Use Automator in Mac to Automate Workflows and Save Time

In this article, I am going to introduce you what is the necessity of Automator. It is a kind of application that simply enables you to create an automation of workflow which can save time of an user and human effort could be minimized through this. You can launch it in your desktop from the launchpad by clicking the Automator robot icon. Now I am telling you how to use Automator in Mac.

It is just a connector of different operation in a single go. Now few common applications for which you can use Automator. Suppose you are taking lots images from the photo booth. By simply setting a workflow you can arrange those images. The arrangement of photos can be applied if you are downloading images. Even you can resize a bunch of images by simply setting a workflow. Here I am giving you a few examples.

Now, as I quoted earlier suppose you want to create an application workflow to resize images. Now look at the screenshot. When you hit the Automator app a page will open like that of an Automator app. Select the application and hit the “choose” button. Now here is the whole automation trick involving.

First select “Ask  for Finder Item” which is under the file and folder section. Now you want to keep the source photo after resizing. Then you have to drag the action to the workflow section. As you can in the screenshot. In the workflow table the two operations are interlinked. First the file will be located and the file will be copied in the folder without deleting the source file.

Then go to the left pane of Automator page and select ‘photos’. Then move to the Action column and  drag ‘Scale images’ to the workflow page as you can see in the screenshot. In scale image you can select the size of the image to your requirements.

Now again go back to the “File and Folder” option and drag the “New Folder” action to the workflow wall. After resizing the images will contain in a new folder as can name it also. So, this is the whole operation which can help you to resize images. Remember, there are other procedure to resize image. What I mean to say that you can select any other workflow to resize your image. Now, don’t forget to save your Automator application. As any time you need to apply this just go to the application directory and launch your app.

There are lots of other ways in Automator that can help you out for resizing images in a single go. It implies that you can choose any other workflow for resizing purposes. Just select and drag the action in the workflow pane.

You can also able to open specific pages that you need everyday basis. Earlier you have seen how to create a webpage a desktop application through Fluid. Through Automator you create  an app which will open your selected pages in a default window. By simply select the internet section in the library and drag the “Get specific URL” action in the workflow pane. Now a default browser window is created. So next time when you are hitting the Automator application in the application directory the browser will open with the selected URL. Ultimately it sounds quite an easy for the user to open their required web pages everyday with a single click only. Quite a time saver.

Now,suppose you want to create an application that will shut down your open an app in a single go when you are involved in a tedious work. Just follow the above snap. First select the application template and hit the choose button. Then in the library pane, go to the utility. Now select and drag the quit all applications in the workflow pane. So you created an application which will quit all open app in your desktop in a go.

There are lots of applications you can possibly create from Automator which can prove a time saver for the user, free them from lots of clicks also. So Automator could be proved to you as a handy tool for you. The only trick is that you have to choose the action very carefully from action pane as you can create an app whatever you required. Much more things that you could not think but their usability is undeniable. You can see it in the action pane. Now, launch it and create whatever application you want.