Create a file in a specified folder

Questions & Suggestions
1

I am still trying to create a file inside a specified folder. The problem seems to be in the single apostrophe enclosing the path name that I copy from the bottom right of the folder window by right clicking there. Claude is wasting time on this. I asked about this before but the answer did not work. Here is Claude’s macro. All I want is to open a folder and be able to create an md, text or RFT file in that folder. There is probably a better way to do this.

Create File in Staging Folder by Claude.kmmacros (4.7 KB)

This is Claude’s explanation in case I am unclear. Purpose: I need a macro that creates a new empty file (user's choice of .md, .txt, or .rtf) in a specific folder. The macro should:

  1. Prompt for filename

  2. Prompt for file type (dropdown menu: md, txt, or rtf)

  3. Create the empty file in: /Users/ellenmadono/_Documents_local/NoteBookLM Collections

  4. Open the newly created file

Problem: The macro prompts for both the filename and file type successfully, but no file is created and nothing opens. No error messages appear.

Additional context:

  • The folder path contains a space: "NoteBookLM Collections"

  • When I check the folder path in Terminal using single quotes, it shows: '/Users/ellenmadono/_Documents_local/NoteBookLM Collections'

  • The folder exists and I have write permissions (verified with ls -la)

Macro structure I've tried:

  • Action 1: Prompt for user input → Variable: FileName (text)

  • Action 2: Prompt for user input → Variable: FileType (menu: md|txt|rtf)

  • Action 3: Execute shell script: touch "/Users/ellenmadono/_Documents_local/NoteBookLM Collections/$KMVAR_FileName.$KMVAR_FileType"

  • Action 4: Execute shell script: open "/Users/ellenmadono/_Documents_local/NoteBookLM Collections/$KMVAR_FileName.$KMVAR_FileType"

Question: Why isn't the file being created? Is there an issue with how I'm handling the folder path with spaces?

2

The macro you uploaded has four actions. The first two were fine, the last two had no text in them. So it isn't possible to help you figure out what's wrong, since your macro didn't upload correctly.

I'm not sure I want to read anything written by Claude. I would rather you give the requirements, and I will work from there. I don't want to "patch" code written by AI, I would rather do things the right way. And I think you did explain the requirements, which is great.

However there's a flaw in your requirements. You are asking for an empty file of type RTF. Are you aware that an RTF file cannot have 0 bytes?

As for your issue saying there are "no errors," try changing the flag on the Execute Shell Script action to indicate "Include Errors."

I think you will find out what you are doing wrong right in the middle of this page, where it talks about using variables in that action. I won't repeat what it says, since I can't say it any better.

Did Claude really write that for you, with the error? Or did you take a Claude script and modify it, thus introducing the error? I'm curious to learn if Claude is guilty here.

3

What was wrong with the macro in your previous thread about similar? It doesn't do exactly what you want here, but all the actions you need except the "Open a File, Folder or Application" action are there.

If there's anything unclear about the explanation accompanying it, just ask!

A lot of macro writing is taking something that's nearly what you need and tweaking it until it's exactly what you need.

Also -- this is all doable with "normal" KM actions, no shell scripting needed. AIs will steer you towards shell commands because they don't "know" what KM can do and because the majority of internet answers on similar subjects (their training) will involve shell scripts. If you aren't comfortable in the Terminal app, don't know much about the shell, and haven't internalised the Wiki's "Execute a Shell Script" page then you'll likely be adding to your problem, not solving it.

Are you getting an error notification? Make sure you have turned on Notifications for both Keyboard Maestro and Keyboard Maestro Engine if not, because you should see one:

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The macro, as you uploaded it, has the shell script actions set to "Execute script file" but no file path. You have put in a text script but, because that's not the selected option, that's not what's run.

And, as @Airy says, you can't create a valid RTF file using touch -- another reason to use KM actions, with which you can write nothing to a file to create an RTF:

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4

I have looked for this notifications for keyboard maestro and Keyboard Maestro Engine, but I can't find information.

I agree these AI engines are built for writing script and I never understand the script so it's not very helpful because I have no ability to reproduce what they've done.

The only reason I want to use RFT files is I have charts and pictures. Maybe within even think there's a way to make charts on sheets (a simple spreadsheet) and refer those to the MD or text files.

AI shows you how to do all kinds of complicated things that I don't understand and therefore can't reproduce even if they are part of the interface of Keyboard Maestro.

I am going to upload 2 attempts to get a file named in a specified folder. A. The request for the file format occurs but nothing appears in the folder. Which action should I be using to get the file to appear in the preselected folder?

create file selected folder.kmmacros (2.9 KB)

B. Totally naive, my idea of how only KM macros would make a file in a folder. I have not evidence that any part of it would work.

create file selected folder.kmmacros (2.9 KB)

Regardless of how poor these results are, I still believe that creating a file in a folder should not be possible.

5

They're with all your other Notification permissions: System Settings -> Notifications, listed alphabetically under "Application Notifications".

Then you don't want RTF, you want RTFD. Most apps will offer to convert RTF to RTFD as soon as you paste in an image, but that's just another annoying dialog so we'll include RTFD as a choice too.

Unfortunately you uploaded the same, incomplete, macro twice.

Here's a macro that does what I believe you want. Five minutes looking at this and each of its Action's help page on the Wiki (click an Action's "cogwheel" and select "Help" to go to its Wiki page) will teach you more about KM than an hour of fruitless AI prompting. And if you've any questions, just ask!

Create File in Staging Folder v2.kmmacros (5.7 KB)

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Create File in Staging Folder v2.kmmacros
Create File in Staging Folder v2.kmmacros1266×3186 201 KB

Walking through it:

Action 1: We save the path to your staging folder into a variable. If you are going to use the same value in different places in a macro it's good practice to put that value into a variable then use the variable when needed. If nothing else, if you want to change (in this case) the folder to save everything in you only have to make the change in one place.

You can argue whether a path to a folder should or shouldn't include the trailing /. I prefer to leave it out and then explicitly add it when joining folder path and file name together to get a full file path. Whether you decide to omit or include the trailing slash in your directory paths -- be consistent and always do it that way!

Action 2: The prompt. You know about this Action, but note that we've again combined both input choices into a single prompt -- a better user experience than answering multiple single-question prompts.

Action 3: We use a "Switch/Case" Action to create whatever file type was chosen at the prompt. "Switch/Case" is a good way of testing the same "thing" against different conditions -- in this case you can read it as:

If the value held in FileType is "rtf" then write a file in RTF format, if the value is "rtfd" then write in RTFD, otherwise (any other value in FileType) write it as plain text

Actions 3a/b/c: An easy way to create a file in a particular (KM-supported) formatted is to write nothing, using the required format, to a file at the required path. The paths here are simple text token and literal text concatenation:

The value in the variable Folder, then a /, then the value in variable FileName, then a ., then the value in variable FileType

Action 4: And finally we use the same path to open our new file with the default application for that file type.

Note that this macro is not the right answer -- but if it does what you want it is a right answer :wink: If nothing else there are style choices -- I've used the same path concatenation in four places, directly contradicting earlier advice about doing a thing once then using the value in all places because, with paths particularly, I find it easier to put them together when wanted rather than keep scrolling up and down the macro to see that they are.