AppleScript to mark video file as TV show?

Question

I'm using Hazel to automate the conversion of video files to iTunes .mv4 format, however one limitation I've run into is being able to mark a video file as "TV show" or "Movie" before adding to iTunes.

I'd like to do this via Applescript so I can run it as part of my rule set up, but I'm more of an AppleScript copy/paster than a coder.

Answer 1

Here's a bit to start the copy/pasting process, from the excellent "Doug's Scripts" website:

http://dougscripts.com/410

This is the "Set Video Kind of Selected" script, which lets you choose what kind you want the file to be marked as TV Show, Movie, etc.

Answer 2

Taken from:

http://kjvarga.blogspot.ca/2009/03/applescript-automator-import-avi-video.html

on run {input, parameters}  
 set videoType to button returned of (display dialog ("What type of video are you importing?") buttons {"Movie", "TV Show"} default button {"TV Show"})  
 repeat with i in input  
  try  
   tell application "Finder" to set file type of file i to "MooV"  
  end try  
  tell application "iTunes"  
   set newAddition to (add (i as alias))  
   if videoType = "TV Show" then  
    tell newAddition to set video kind to TV show  
   end if  
  end tell  
 end repeat  
 return input  
end run  

Answer 3

1. open Automator

2. choose Application as Document type

3. select Run Applescript from the Utilities folder in the Automator Library

4. Paste this in to the part that says (Your script goes here)

   tell application "iTunes"
   set newAddition to (add input)
   tell newAddition to set video kind to TV show
   end tell

5. Save with a useful name

6. Drop shows on the App and they will be added to iTunes as TV shows

Tested with iTunes 11

Answer 4

Automator would be my first inclination if you don't want to learn the syntax and craft of making your own AppleScripts.

It lets you save an action as a service or as a folder action both of which are about as easy as a script. The service can run right out of iTunes if desired.

You can use several variables to try and fill in the TV related fields as well as just changing the media kind.