Nested folders

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Moderator: Mr_Noodle

Nested folders Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:43 am • by tansleypete
Hi

First off - I made a mistake. Idiot. And I can't work out how to undo it.

I have my photos in Dropbox and was looking to create a dated folder structure.

Unfortunately I also put in the subfolder rule - which then created a huge number of nested folders - with the image file buried about 18 layers deep..... DOH

Is there a way that I can get Hazel to help me undo this? I have tried an empty folders rule, but the log keeps telling me that the filename is too long...

Ideally I would like to just get all the photos in to the top level folder (Camera Uploads) and then set about reorganising them again.

Thanks!
Peter
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Re: Nested folders Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:28 pm • by Mr_Noodle
Maybe create a rule that, when it matches a folder with a single folder in it, moves that folder one folder up? Is the name of any of the elements super long or is it just that the path is super deep?
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Re: Nested folders Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:29 am • by tansleypete
It is more that it is deep. Great idea though, thanks. Will give it a go. Just thinking... Will that fail after the first round as then it will have 2 folders at the bottom?
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Re: Nested folders Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:08 pm • by Mr_Noodle
Well, I'd first try it to see if it works at all. It may be that Hazel is unable to manipulate it at all because the paths are too long.
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Re: Nested folders Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:09 am • by tansleypete
Unfortunately you are right! :(

Hazel logs keep saying that the filenames are too long as the folder depth is too much.

Oh well.

Might have to try and do it manually...
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Re: Nested folders Tue Oct 28, 2014 7:53 am • by tansleypete
Just in case this helps anyone, I used this line to copy from my Dropbox/Camera Uploads folder to my Pictures folder

find ~/Dropbox/Camera\ Uploads/ -name '*.JPG' -o -name '*.jpg' -exec cp {} ~/Pictures/Dropbox\ photos/ \;

Obviously this is Mac/Unix and change the JPG/jpg to whatever file type necessary.

One gotcha is that this changes all the file timestamps. Luckily Lightroom can redo the EXIF data but all a bit long-winded....
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