shownotes_MCM20110418

What is Automator?
  A tool to create workflows (processes) to automate repetitive tasks
    For example resizing and renaming a folder full of images
    Think of it like cooking
      Start with ingredients, the things that you are going to process into a finished product (input)
      The Automator workflow is the recipe a sequence of steps you will process the ingredients with in series to get a result. (chop, cook, etc)
      Result, the finished food ready to be enjoyed.
  Automator is powerful and designed to be easy to use. It can do a lot, but not everything
    Has built-in actions and 3rd party apps and developers can add in additional functionality
    AppleScript is also available for more advanced automation
Automator Application
  Automator is part OS X and you'll find it in your Applications folder (Applications-->Automator).
  Launching Automator for the first time:
    Brings up a new workflow with the 'Starting Points' panel displayed
      Workflow: This is the raw Automator file format and will create a file that will open with the Automator application.
      Application: This creates a stand alone app. Supports drag and drop input
      The rest create plug-ins (Service, Folder Action, Print plug-in, iCal Alarm, Image Capture)
      Can also open and existing .wflow document.
  Actions, the individual steps in the workflow
    Take input and then some provide results (output) to feed to the next action
    Most also have settings and parameters that you can configure.
  Left column is the Action Library
    Organized by categories
    Can also search
  Info panel below the library
    Provides a description of the action
    What it expects as input and results
Creating a workflow
  Drag an action from the library to theWorkflow panel on the right
  If it has configurable options you should see the options
  At the bottom of an action there are tabs (Results, Option, Description)
RSS to Audio File
  Internet Action: Get Specified URLs
    Add the feed URL (you could add multiples)
    Notice the input and output for this action is a URL
  Internet Action: Get Feeds from URLs
    Input: URL
    Result: Passes RSS feed to next action
  Internet: Get Text from Articles
    Input: RSS Articles
    Result: Text, each RSS article as a text file
  Text: Text to Audio file
    Input: Text
    Options:
      Select voice
      Name for files, multiple get incremented with a number suffix
      location, select a folder where the files will be stored
    Result: Files
  Music: Import Files into iTunes
    Input: Music files
    Options: Playlist to add to, can create a new one.
    result: iTunes songs
  That's it.
  You can now save the workflow as an Application.
    When run it will read the feed, extract the text, convert it to audio (AIFF) files , and add it to your iTunes Library as a playlist.
Just the beginning
  This is a basic starting point, many ways to improve or extend it
    Internet: Filter Articles, could use to add finer control to the text you extract from RSS
    Internet: Get Enclosure URLs from Articles, instead of the Text to Audio, make your own Podcatcher
    Add 3rd party action to convert audio file to MP3 instead or AIFF (default).