger

[robertwright]

-thanks for the response.

[ibogost]

Hi everyone -- I've been out of town at a conference the past week. I'm back and will answer this last question about import targets today or tomorrow.

[ibogost]

Ok, let me see if I can answer these questions.

Originally Posted by etherfarm
Is there any way to modify the workflow to bring up Aperture's import screen rather than automate the process entirely and deal with the images post-import? I find the import dialog preferable for mass import.

If you open up the workflow, you can drop down the Options in the last step and check Show Action When Run. However, the Aperture import workflow is pretty limited. I'm sure more could be done by AppleScript but I haven't done the research yet.

Originally Posted by robertwright
What I am trying to do is get it to take images from a card or my desktop, convert the files, and import the files into aperture as referenced originals in either an existing project of my choosing or in a new project, AND, in a location other than the card or desktop.

Right, I understand. So, to do this you'd need to modify the shell script I'm using to do the Adobe DNG Converter work, to change the location where you send the converted DNG files. This would work differently depending on if you want the converted DNGs in a different folder every time, or in one location every time. Then you'd have to do the Aperture stuff as discussed above.

Anyway, I didn't really expect this workflow to solve all problems for everyone, but it is customizable to do more than it's doing now. I don't know how much time I'll have to customize, but I can offer some advice if you tell me what you want to do.

Originally Posted by robertwright
Additionally, if there are jpegs in the source folder the import process stops at the last DNG before the jpeg and does not skip the jpeg to continue converting

You are right, this is a bug. I've got a fixed version, which just uses a Filter Finder Items thing right before the shell script. Unfortunately the Automator workflow Finder actions are pretty slow. Still, it's a nice simple solution.

[etherfarm]

Originally Posted by ibogost

Anyway, I didn't really expect this workflow to solve all problems for everyone, but it is customizable to do more than it's doing now. I don't know how much time I'll have to customize, but I can offer some advice if you tell me what you want to do.

Ian, I hope you're not taking our questions as criticisms or even statements of deficiency. I think we're fascinated by the possibilities here and are just trying to tweak your generous offering in ways that conform to the workflows we've already established for ourselves.

BTW, I checked Aperture's Applescript library. It's not that much more extensive than its Automator library...

[ibogost]

Originally Posted by etherfarm

Ian, I hope you're not taking our questions as criticisms or even statements of deficiency. I think we're fascinated by the possibilities here and are just trying to tweak your generous offering in ways that conform to the workflows we've already established for ourselves.

Not at all! But thanks for saying it anyway. I just wish I had the time to customize it properly for everyone... Maybe what we can do is gather some feedback on what changes people would like most, and I can whip up a few varieties to service the most commonly requested workflows. So far, here's what I've heard:

(1) Choose an Aperture library to import into
(2) Store the converted DNG files in a specified location and import by reference rather than into the Library
(3) Copy the original M8 DNG files to a separate location for backup/archival

No promises yet, but if you have anything to add to the wish list, go for it.

[barjohn]

Can some one point me to a working link or email the file to me?

Thanks

[ibogost]

Originally Posted by barjohn

Can some one point me to a working link or email the file to me?

I've updated the files and they can now be found here.

[barjohn]

Thank you for the file and link. What does it mean in your read me that the converted DNG files are destroyed on input?

[ibogost]

Originally Posted by barjohn

Thank you for the file and link. What does it mean in your read me that the converted DNG files are destroyed on input?

The software uses Adobe RAW Converter to convert your M8 native DNG files to files Aperture can import. The original M8 files remain untouched. The importer imports into the Aperture Library (not by reference), so it makes a copy of the converted DNG files there. Then the intermediary files created by Adobe RAW Converter are deleted.

Hope that makes sense. I also fixed a bug that was affecting folders with files other than DNG inside.