POSIX to alias conversion

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

TRying to convert a POSIX file path to an alias with the following statement:

set myFilePathAlias to (POSIX file myFilePath as alias)

myFilePath is obtained from the filepath property of a file alarm in iCal and a display dialog shows it as:

file://localhost/Users/Dad/Documents/Scripts/Compiled%20Scripts/RepeatTask.app

The Applescript stops with an error on the set myFilePathAlias statement “Cannot make POSIX file into type alias”, listing the above POSIX file path.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Pete

#2

Hi,

the problem is, you’re trying to coerce a file URL to an alias, not a POSIX path
try this, the perl line coerces file URL to POSIX path


set fileURL to "file://localhost/Users/Dad/Documents/Scripts/Compiled%20Scripts/RepeatTask.app"
set myFilePath to (do shell script "perl -e 'use URI::file; print URI->new(\"" & fileURL & "\")->file;'")
set myFilePathAlias to (POSIX file myFilePath as alias)
#3

Thanks Stefan.

The Applescript dictionary for iCal states that the filepath is “the (POSIX) file path to be opened by the alarm” but sounds like that’s incorrect unless I need to change the way set myFilePath. Right now, it’s:

set myFilePath to filepath of item j of myAlarms (I’m in a repeat loop with MyAlarms set to open file alarms)

I can certainly use the perl code you gave me but is there a way to set myFilePath so that it ends up with a POSIX file path?

Thanks,
Pete

#4

the dictionary is obviously lying.
The filepath property of open file alarm returns a file URL, so you have to coerce it.
Just cutting file://localhost is not sufficient, the escaped (e.g. %20) characters have also to be considered.