Repeating FolderActions log messages

Question

I'm getting these log messages repeatedly:

Sep 14 11:52:17 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:17 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 9 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:23 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 3 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:25 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 1 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:28 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 9 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:32 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 5 seconds
Sep 14 11:52:33 paulbook com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[288] (com.apple.FolderActions.folders): Throttling respawn: Will start in 4 seconds
...

How can I stop this?

Answer 1

The messages are shown because folders in the WatchPaths array of ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist are modified more often than every ten seconds. I don't know any way to change the throttling policy of launchd. But you could get rid of the log messages by just keeping the program running for ten seconds or longer.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.apple.FolderActions.folders</string>
    <key>Program</key>
    <string>/usr/bin/osascript</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>osascript</string>
        <string>-e</string>
        <string>tell application "Folder Actions Dispatcher" to tick</string>
        <string>-e</string>
        <string>delay 10</string>
    </array>
    <key>WatchPaths</key>
    <array>
        <string>/Users/username/Desktop</string>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>

The changes can be applied by reloading the property list or by logging out and back in.

launchctl unload -S Aqua ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist
launchctl load -S Aqua ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist

The property list gets overwritten when you add or remove folders with folder actions in Automator or Folder Actions Setup.