Trouble getting file name references right

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

My apologies for seemingly asking the same questions over but I must have some kind of mental block when it comes to figuring out how to properly reference files in Applescript. It still seems like rocket science to me but should be exceedingly simple. I have a script that works up to the point were I try to print a file generated by PDFMerge. The file clearly exists because I can see it and manipulate it but the ‘print’ command tells me it cannot find the file. I have tried every combination of ‘as alias’ and posix paths/files I can think of. I have the syntax right for the merge to work but cannot get it right for ‘print’. Can someone please help? Thanks.
Here is just the latest failure:

set tiff_folder to "Common:Tiff to PDF:Print Queue"
set merge_name to "Users:admin:Documents:Internet Downloads:temp_print_file.pdf"
set merge_name_posix to POSIX path of merge_name
tell application "Finder"
	set file_todo to {}
	repeat with file_name in folder tiff_folder
		set end of file_todo to file_name as alias
	end repeat
	tell application "PDFmerge"
		activate
		clear
		add file_todo
		merge to merge_name_posix
	end tell
	print merge_name as alias
	tell application "Printer Setup Utility"
		set p to current printer
		repeat
			do shell script "sleep 5"
			set s to status of p
			if s is (idle) then exit repeat
		end repeat
	end tell
	delete merge_name
	delete file_todo
	quit application "Printer Setup Utility"
	quit application "Preview"
end tell
#2

I got it. It turns out the print command needs the hard drive name in the path, while the merge application doesn’t care, it works either way.

#3

Hello

Perhaps this complementary tests may help.

set tiff_folder to "Common:Tiff to PDF:Print Queue"
set merge_name to "Users:admin:Documents:Internet Downloads:temp_print_file.pdf"
set merge_name_posix to POSIX path of merge_name
tell application "Finder"
	set file_todo to {}
	repeat with file_name in folder tiff_folder
		set end of file_todo to file_name as alias
	end repeat
end tell -- Finder

	tell application "PDFmerge"
		activate
		clear
		add file_todo
		merge to merge_name_posix
	end tell -- PDFmerge
	
tell application "Finder"
	repeat
		if exists item merge_name then exit repeat
		delay 0.2
	end repeat
	
	set e_o_f to 0
	repeat
		set _ to get eof of file merge_name
		if e_o_f = _ then exit repeat
		set e_o_f to _
		delay 0.2
	end repeat
	
	print merge_name as alias
end tell -- Finder	

tell application "Printer Setup Utility"
	set p to current printer
	repeat
		do shell script "sleep 5"
		set s to status of p
		if s is (idle) then exit repeat
	end repeat
end tell -- Printer Setup Utility

tell application "Finder"
	delete merge_name
	delete file_todo
	quit application "Printer Setup Utility"
	quit application "Preview"
end tell -- Finder

The first loop checks that the file exists.
The second checks that it is completely written.

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 10 octobre 2006 17:20:59)