ASFolderPath ( UnixFolderPath )

Converts Unix-style file paths to the reverse-order verbose form used by AppleScript

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Allan Hunter - Show more from this author
Independent FileMaker Solutions Developer

Sample input:

/Volumes/External_HD/MyFolder/SubFolder/

Sample output:

of folder "Subfolder" of folder "MyFolder" of disk "External_HD"

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

// Requires sub-function ASFPCoreFx also available on Brian Dunning's custom fx site
// see http://www.briandunning.com/cf/857 
/* this has limited functionality; it must be called in a script which first sets a variable named $Pos to "".  I'm klunky with CFs and found it necessary to use a $variable.  Makes it not useful in calc fields or other environments where $Pos might have a prior value */

Let ( [ UnixP1 = Case( Middle( UnixFolderPath; 1; 1 ) ≠ "/"; "/" )&UnixFolderPath & Case( Middle( UnixFolderPath; Length( UnixFolderPath ); 1 )≠ "/"; "/" );
UnixP2 = Case( PatternCount( UnixFolderPath; "/Volumes/" )=0; UnixP1; Middle( UnixP1; Position( UnixP1; "/"; 1; 3 ); Length( UnixP1 ) ) );
Vol = Case( PatternCount( UnixFolderPath; "/Volumes/" )>0; Middle ( UnixP1; Position( UnixP1; "/"; 1; 2 )+1; Position( UnixP1; "/"; 1; 3 ) - Position ( UnixP1; "/"; 1; 2 )-1 ) );
Qmk = "\"" ];

ASFPCoreFx ( UnixP2 ) & Case ( IsEmpty ( Vol ); " of startup disk"; " of disk "& Qmk &Vol & Qmk )

)

AppleScript uses "reverse verbose" file paths like: folder "Some Folder" of folder "Enclosing Folder" of folder "Top Folder" of startup disk; or: folder "Some Folder" of folder "Enclosing Folder" of folder "Top Folder" of disk "External HD".

This fx takes Unix style paths such as "/Volumes/External HD/Top Folder/Enclosing Folder/Some Folder", or "/Applications/Quark/Subfolder" and returns the AppleScript equiv.

At http://www.briandunning.com/cf/857, Edward Souza wrote:

I needed to parse and reformat a FileMaker-formatted absolute file path into an AppleScript one. Since I'm novice to FileMaker, the only way I found to accomplish that was via a FM Script, although I tried to (and believe it is possible to) use a Custom Function to do the task. It took me about 9 minutes to script it in FileMaker 9.0v3. If you have any ideas or improvements, feel free to use them.
-------

This does it in a CF, with the limitation that it must still be in a script, where a variable $Pos is first set to ""; or else in some context where there is no chance that $Pos will have a prior value. Requires sub-function ASFPCoreFx which is where $Pos is referenced; the reason I used a $variable in that CF is that I could find no other way to get the dialog to let me define a value (not previously identified) in terms of itself in a Let() function.

It is therefore still in need of improvement. But I was asked if such a fx existed; I assumed someone more adept than I am had posted one, but apparently not.

Comments

		Bruce Robertson Jun 10, 2009
Well, no it doesn't. That is it can; but I can't think of any reason to ever use this format. tell app "Finder" to get selection -- document file "ab.jpg" of folder "Desktop" of folder "bruce" of folder "Users" of startup disk of application "Finder"} tell app "Finder" to get selection as text -- "Macintosh HD:Users:bruce:Desktop:ab.jpg"

Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

ASFolderPath ( UnixFolderPath )

Comments

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