[Bug 163079] New: "autoscript" on a folder

[François Tissandier]

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http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=163079         
           Summary: "autoscript" on a folder
           Product: plasma
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: Compiled Sources
        OS/Version: Linux
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: wishlist
          Priority: NOR
         Component: general
        AssignedTo: panel-devel kde org
        ReportedBy: francois.tissandier gmail com


Version:            (using Devel)
Installed from:    Compiled sources

Nautilus on Gnome offers the possibility to run scripts manually for each file by right clicking on it. I don't know if it's possible with Dolphin/Konqueror/Plasma on KDE4, but I think it could be improved by giving the possibility to associate one particular script to a folder to make it
"autorunnable" for each new file in this folder, like the action folders on Mac.

Examples:

-you want to convert .odt documents in PDF. You create a directory called "PDF"
and you associate it with a script which converts any .odt or .doc document
into a PDF. Each time you copy a file in this folder, it's automatically
converted into a PDF document. 

-you want to convert some photos into JPG and with a width of 1280px. You
create a folder called "JPG_1280w" for instance, and associate it with a script
converting any image into a jpg with this specific width. Then you just have to
drag and drop files on this directory to have them converted.

-you want to convert songs into mp3. You create a "MP3" folder, with specific
settings for conversion, and that's it, you just have to copy files in this
folder to have them converted.

I find this feature to be extremely user friendly. It cannot really be simpler:
just drag and drop on the folder, and it will work in the background. You know
exactly where the result will be located, and that you will keep a copy of the
original. 

It's NOT meant to replace the scripts, but to work as some kind of user
friendly front-end for it. You can still keep a flexible script to convert
audio files for instance, and create 2 "autofolders" from it: one "ogg-128" to
create 128kbits/s files for your portable audio device, and one "ogg-256" for
your computer. 

It will easily look more user friendly than scripts, as you can put a specific
tag on each folder, and also use a specific icon for those folders (with a special color for instance, or a border).  

It could also be used for network shared folders: this way everybody can use a
script created on a server. For instance you can create a folder called
"sendFTP" on your server, have it visible for everybody, and when someone put a
new file in this folder, it's automatically sent by FTP to a server somewhere. 

The possibilities are really endless. It could work with Plasma/Konqueror/Dolphin. 

Of course there are security issues, but I think that if someone is able to modify the properties of a folder, he does not really need to use scripts to mess everything.