Applescript open file with TextEdit and export them as pdf

Question

This is my very first applescript. I use automator to launch the script as I drop new files to a folder (Folder action).

In Automator I have 2 action: 1- Get Specified Finder Items 2- The Apple Script

But I can't make it running. The script stops without warning after opening the files.

Here is the script:

on run {input, parameters}

tell application "TextEdit" to activate

repeat with theFile in input

    set theFilePath to theFile as alias

    tell application "TextEdit" to open theFilePath

    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "TextEdit"
            set foremost to true
            click menu item "Export as PDF..." of menu "File" of menu bar 1
            click button "Save"
            click menu item "Close" of menu "File" of menu bar 1
        end tell
    end tell

end repeat

return input
end run

Can anyone help me on this?

I just want to export all the files in the specified folders to pdf using TextEdit.

Thanks

Answer 1

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
    repeat with i from 1 to number of items in these_items
        set this_item to item i of these_items
        tell application "TextEdit"
            activate
            open this_item
            delay 1
            tell application "System Events"
                click menu item "Export as PDF…" of menu 1 of menu bar item "File" of menu bar 1 of application process "TextEdit"
                delay 1
                key code 36
                delay 1
                key code 13 using command down
            end tell
        end tell
    end repeat
end adding folder items to

This alternate version will quit TextEdit application after converting the files to .PDF. Be careful using this version because I set it to quit without saving any open documents if TextEdit was already running.

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
    repeat with i from 1 to number of items in these_items
        set this_item to item i of these_items
        tell application "TextEdit"
            activate
            open this_item
            delay 1
            tell application "System Events"
                click menu item "Export as PDF…" of menu 1 of menu bar item "File" of menu bar 1 of application process "TextEdit"
                delay 1
                key code 36
                delay 1
                key code 13 using command down
            end tell
        end tell
    end repeat
    ignoring application responses
        tell application "TextEdit" to quit without saving
    end ignoring
end adding folder items to

If you save this following AppleScript in script editor as “Convert_To_PDF.scpt” in your /Users/INSERT YOUR USERNAME/Library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions folder. You don't need to use Automator at all. You simply need to control + click any folder you want as your “Hot Folder” and you will see this:

After you select “Folder Actions Setup”, you will see this:

Because you saved that AppleScript in your /Library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions folder, when you click the + sign to add a script to your folder for the folder action, it will automatically be available in the list of scripts to choose from

You may need to adjust the delay settings in the AppleScript code a little bit. Either way, this functions for me in the latest version of Sierra.