wonky workflow error

i need a solution which will monitor a Dropbox folder and upon modifications (by babo students moving the files instead of copying them), copy selected files back into that folder.

i made a workflow that does this just fine, now i need trusty Hazel to run it ... and it's not working.

from the log:

2012-09-02 18:02:36.055 hazelfolderwatch[4147] Error executing Automator workflow /Users/cjc/Dropbox/Dongguk Support/scripts/rgc007-03.workflow: Error Domain=com.apple.Automator Code=-212 "The action “Copy Finder Items” encountered an error." UserInfo=0x100624180 {NSLocalizedDescription=The action “Copy Finder Items” encountered an error., NSLocalizedRecoverySuggestion=Check the actionʼs properties and try running the workflow again., NSLocalizedFailureReason=The file “s.zip” couldn’t be saved in the folder “RGC007-03”.}
2012-09-02 18:02:36.057 hazelfolderwatch[4147] [Error] Automator workflow failed: Error executing automator workflow /Users/cjc/Dropbox/Dongguk Support/scripts/rgc007-03.workflow on file /Users/cjc/Dropbox/Dongguk Support/Student Share/2012 Autumn/RGC007-03.

i've checked the workflow and can't see anything wrong with. Hazel sees when the folder has been modified and runs its rule but chokes on the workflow.

here is the log from automaker:

** Automator Workflow Log: Unsaved Workflow **

2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Get Value of Variable completed
2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Get Folder Contents completed
2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Copy Finder Items completed
2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Conversion from Files/Folders to Files/Folders completed
2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Show Growl Notification completed
2012-09-02 09:16:20 +0000: Workflow completed

at a loss here and help would be appreciated.

Is there a reason you aren't using Hazel's built-in move/copy actions for this?

The relevant part of the error: “s.zip” couldn’t be saved in the folder “RGC007-03”

Don't know what your situation is so you'll have to interpret what that means to you.

Also, for Automator actions, make sure that the first action takes a file/folder as input. Do not use an action that gets it from Finder since that will then rely on the state of Finder when the workflow happens to be run.

thanks for your response.

i'm sharing files with non-Dropbox savvy people. i need the files in the shared folder to always be there. i'm trying to use Hazel to monitor that shared folder and replace the files when they are deleted.

i've read the other forum posts which deal with similar situations, e.g. replacing deleted files. the Date Matched rule works, sometimes, but also seems to loop and constantly replace and overwrite the files. so they're always present in the folder, but it's rough and not quite what i need.

the reason for not using Hazel's copy action is i can't figure out a way to monitor the folder and have the action be to copy new files into that folder from another folder. (if there is a way though, i'm keen).

the Automator workflow uses 'variable' to get the path of the folder that has the master files, 'get folder contents' to grab the master files, then 'copy Finder items' to put copies back in the monitored folder.

Actually, what may be a better option is to set the permissions on that folder. You'll have to google around for it as I forget the exact settings, but I think you can set the folder to such that new files can be added to it but not removed (so people can copy files out of it but not move them). OS X's "Drop Box" (not DropBox, but the one under your "Public" folder) has permissions similar to this, except that it's not readable to others. I think it involves settings one of the sticky bits on the permissions.