Automator actions

Cocktail ships with a set of Automator actions ready for your use. Automator is an application that comes bundled with Mac OS X and provides the possibility to create workflows for automating repetitive tasks. Automator workflows is created by drag-and-drop of existing actions. Since Automator is a Apple application Automator workflows can then be integrated into Mac OS X i.e. by creating a Finder plug-in which provides the possibility to take use of Cocktails features even without running the Cocktail application.

The following actions are delivered with Cocktail for you to use:

Clear Internet Caches
Clear Log Files
Clear System Caches
Clear System User
Delete DS Store Files
Lock Items
Log Out
Put To Sleep
Rebuild Launch Services Database
Repair Disk Permission
Restart
Run Daily Script
Run Monthly Script
Run Weekly Script
Shut Down
Unlock Items
Update Locate Database
Update Whatis Database

The following example provides a quick introduction on how to use Cocktail's Automator actions in an Automator workflow and how to use the workflow in Mac OS X. With Automator and Cocktail's actions it is possible to use Cocktail features as for example deleting DS Store files directly from the Finder. This is a nifty tool when working on non-Mac network volumes.

Example of Cocktail's integration with Automator:

Start Automator
At the Library in the Finder group you grab the Get Folder Contents action, and add it to the workflow pane.
In the Cocktail group Cocktail's actions are listed, drag the Delete DS Store Files and place it after the finder action
In the File menu item chose Save As Plug-in, chose a name i.e. "Delete DS Store File" and chose Finder
Go to a folder with a DS Store file you want to delete
In the folder ctrl click and from the more menu choose Automator and there at the bottom the newly created workflow shall be visible.
Choose to run the workflow and your done.

Online information

Mac 101: Automator by Apple
Working with Automator by Apple