open and then 'save as' group of files in TextEdit (Newbe)

[birdwood]

In the new TextEdit it is possible to open WORD documents. Is it possible to convert those documents to Plain text and save them with the same name and the extension .txt
I already have the part wich convert the rich text to plain"

on do_menu(app_name, menu_name, menu_item)
try
– bring the target application to the front
tell application app_name
activate
end tell
tell application “System Events”
tell process app_name
tell menu bar 1
tell menu bar item menu_name
tell menu menu_name
click menu item menu_item
end tell
end tell
end tell
end tell
end tell
return true
on error error_message
return false
end try
end do_menu

do_menu(“Textedit”, “Format”, “Make Plain Text”)

tell application “System Events”
tell process “textedit”
tell window “untitled”
if exists sheet 1 then
tell sheet 1
click button “ok”
end tell
end if
end tell
end tell
end tell

[julifos]

If you need simply “plain text”, you can use the following:

set newFile to (path to desktop as text) & "new file.txt"
set theText to text of document 1 of application "TextEdit"

open for access file newFile with write permission
write theText to file newFile
close access file newFile

[birdwood]

Thanks,

Can I also make the new file in an other directory? For example “destination_directory”??

I also would ask if you can cut off the extension of the variable “item_info”. Because i would like to name the new file “item_info minus extension.txt”

Thanks in advance

bert

[julifos]

Simply adjust the variable “newFile” to match your needs. For example:

set newName to my switchExtension("file.doc")
set destFolder to "disk:folder:subfolder:"
set newFile to destFolder & newName
--> "disk:folder:subfolder:file.txt"

to switchExtension(x)
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to "."
	try
		set x to "" & x's text items 1 thru -2 & ".txt"
	on error --> there was not extension
		set x to x & ".txt"
	end try
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to {""}
	return x
end switchExtensions

[birdwood]

Thanks jj,

I made my first script with your help!!!

THANKS

The scriptis a folder action script. When you put multiple WORD documenten in the folder with the script it makes a folder “done” and put al the to plain text converted files in that folder.

Keep in mind that I am “newbie” I am proud but i have a lot to learn. It is amazing what you can learn in a week’s time. And I have also to thank Bert Altenburg for his perfect guide "APPLESCRIPT FOR ABSOLUTE STARTERS "

on switchExtension(x)
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to "."
	try
		set x to "" & x's text items 1 thru -2 & ".txt"
	on error --> there was not extension 
		set x to x & ".txt"
	end try
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to {""}
	return x
end switchExtension


on adding folder items to this_folder after receiving these_items
	tell application "Finder"
		if not (exists folder "Done" of this_folder) then
			make new folder at this_folder with properties ¬
				{name:"Done"}
		end if
		set the destination_folder to folder "Done" of ¬
			this_folder as alias
		set the destination_directory to (destination_folder as Unicode text)
	end tell
	repeat with i from 1 to number of items in these_items
		set this_item to item i of these_items
		set the item_info to info for this_item
		if this_item is not the destination_folder and the ¬
			name extension of the item_info is not in ¬
			{"txt"} then
			set the item_path to (this_item as Unicode text)
			set the destination_path to (destination_directory & (name of ¬
				item_info)) as string
			
			
			-- bring the target application to the front
			tell application "TextEdit"
				activate
				open these_items
				set newName to my switchExtension(name of item_info)
				set destFolder to (destination_directory as Unicode text)
				set newFile to (destFolder & newName)
				--> "disk:folder:subfolder:file.txt"
				set theText to text of document 1 of application "TextEdit"
				open for access file newFile with write permission
				write theText to file newFile
				close access file newFile
			end tell
		end if
	end repeat
	tell application "TextEdit"
		quit
	end tell
end adding folder items to