AppleScript Focus / Rename File (and clicking anywhere)

Question

on run {input}
    set filepath to POSIX path of input
    do shell script "touch " & quoted form of filepath & "untitled"
    return input
end run

Is what I have so far, and it works, but is there a way to then focus on the file then trigger a rename? I dont want the rename to be automatic, just trigger the event (like pressing "return" while you have a file selected). And I dont want to use any sort of modal...

Quick Side question: is there a way to set this so that i dont have to select a folder or file directly, but can do it by, lets say, clicking in a white space in a folder as long as it's in Finder? Right now I have my "Service receives selected" to "files or folders" in Finder.app.

== UPDATED CODE ==

on run {input}
    set filepath to POSIX path of input
    do shell script "touch " & quoted form of filepath & "untitled"
    tell application "Finder"
        activate
        set target of Finder window 1 to POSIX file "/Users/oscargodson/Documents/designs/untitled"
    end tell
    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "Finder"
            keystroke return
        end tell
    end tell
    return input
end run

If i hardcode the path it works! But how do I get it as a var that works?

Answer 1

Here's one way. I think a modal window where you ask for the name would be better but you can try this. Notice you do not use "POSIX path" in this code. Applescript doesn't use POSIX paths. Also {input}, as indicated by the brackets around it, is a list of items. Therefore you act on the items of the list, and in this case we act on the first item.

set filepath to item 1 of input

tell application "Finder"
    activate
    reveal filepath
end tell

tell application "System Events"
    tell process "Finder"
        keystroke return
    end tell
end tell

EDIT: With your updated code, here's a working script...

on run {input}
    if (class of input) is not list then set input to {input}
    set theFolder to (item 1 of input) as text

    try
        alias theFolder
        tell application "Finder"
            if (class of item theFolder) is not folder then error "input is not a folder."
            activate
            set theFile to make new file at folder theFolder with properties {name:"untitled"}
            reveal theFile
        end tell

        delay 0.2

        tell application "System Events"
            tell process "Finder"
                keystroke return
            end tell
        end tell
    on error theError number errorNumber
        tell me
            activate
            display dialog "There was an error: " & (errorNumber as text) & return & return & theError buttons {"OK"} default button 1 with icon stop
            return
        end tell
    end try
    return input
end run

Answer 2

tell application "Finder"
    activate
    reopen -- in case there are no open windows
    set target of Finder window 1 to POSIX file "/Applications/Safari.app"
end tell

reveal and select always open a new window, set target and set selection don't.

I don't know why, but when set selection it used in column view, you can only select items in the entire contents of the target of the front window. The same thing doesn't happen in other views, so it seems like a bug.

---

Fix for the code in the edited question:

on go(input)
    set p to POSIX path of (input as text)
    set p2 to p & "untitled"
    do shell script "touch " & p2
    tell application "Finder"
        reopen
        activate
        set target of Finder window 1 to POSIX file p2
    end tell
    delay 0.3 -- time to release modifier keys
    tell application "System Events" to keystroke return
end go

tell application "Finder"
    set fold to folder (path to documents folder)
end tell
go(fold)

(That on go and the last lines are just for testing.)

Answer 3

I've created an AppleScript based on the @regulus6633's one, but with some improvements.

Note: This answer was originally posted as an AskDifferent answer. I'm copy/pasting here for convenience.

---

The idea is to create an Automator workflow and assigning a shortcut to it using the following steps:

• Open Automator and create a Service;
• Set the input to no input, and the application to Finder.app;
• Drag and Drop the Run AppleScript workflow element onto the grey space;
• Put the contents of this AppleScript in the textbox;
• Save the workflow with a reasonable name (like New File);
• Go to Settings -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Services and assign a shortcut to it.

Now, let's show the AppleScript:

set file_name to "untitled"
set file_ext to ".txt"
set is_desktop to false

-- get folder path and if we are in desktop (no folder opened)
try
    tell application "Finder"
        set this_folder to (folder of the front Finder window) as alias
    end tell
on error
    -- no open folder windows
    set this_folder to path to desktop folder as alias
    set is_desktop to true
end try

-- get the new file name (do not override an already existing file)
tell application "System Events"
    set file_list to get the name of every disk item of this_folder
end tell
set new_file to file_name & file_ext
set x to 1
repeat
    if new_file is in file_list then
        set new_file to file_name & " " & x & file_ext
        set x to x + 1
    else
        exit repeat
    end if
end repeat

-- create and select the new file
tell application "Finder"

    activate
    set the_file to make new file at folder this_folder with properties {name:new_file}
    if is_desktop is false then
        reveal the_file
    else
        select window of desktop
        set selection to the_file
        delay 0.1
    end if
end tell

-- press enter (rename)
tell application "System Events"
    tell process "Finder"
        keystroke return
    end tell
end tell

For convenience, I'm putting this AppleScript in this GitHub Gist.