One of my favorite features in OS X is Automator, a clever way to expedite routine tasks.
Since I maintain my entire iTunes library on a network music server, one of my most routine tasks was connecting to the music server and then launching iTunes. On average, it’s a process that took me… eh, about a billion clicks. (OK, maybe not a billion, but enough to be annoying.) But now – thanks to Automator – connecting to the music server and launching iTunes is a one-click job.
How did I set up Automator to connect to my iTunes network music server? Glad you asked!
- Launch Automator and create a new workflow.
- From the Applications list, select Finder.
- Select “Get Specified Servers” from the Actions list, adding my network music folder.
- Add the “Connect to Servers” action and ensure the “Use Results from Previous Action” URL option is selected.
- Add the “Launch Application” action, selecting iTunes and ensure the “Use Results from Previous Action” URL option is selected.
- Save the Workflow as an Application.
That’s it! Of course, this works for me because of my particular network arrangement. As they say, your milage may vary! 🙂
And, for even more effortless tune-age, I’ve added my Automator application to my dock, replacing the default iTunes icon.