Triggered scripts are actually discouraged and only supported to make switching from version 2 easier. How would your workflow actually look like?
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Thanks very much. I should clarify my set up and process a bit moreā¦
Basically, I have two main groups in my Global Inbox: Articles & Documents (for official documents). If I were a zoologist, the groups and subgroups would break down like thisā¦
| Articles | |
|---|---|
| Antelopes | |
| Gorillas | |
| Whales |
| Documents | |
|---|---|
| Antelopes | |
| Gorillas | |
| Whales |
On the other hand, Iāve also got project-specific groups in my databases, i.e., project-groups like Antelopes , Gorillas and Whales.
These project-specific groups contain the following folder (group) structureā¦
| GORILLAS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Interviews | |
| 2. Media (photos / videos) | |
| 3. Articles | |
| -RAW | |
| -ANNOTATED | |
| 4. Documents | |
| -RAW | |
| -ANNOTATED | |
| 5. Administrative |
Itās obviously quicker and easier to clip articles within the Global Inboxās subject-based Articles & Documents ā rather than navigating to project-specific groups->3. Articles->RAW groups.
So, with that background, Iām wondering how best to Move files from Global Inboxās subject-based groups (Articles & Documents) to the Articles & Documents groups within the project-specific groups. Hope that makes sense!
Happy to provide more info and answers ā just let me know! Thanks very much for your helpā¦
Smart rules could file the items to the appropriate group. E.g. the search scope of the first smart group would be Gorillas in the inbox and would move its documents to Gorillas > Articles > RAW in the appropriate database. This would require several smart rules, one for each type of articles & documents (in your example 6 rules).
A more advanced setup could look like this and would require only two rules (one for articles, one for documents). Another advantage of this setup is that you do not even have to create the groups in the destination database.
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Thank you so much, @cgrunenberg for this! It looks great. Some quick questionsā¦
-
Iām trying to grasp how this set up might work; itās just a little confusing with the generic names, and I donāt quite understand what you mean by, āyou do not even have to create the groups in the destination database.ā Wouldnāt I have to still identify the subject-specific groups under Articles (e.g., āGroup Nameā would be āGorillasā)? If not, would I just need parity of group names or something?
-
Under the Global Inbox, in Articles & Documents, Iāve got about 20 - 30 subject-specific groups. If indeed I need to list them all, would I be able to cram in all of the subject-specific groups within this smart rule?
-
Youāve set this up with āPerform the following actions: On Demandā Iāve never used that command before, and so Iām wondering what one has to do to initiate it.
Thanks!
- Under the Global Inbox, in Articles & Documents, Iāve got about 20 - 30 subject-specific groups. If indeed I need to list them all, would I be able to cram in all of the subject-specific groups within this smart rule?
According to Crissā rule, the subject-specific group names are put into a matching itemās alias. This is used to file the item into the appropriate place in the destination database. The alias on the matched item is then cleared after the move.
- Youāve set this up with āPerform the following actions: On Demandā Iāve never used that command before, and so Iām wondering what one has to do to initiate it.
On demand makes sure a rule doesnāt run without your intervention. All smart rules start with this event trigger to avoid unintended consequences while creating and testing a rule.
You can select Tools > Apply Rules and select the rule or Control-click the rule in the Smart Rules section and choose Apply Rule (the safer option, in my mind).
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Ok, thanks! Iām in the middle of setting this up right now, so this come at an ideal time. To that endā¦under @cgrunenbergās set up, Iād haveā¦
-Change Aliases to Gorillas
-Move to ACTIVE PROJECTS [Destination Database];
-ā¦andā¦? Move to GORILLAS [Destination parent Group];
-Ok, Iām a little confused by the second to last command: File into /Aliases/Articles/RAW Here again is my group (folder structure)ā¦
| GORILLAS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Interviews | |
| 2. Media (photos / videos) | |
| 3. Articles | |
| -RAW | |
| -ANNOTATED |
[etc.]
So, shouldnāt it be: File into /GORILLAS/3. Articles/-RAW/Aliases ? Sorry ā this is a new set of commands for me, so Iām trying to figure this out as I go.
I think I follow. So, I can just Control-click the Smart Rules section and choose Apply Rule to initiate the smart rule. Have I got that right?
While I really appreciate the safety preventing against unintended consequences, Iām happy to have these files automatically bounce to their intended destination. So, if I forgo the On Demand function and just opt for an automatic deposit, what kind of command would work best? On Import? Something else?
Thanks so much for all of your help with this!
No problem.
Crissā smart rule is assuming youāre filing into a temporary folder per subect and those items get moved to a destination database, filed in a particular structure.
Not while youāre building, testing, and understanding whatās going on.
Trust me, you donāt want to make a bigger mess from misunderstanding it and having to go back and refile or wonder Did I file this one? How about that one??""
No itās not going to file into 3. Articles in the version Criss posted.
And the Aliases token (notice itās in the light blue lozenge) is a placeholder, not a string so itās being replaced by the alias on the file.
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Ok, thanks. Just so I understand you properly, the Global Inbox ā Articles & Documents ā [subject-specific groups] are the ātemporary folders,ā correct?
Got it. Makes sense. Thanks.
Sorry, Iām a little lost hereā¦ Like I said, these are new commands for me. But Iāll try it on a select folder to see what happens. Thanks again for your help with thisā¦
Correct.
Can you see this screencast in fullscreen?
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Oh wow. Thank you so much! It looks amazingā¦
I promise you Iām trying to follow the Smart Rules exactly as you and @cgrunenberg have outlined them, butā¦for some reason Iām getting the light blue lozenge for Group Name or Aliasesā¦ What am I doing wrong?
Nothing wrong. Both are placeholders.
Does the screencast make sense ?
And are you enjoying the annoying loud typing and mouse clicks? 
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Thanks! That workedā¦
Ok, so I select the ātemporary folderā ā right-click / control the ātemporary folderā [source folder]?
If so, thereās no option to apply the smart rule.
Just to back up a secondā¦ You said:
So, Iāve tried to click on the ātemporary folder,ā and have then selected Tools > Apply Rules and tried select the rule ā but it doesnāt allow me to do so. It does, however, allow me to select Tools > Perform Rules Thatās fine, but Iād like something that works w/o having to make that selection (if possible). Any suggestions on that front? Thanks!
Feels like weāre nearly thereā¦
Control-click > Insert Placeholder > Group Name
And you control-click the smart rule.
Ok, Iāve been able to to do the above within the Smart Rule settings (i.e., Control-click > Insert Placeholder > Group Name).
Andā¦Iāve just been able to select Tools > Apply Rules and select the File Articles smart rule. Butā¦Iām sorry to say that didnāt move the files that were in there. Not sure whatās going onā¦
Ok, so hereās where things stand nowā¦
First of all, just so you know, I wasnāt able to select the folder from the sidebar in order to Control-click > Tools > Apply Rules and select the File Articles; I had to navigate to the folder with the main pane. No worries there ā just wanted to alert you about that.
Also, when I Control-click ā¦ > Apply Rules > and selected File Articles nothing happened. Butā¦when I selected the files themselves and then Control-click ā¦ > Apply Rules > and selected File Articles it did work. Sort of.
I didnāt quite realize that this smart rule would create another set of groups (folders) for this files; instead, I thought that the smart rule would just move these files from the ātemporary folderā to the more permanent one. Not at all complaining ā @BLUEFROG & @cgrunenberg have been incredibly helpful!
Iām just understanding the process, identifying whatās not quite working, and trying to figure out how to adjust the smart rule, according. To that endā¦
-While I really do appreciate your caution w/ using Apply Rules, and the reasons for doing so, is there another command I can apply so that: (1) the smart rule can by applied to the group rather than the individual files, and (2) what command can I apply so that files are automatically routed to the desired destination? Right now, many of these groups already contain files, but Iām happy to temporarily remove and re-import them if it makes sense to use On Import (per your web video, above);
-Is it possible to set up the smart rule so that it will move these files from the ātemporary folderā to the more permanent one, instead of creating another set of groups (folders) for this files? If not, thatās Ok ā but itāll require that I overhaul my existing organizational set up for all of my DTP DBs (which Iād prefer to avoid, if possible).
Thanks!
Smart rules are only applied to items matching the conditions, this smart rule is explicitly for files. By default itās executed on demand but you could of course choose an automatic trigger (e.g. On importing or Hourly).
This should be possible by adapting the File action which specifies the destination location. Whatās the full path of the permanent group inside the database?
Right. Thanks! The only thing is, I was only able to Control-click ā¦ > Apply Rules > and select File Articles for the individual files ā but NOT for the group (folder). So, Iām wondering if thereās something about the smart rules settings (or something else in my DTP configuration) that impeding my ability to Control-click ā¦ > Apply Rules > and select File Articles for the group (folder).
Ok, great. Both of those commands sound fine. Iāll probably set it to On importing, but like I said, right now Iāve got files in many of the folders. So is there something else besides Hourly that youād recommend? Thanks!
Itās in a database named āActiveā and then from there the remaining file path is: GORILLAS/I. ARTs & DOCs/ARTICLES/- Raw
Also, I donāt know if this is still possible but Iād love to figure out a way to set up smart rules so that they can be applied to Global Inbox groups being moved to ARTICLES/- Raw within their corresponding subject-specific groups. Is that still possible?
Thanks so much again! Really appreciate all of your helpā¦
A group does not match the conditions (and the contents of the group do not matter).
Thereās no general recommendation, it all depends on when exactly you want the files to be moved.
Then the File action should look like this:
Thanks for your prompt reply!
Ok. But Iām just saying that I havenāt been able to apply the smart rule to a group. Iām just trying to understand why it seems to only apply to individual files, and not to groups ā and how to fix it.
Understood. Just wondering if thereās any other command youād recommend that would move existing files from folders.
Thanks. Thatās what Iāve got in my smart rule. But itās creating another set of groups (folders) for this files ā instead of moving these files from the ātemporary folderā (in the Global Inbox) to the permanent one (ARTICLES/- Raw) in subject-specific groups.
Itās just not possible, you have to select the files.
A screenshot showing both the existing and the created group hierarchies would be useful.