. Introducing Automator Automator, like most programs on your Mac, sits waiting in your Applications folder. Double-click Automator's icon to open it for the first time (Figure 7-2). Figure 7-2. Automator's icon is a computer generated robot image named Otto. (Get it? Otto Matic? Stop, you're killing us!) The icon is supposed to evoke an image of Automator as a servile program, executing your every desire without question. Any similarity to the malevolent androids of I, Robot is purely coincidental. . Navigating the Screen As shown in Figure 7-3, Automator looks confusing. But once you learn what the different sections do,. | . Introducing Automator Automator like most programs on your Mac sits waiting in your Applications folder. Double-click Automator s icon to open it for the first time Figure 7-2 . Figure 7-2. Automator s icon is a computer generated robot image named Otto. Get it Otto Matic Stop you re killing us The icon is supposed to evoke an image of Automator as a servile program executing your every desire without question. Any similarity to the malevolent androids of I Robot is purely coincidental. . Navigating the Screen As shown in Figure 7-3 Automator looks confusing. But once you learn what the different sections do the layout makes a lot of sense. Here s a run-down of Automator s various parts. . Starting Points menu When you first launch Automator you re greeted with a new ultra-simple Starting Points menu. It s an easy launching pad for certain kinds of common workflows those that work with Files Folders Music Audio Photos Images or Text. Figure 7-3. In many ways Automator s interface resembles that of iTunes the unified theme the Play button and even the Library list are all here. The process of working in Automator always flows from left to right. Click the type of data you want to control Library list find what you want it to do Actions list and drag it into the Workflow pane to build the list of steps you want your software robot to take. When you click the appropriate icon make selections from the two pop-up menus beneath it and click Choose Automator sets up the beginning of your workflow automatically. Your workflow isn t complete not by a long shot all you ve done so far is to say Work with this kind of file and specify which ones. You still have to say what you want done with those files. Still you ve gotten started. Of course if you re a workflow wiz and don t want a jump-start on your project because you re just that good selecting Custom gives you a clean action-free document to work with. But even if you are an automating expert the .
