Mac Automation: notes on your iPod

Many iPod users run into this challenge: we are always carrying our iPods, so we want to use them to help us remember things. Well, using Automator, we can easily address this issue. In this how-to, I will walk through creating iPod notes very easily (and all without opening a text editor).

For this how-to, you will need the following Automator actions loaded into a new workflow:

Ask for Text
New iPod Note
Update iPod

Read on for the next steps.

Now let's tweak a few of the settings in each of the actions. In the "New iPod Note" action, click the options and choose "Show this action when the workflow runs" -- this will allow you to change the notes file name each time you use the workflow.

When you run the workflow, you will be presented with a large text area to type your note. Go ahead and type what you want to appear on the iPod, then click OK.

When you click OK, you will be presented with a save file name box. Type in the file name you want to appear on the iPod's notes, then click Continue.

Your iPod will then be updated with the note. Go to Extras > Notes to view your note.

Please note that you can only create notes on iPods that allow notes (this includes all the current models, plus iPod Mini, and the 5G iPod). However, this will not work with iPhone or iPod touch. You can now save this Automator workflow as an application and use it over and over again!

Remember, if there is anything you would like to know how how to automate on the Mac, shoot us a comment below!

View Tags

Categories

Features How-tos

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Mac_Automation_creating_iPod_notes_using_Automator'; Many iPod users run into this challenge: we...

Add a Comment

Sign in »

15 Comments

Filter by:

Gilles

What I'd really like is a way to increase the font size in the notes on my iPod classic.

January 22 2008 at 1:56 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

daba

*--------------------*
Could someone please tell/show me how to do the opposite with automator - Remove Notes from my iPod
thanks
*--------------------*

January 20 2008 at 9:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tony

I tried doing this one before, but had no luck. I take a lot of screenshots at work using the built in keyboard shortcuts and then I usually open them up in Photoshop and do what I need to do there.

I was wondering if there was a way to use Automator to save screenshots in a specified folder and then automatically open the .png file in Photoshop (or Preview, etc.).

January 20 2008 at 1:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

chad

Awesome, thanks! My first experience with Automator.
I saved as an application and it works great if the iPod is connected. Is this only available for connected iPods? Is it possible to write this to save notes and then update when an iPod is conected? Like podcasts, playlists, etc?
I tend to leave my iPod at work or in the car or god knows where.

January 20 2008 at 12:47 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jeff

I like this posting. For someone that hasn't used Scripts or Automator as I'm not quite sure what I can do with them or why I would use them (us non-programming types), can TUAW post a compare and contrast with Automator vs Apple Script? Why use one vs the other, and in what situation who the non-programming inclined Mac user benefit from these powerful tools. Possibly broken down by categories. Like 'photoshop' or 'maintenance' or whatever. Thanks

January 20 2008 at 12:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David King

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but i'll try it anyway. I'm trying to write an automator script for management of medications. when I order medication it only lasts for a month or two weeks or 7 days ect, i want a small program which asks for the name of the medication, (maybe even remembers their names), then asks how long they last, making an appropriate date in a calendar marked medications, in order to keep up to dat as to when to order more.

I have Used automator to try to do this but can never get it quite right.

Any ideas?

January 20 2008 at 12:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to David King's comment

newsray

The easiest thing would be to just enter these in a calendar manually. You can make them recurrent.

Create an all day event, "Order Med X" on the date when you need to next order X. Make it recur every 7, 14 or 30 days, and end after 6 months. You can put the url or notes in the event. Do the same for Med Y. Set an alarm so you are reminded on the day.

January 20 2008 at 1:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David King

i have already tried this but as the dates, frequencies and doses change so often i was looking for a solution which would create iCal events based on a series of answers i give to predefined questions

January 20 2008 at 1:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Michael

Just to let you know, you don't need the final step of Update iPod. Just having Ask for text and New iPod note will work just fine.

January 20 2008 at 9:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Keith

Because it would be nice to type up notes or use stickies on my mac and then transfer them to the notes app on my touch

January 20 2008 at 8:52 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Keith's comment

Sam

I agree that it would be great if Stickies supported Automator. If only the company that makes the Stickies app would support these standards!

January 20 2008 at 9:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Keith