iPhoto Batch Album Export Using AppleScript
I needed to automate a mass export from the old iPhoto '11. AppleScript UI Scripting made it an easy process, though time consuming. Since it is just scripting the UI of iPhoto, you have no questionable quality factors of third party programs. Before I wrote this, I didn't realize just how much UI scripting could handle. You can use the techniques to script just about anything if you have the patience for it.
Here is the script:
global rootFolder -- Export path
global exportType -- 1 = Original, 2 = Full Size JPG, 3 = Large Size JPG
global subFolderEvent -- 1 = No Event Subfolders, 2 = Event Subfolders
tell application "iPhoto"
activate
set startingAlbum to current album
set rootFolder to "/Users/brian/Export/Original/"
set exportType to 1
set subFolderEvent to 1
exportAlbum of me from startingAlbum
set rootFolder to "/Users/brian/Export/FullJPG/"
set exportType to 2
set subFolderEvent to 1
exportAlbum of me from startingAlbum
set rootFolder to "/Users/brian/Export/LargeJPG/"
set exportType to 3
set subFolderEvent to 1
exportAlbum of me from startingAlbum
end tell
--
-- Recursively export albums
--
to exportAlbum from selectedAlbum
tell application "iPhoto"
set originalRootFolder to rootFolder -- Push onto stack
set rootFolder to rootFolder & (name of selectedAlbum) & "/" -- Add the name of the folder/album onto the end of the path
set albumList to (children of selectedAlbum)
-- export pictures if it is leaf node, recurse otherwise
if (count of albumList) = 0 then
uiScriptExport of me from selectedAlbum
else
repeat with childAlbum in albumList
exportAlbum of me from childAlbum
end repeat
end if
set rootFolder to originalRootFolder -- Pop off of stack
end tell
end exportAlbum
--
-- Create and choose the folder to save to, start the export and wait for it to finish
--
to uiScriptExport from selectedAlbum
tell application "iPhoto"
activate
-- Select the album
select selectedAlbum
-- Create save folder
tell me
do shell script "mkdir -p " & quoted form of rootFolder
log rootFolder
end tell
tell application "System Events"
tell process "iPhoto"
keystroke "e" using {command down, shift down} -- Bring up the Export Window
-- Wait for the window to appear
repeat until (exists window "Export")
delay 1
end repeat
delay 1
uiScriptExportSettings() of me
delay 2
keystroke return -- Save Dialog Appears
uiScriptSaveDialog(rootFolder) of me
delay 5
keystroke return -- Export starts
-- Wait for Export to finish
repeat until (not (exists window "Export"))
delay 1
end repeat
end tell
end tell
end tell
end uiScriptExport
--
-- UI Scripting to pick the save location
--
on uiScriptSaveDialog(saveLocation)
tell application "System Events"
tell process "iPhoto"
delay 3
keystroke "g" using {command down, shift down} -- Navigate to Folder
delay 3
keystroke saveLocation
delay 5
keystroke return
end tell
end tell
end uiScriptSaveDialog
--
-- Switches between the different uiScripts needed for the different export types
--
to uiScriptExportSettings()
if exportType is equal to 1 then
uiScriptExportOriginalSettings() of me
else if exportType is equal to 2 then
uiScriptExportFullJPGSettings() of me
else if exportType is equal to 3 then
uiScriptExportLargeJPGSettings() of me
else
display dialog "No ExportType"
end if
end uiScriptExportSettings
to uiScriptExportLargeJPGSettings()
tell application "System Events"
tell process "iPhoto"
-- Kind
tell pop up button 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "JPEG" of menu 1
end tell
-- Size
tell pop up button 1 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Large" of menu 1
end tell
-- JPEG Quality
tell pop up button 3 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "High" of menu 1
end tell
-- File name
tell pop up button 1 of group 1 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Use title" of menu 1
end tell
-- Subfolder Format, will only exist for albums with more than 1 picture.
try
tell pop up button 1 of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
if subFolderEvent is 1 then
click menu item "None" of menu 1
else
click menu item "Event Name" of menu 1
end if
end tell
end try
delay 1
end tell
end tell
end uiScriptExportLargeJPGSettings
to uiScriptExportFullJPGSettings()
tell application "System Events"
tell process "iPhoto"
-- Kind
tell pop up button 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "JPEG" of menu 1
end tell
-- Size
tell pop up button 1 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Full Size" of menu 1
end tell
-- JPEG Quality
tell pop up button 3 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "High" of menu 1
end tell
-- File name
tell pop up button 1 of group 1 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Use title" of menu 1
end tell
-- Subfolder Format, will only exist for albums with more than 1 picture.
try
tell pop up button 1 of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
if subFolderEvent is 1 then
click menu item "None" of menu 1
else
click menu item "Event Name" of menu 1
end if
end tell
end try
delay 1
end tell
end tell
end uiScriptExportFullJPGSettings
to uiScriptExportOriginalSettings()
tell application "System Events"
tell process "iPhoto"
-- Kind
tell pop up button 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Original" of menu 1
end tell
-- File name
tell pop up button 1 of group 1 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
click menu item "Use title" of menu 1
end tell
-- Subfolder Format, will only exist for albums with more than 1 picture.
try
tell pop up button 1 of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
click
if subFolderEvent is 1 then
click menu item "None" of menu 1
else
click menu item "Event Name" of menu 1
end if
end tell
end try
delay 1
end tell
end tell
end uiScriptExportOriginalSettings
The rootFolder variable is the path for the export.
The exportType variable is either 1, 2 or 3. 1 is the original file, 2 is a full size jpg and 3 is a large size jpg.
The subFolderEvent variable is either 1 or 2. 1 is that the exported files are not sorted into event subfolders, 2 is that they are.
Configure the script to export with the settings you want. In iPhoto, organize the albums you want exported into an export folder. Select the export folder and run the script. The script will create a folder structure matching the album hierarchy in iPhoto and export each album. You can have as many subfolders as you want and it will be matched in the export. Since this is UI scripting, you can't use the computer while the export is running or the script will try to click on buttons and type while you're doing something else. Weird things will happen.
If you just want to export your entire iPhoto library in original quality, drag every event into a new album. Then in the script, set the rootFolder to your save location, set exportType to 1 and subFolderEvent to 2. Select the album in iPhoto and run the script. You will end up with every event exported into its own folder.