Delete downloads older than 30 days?

Question

I am trying to create a task in automator that moves files in ~/Downloads to the trash if they are older than 30 days.

I want this to run every day.

It's not working though, Finder just hangs and stops responding and I have to Force Quit it from activity monitor.

on run {input, parameters}

    tell application "Finder"
        set deleteFileList to (files of entire contents of folder alias "Macintosh HD:Users:George:Downloads" whose modification date is less than ((get current date)) - 30 * days)
        try
            repeat with deleteFile in deleteFileList
                delete deleteFile
            end repeat
        end try
    end tell

    return input
end run

Answer 1

I'd take a different approach and use a set of actions available in Automator without the use of AppleScript.

The following workflow will accomplish that you're looking to do.

In Automator, create a new Workflow adding the following actions:

• Get Specified Finder Items
  • Add the Downloads folder to it.
• Get Folder Contents
  • [] Repeat for each subfolder found
• Filter Finder Items
  • Find files where:
    • All of the following are true
      • Date last modified is not in the last 30 days
• Move Finder Items to Trash

Save the Workflow as an Application, e.g.: Cleanup Downloads.app

This should run much faster then AppleScript version, it did in my testing.

---

Apple's preferred method to schedule something such as this is to use launchd and launchctl.

To run Cleanup Downloads, daily, I'd do the following:

1. Add Cleanup Downloads to: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility

2. Create a User LaunchAgent in: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

   • Example: com.me.cleanup.downloads.plist as an XML file containing:

     <?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.me.cleanup.downloads</string>
         <key>ProgramArguments</key>
         <array>
             <string>/Applications/Cleanup Downloads.app/Contents/MacOS/Application Stub</string>
         </array>
         <key>RunAtLoad</key>
         <false/>
         <key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
         <array>
             <dict>
                 <key>Hour</key>
                 <integer>10</integer>
                 <key>Minute</key>
                 <integer>00</integer>
             </dict>
         </array>
     </dict>
     </plist>
     

   • Set the value for Hours and Minutes, under StartCalendarInterval, as appropriate for your need. The example is set for: 10:00AM

3. In Terminal run the following command to load the LaunchAgent:

   launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.me.cleanup.downloads.plist
   

Note: See the manual pages for launchd and launchctl in Terminal, e.g. man launchctl

Or use a third party utility that has a GUI, e.g.: Lingon X

_{Note: I'm not associated with the developer of Lingon X, however I am a satisfied customer.}

---

Some comments on your AppleScript code:

A repeat statement isn't necessary, just use:

move deleteFileList to trash

The current date command technically executes under current application, not Finder as Finder does not understand the current date command . Therefore, set a variable and use the variable in the command.

set thisDate to get (current date) - 30 * days

... whose modification date is less than thisDate

Now I'm not proposing you actually use the AppleScript over the workflow I proposed, I'm just pointing out some things in the code I take issue with.

Answer 2

If Finder hangs, this is probably because there are too much files in the "entire contents". It could be that some downloaded items are made of folders with sub-folders / subfolders,... then too many files.

Instead I suggest you to only look at first level of the download folder : the items top level:

Set DeleteFileList to every items of folder "Macintosh HD:Users:George:Downloads" whose modification date is less than ((get current date)) - 30 * days)

The content of DeleteFileList will be made of files and folders, but I guess you want to delete full folders and not only files inside them.

Answer 3

If you don't want to mess with the scheduling of the task, you could create a Folder Action (instead of a Workflow) in Automator for the Downloads-Folder that deletes files older than 30 days if a new file hits the folder. The workflow would essentially be the same as in @user3439894s suggestion.