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Run Workflows when Connecting a Camera
Many Automator workflows involve copying photos from a digital camera or card reader. But what if you want the workflow to run automatically when you connect your camera or card? It's a simple trick using the Image Capture application.
First, your workflow needs to be saved as an application (*File > Save As... > "Workflow"*). Then, from Image Capture's preferences, select your workflow application under "*When a camera is connected, open.*"
Now, when you plug in your camera or insert a card into your card reader, the workflow will automatically run. This is particularly handy with a workflow such as [ImPhotos](http://www.automatorworld.com/2005/06/22/imphotos/), which copies photos to your hard drive, renames them, then imports into iPhoto.
*From a suggestion by [Philip Tyler](http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?14@257.j9OBaV0pQWP.45875@.68b40658/1)*
This is a great tip! So, theoretically, one could create an automator workflow that grabbed all the images from a camera or card and put them into a new burn folder or something like that, for archival purposes, before importing said images into one’s image editing software of choice?
Comment by flysi — July 13, 2005 @ 3:56 pm
Excellent tip! Thanks, I wouldn’t have thought of that.
Comment by Dan Frommer — July 17, 2005 @ 3:19 pm
I used this tip and it worked. It’s really great when someone tells you a cool thing that you can do and it actually works the first time. I also downloaded the ImPhotos workflow and modifed it. I made it so that once it imported the photos it would play a slideslow. I can’t wait to go on a trip come back inset my memory card into the card reader and watch my mac do it’s magic. Then when the slideshow plays my pc friends will say “What, how did it do that”, and I’ll say “it’s a mac”. I could even do what the above commit suggested which is to have it burn a cd after I import my photos and the slide-show plays, that would be awsome.
Comment by Jason — August 10, 2005 @ 6:12 pm
I am having trouble setting up an automator workflow for image capture and the main culprit is that the only option under Image Capture is to import picuters into the Picture file. I can’t change this and it becomes problimatic with all of the other folders that are sitting there. Am I doing something wrong or is there another way of importing pictures into a specified folder? thanks
josh
Comment by Josh — September 12, 2005 @ 3:29 am