Automator Workflow Techniques
Creating an iWeb Photo Preview Page
The integration among iLife applications can make sharing data between them a breeze. Take iPhoto and iWeb, for example. In iPhoto, you can create a new iWeb photo album with the click of a button. Automator can make this process even simpler by eliminating the need to even launch iPhoto.
The following steps will walk you through the process of creating an iWeb photo album of iPhoto images. The workflow will be saved as a plug-in for the system-wide script menu, allowing you to trigger it at any time, from within any application. When run, the workflow will display a list of images in your iPhoto library. Simply select the ones to include, choose an iWeb template, and the workflow will handle the rest.
Please note that this example workflow makes use of an iWeb Automator action named Create Photo Album. This action, along with some other great iWeb actions, is available for free download from Automator.us, and must be installed in order to run this workflow.
Step 1: Launch Automator, located in the Applications folder, and create a new workflow window.
Step 2: Select the iPhoto category, located in the Library list in Automator. Select the Ask for Photos action in the Action list, and drag it into the workflow area on the right side of the Automator window. Enter the text “Select some photos to publish:” into the Prompt text field, and select the Allow multiple selection checkbox.
Step 3: Locate and select the Create Photo Album action in the iWeb category, and drag it into the workflow area. Enter the text My Latest Photos into the Album Name text field.
Step 4: Select Save as Plug-in… from the File menu in Automator.
Step 5: Name the plug-in Create Photo Preview Page and choose Script Menu from the Plug-in for popup. Click the Save button to save the workflow.
Step 6: A workflow that has been saved as a Script Menu plug-in will be available from the menu bar in a system-wide script menu, ready to be run at any time. To run the workflow, simply select it in the script menu.
Step 7: First, you will be prompted to choose photos from iPhoto to be published. Choose the desired photos from your iPhoto library and click the Choose button to continue.
Step 8: Next, iWeb will be launched and you will be prompted to choose a template for the new photo page. Select a Photos page template and click the Choose button to proceed.
Step 9: iWeb will now create a new web page based on the chosen template. It will then import the previously specified images from your iPhoto library into the page. Now you’ve got a photo page ready for some final edits.
