Automator: Filter Finder Items selecting wrong files

Question

I wanted an Automator folder action to automatically remove old downloads from my downloads folder whenever I download a new file (I wanted to avoid making this a scheduled job).

The workflow looks like this:

When I test it, it works fine - selecting only files older than 60 days. However when I actually download a new file to the downloads folder it sends the new file to the trash.

What gives? Is the timestamp on the new file not correct until after the download finishes or something?

EDIT: I discovered that it deletes the file being added to the folder no matter what. Meaning - if I drag and drop a new file to the folder, the workflow deletes it even though the time stamp is from today.

Answer 1

Here is a solution to bypass Automator completely. Just save this script in the Script Editor.App to your /Users/your_shortname/Library/Workflows/Applications/Folder Actions folder. Once you do that, that folder action script will be available to choose from in your Services/Folder Acions Setup menu in Finder by control + click the downloads folder

This is the version if you are going to use Script Editor.app

on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
    tell application "Finder"
        set nameExtensionz to {"download"}
        set deleteFilez to items of (path to downloads folder) whose creation date < ((current date) - (days * 60)) and (name extension) is not in nameExtensionz
        delete deleteFilez
    end tell
end adding folder items to

---

If you do not feel comfortable with Script Editor app, in Automator app you can add a run AppleScript action and add my code. Just view the screenshot below. You will not need to worry about the new downloaded file getting deleted

This is the version to use if you are going to add an AppleScript action to an Automator Workflow folder action

tell application "Finder"
        set nameExtensionz to {"download"}
        set deleteFilez to items of (path to downloads folder) whose creation date < ((current date) - (days * 60)) and (name extension) is not in nameExtensionz
        delete deleteFilez
end tell

Answer 2

Finder uses the kMagicBusyCreationDate for files currently being downloaded, which is 08:34:56 on 1946-02-14 (+0000).

Use this date as a file's or folder's creation date to indicate that it is temporarily busy (while it is being downloaded or installed, for example).

What is the significance of 1946-02-14 08:34:56?

As this is well outside your date range, the file is removed immediately. Therefore you can’t use any date based checks whilst files are being downloaded.

Answer 3

No answer, but still bugged by this – "macOS bug".

While the significance of 1946-02-14 08:34:56 is truly an inspiring story, this does not seem to be the culprit of this issue at all. Using the workflow below I see the exact same behavior.

When I move a file from desktop into Downloads/ it is displayed with a "Date created" and "Date added" of today. I can see it there clearly in list view. BUT after the 10 s wait the file disappears – and it is obvious from stepping through the list that "Filter Finder Items" even after 10 s considers the file /old/.

Very odd bug.

Even more so, as the .download cannot be the culprit, because this precaution is not necessary at all if I create Automator workflow containing only the following Applescript code (based on @wch1zpink's code above but without the .download precaution) – which does work as expected (it does not delete the current/added file):

on run {input, parameters}

    tell application "Finder"
        set deleteFilez to items of (path to downloads folder) whose creation date < ((current date) - (days * 45)) and modification date < ((current date) - (days * 45))
        delete deleteFilez
    end tell

    return input
end run

I can also see (in the global macOS menu) the automator action only being run after a longer download is finished...