Distributions

Distributions specify actions, called distribution actions, that distribute or handle files and information outside of Automator. Distributions can be specified for input files, export files, and portable reports, and can be configured with the Distribution Editor and the Script Editor. Distributions can be used for:

• Sending emails (with or without attachments)

• RSS feeds

• Moving, copying, and deleting files (to both the file system and to FTP/SFTP-compliant and WebDAV-compliant servers using http)

• Writing to the Windows Event Log

There are two types of distributions that can be specified:

• Project Distributions: These distributions apply only to the input, export and portable report files of the specified project.

• Global Distributions: These distributions can apply to any input files used in all processes, and to any export files and portable reports that are produced by all processed in the specified folders.

Global distributions are useful if you have fairly narrow rules on distribution of files and information, or you want to try and structure distribution in a more transparent way, rather than having multiple discrete distribution rules in many different projects.

A typical use for this might be to set up "inboxes" and "outboxes", where files that come into the specific inboxes are renamed and copied to an archive folder and then deleted, and the projects are set up to export to a particular person's (or group's) outbox so that they receive emails or RSS feeds targeted to them.

To view the Distributions page, on the Navigation Tree, click Automator > Standard Processes and select Distributions.