Hazel actions do a really nice job of keeping my files organized but it is nice to know there is this option also.

Quick question. May I know what Hazel is? Is it better than the above shortcut?

@@anilkumar1971 "Better" is conditional and opinion based, as you might surmise. Shortcuts is foundational Apple tech, so becoming more comfortable with it will help with automation skills across all your Apple devices. Think of Shortcuts as being way more flexible and powerful overall than Hazel. Shortcuts is free with your Apple devices. Hazel is a tool that does a few things very well. It can assist with application uninstallation, Trash management, and file organization/processing. It is a commercial product, currently $42 US for a license. The developer is first rate and responsive. With Hazel, one creates a rule set for a folder. You then create conditions for actions based on extensions, file types, name, date, color label, comment, size, etc to trigger various direct actions on the files, up to more advanced options like running AppleScripts, Javascript, etc. Hazel can also sync rule sets across multiple Macs if you need.

@@anilkumar1971 "Better" is conditional and opinion based, as you might surmise. Shortcuts is foundational Apple tech, so becoming more comfortable with it will help with automation skills across all your Apple devices. Think of Shortcuts as being way more flexible and powerful overall than Hazel. Shortcuts is free with your Apple devices. Hazel is a tool that does a few things very well. It can assist with application uninstallation, Trash management, and file organization. It is a commercial product, currently $42 US for a license. The developer is first rate and responsive. With Hazel, one creates a rule set for a folder. You then create conditions for actions based on extensions, file types, name, date, color label, comment, size, etc to trigger various direct actions on the files, up to more advanced options like running AppleScripts, Javascript, etc. Hazel can also sync rule sets across multiple Macs if you need.

Folder Actions are only in Automator. There's nothing like that in Shortcuts.

It actually came from a separate company who built it for the iPhone, then Apple bought them, then expanded it to the Mac too.

I suppose you can built a prompt into the Shortcut to ask for a folder, yes.

@@macmost I used an "other" option in the "Choose from menu" to use File with "ask each time enabled" kinda works. If anyone knows how to make this with less clicks I'd appreciate the knowledge.

Automator is much older and is Mac-only. Shortcuts is newer and is Mac, iPhone, iPad, even Vision Pro. You can access Shortcuts on the Apple Watch as well. There are a few things Automator does that Shortcuts does not (Folder Actions, for instance). But Shortcuts is likely the future and Automator may or may not continue to be supported in years to come. Shortcuts is also probably easier to use for most people.

It will take lots of steps. Break it down and work to build the actions needed for each step. First make sure you get a list of the selected files as input. Then, work to have it create the two new folders. Then have it loop through the list of files and move them using an IF action to divide the actions according to the file extension. It will take a lot of work, and how hard it is depends on whether you have previous programming experience and previous Shortcuts experience.

The Files app on an iPhone is how you access your files. On a Mac you use the Finder to access your files. Anything you put on iCloud Drive would appear in both Files and the Finder across your own devices without needing AirDrop.

Thank you for your suggestions about getting Filemaker files to iCloud drive without using Air Drop, hence to the "Files" Ap from computer to iPhone. Filemaker wants me to make a copy and send it. I do so, but it doesn't seem to appear in Files. What am I doing wrong?

@@philiprand3720 Sorry, I can't really help more because I just don't use that app. I don't know what you are seeing and what it may be doing. I'd contact the app developer for support with this.

Infinite thanks. Claris Filemaker - they suggest Air Drop, and that does work. I think I am being thick headed about getting files of whatever type into Files (here in Italy it is called "File"). (For their reasons, they want you to make a copy, and that's not my problem). Until I get more experienced (at age 84 that's a bit difficult) I'll just use Air Drop.

Look into the "Choose From Menu" action in Shortcuts. You can use that to prompt for the destination from a list.

@@macmost got my previous comment deleted. Sorry for posting a link. Choosing from the list won't work for me, unfortunately.

@@iviansur How so? Maybe take a step back and describe what you are trying to do.

@@macmost, Let's say I'd like to move selected files from the Downloads folder to a different folder. I want to be able to choose the specific destination folder the way you would when saving a new file in any application. The list option won't work because my folders have a complex nested organization, and since I work on many projects, the list is always changing.

@@iviansur Ah, I see. So you want to be able to select a folder. But then why use a Shortcut at all? Since you need to locate the other folder anyway, just do this in the Finder like any other file move. You are already there selecting the files, just open a new Finder window, go to the location you want, and drag and drop. Using a Shortcut won't really save you any steps.

I think it depends on the "server" and other factors. It can also be tricky to know if the file was actually created by someone or if it is being generated at the time of download.

@@macmost OK. Thanks!

On the iPhone you don't have the Finder. You have the Files app. So may be a difference because of that.

I think it will work there. You have the basic Move Files action there too.

Sometimes Keynote can feel a lot like Hypercard. Just the addition of some basic scripting and it could be mostly there.

I do have a Shortcuts course. courses.macmost.com/courses/shortcuts/ It doesn't explain all the functions though. It is just a beginner course. A comprehensive one would be big (and expensive) and still wouldn't cover everyone's needs as you can do so much.

Impossible for me to guess since I can't see what you are doing. All I can suggest is trying it again, following along closely with what I am doing.

These aren't "rules." These are mini-apps you are creating.

@@macmost Gary I was referring to MAIL

@@macforme Right. But you were saying that Apple can't handle rules in Mail properly, so you were worried that what I am showing in this video would have the same issue. I was pointing out that what I show in this video is not the same thing as "rules" such as the rules in the Mail app.

@@macmost Understood! Thank you for all your wonderful videos and I am enjoying your Sonoma Course!