Automator or Applescript?

[DMHamm]

First off, I'm a complete newbie to either scripting technology so I have no preference on which to use. I was hoping to use Automator with maybe only a couple of small Applescripts injected, but right out of the gate I'm baffled. I have attached a flow of what I am trying to do. So far my questions are:

1. How do I pass the variables from the body of the email to the Automator script?
2. I see the 'Get Specified Server' action, but do not see how to provide my credentials for logging on.
3. How do I specify only certain files to be acted upon?
4. How do I create a subfolder and then copy files into that new folder? (Really stumped on this one, as the Automator actions do not seem to provide for any kind of variable as the destination folder.)

My larger question is: should I even try this in Automator or should I just start working on an Applescript? In some ways it seems like it would be easier using the latter, but I just don't know enough to make that call.

Any help someone can provide would be greatly appreciated. This is for a side-project at work, and if I can get the hang of writing scripts there are a TON of other opportunities I would like to tackle.

Thank you!

 

[Kaveman]

How do I pass the variables from the body of the email to the Automator script?

You can't.

I see the 'Get Specified Server' action, but do not see how to provide my credentials for logging on.

There is a plain text method, (not recommended) UserNameassword@server, see http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20100403050702737

How do I specify only certain files to be acted upon?

Get Specified Finder Items

How do I create a subfolder and then copy files into that new folder? (Really stumped on this one, as the Automator actions do not seem to provide for any kind of variable as the destination folder.)

New Folder, no you can't.

As soon as you want to use variables and do what the Workflows don't obviously do you need to move to AppleScript. Once you can knock out AppleScripts then you will find Automator easy and better grasp it limits.

 

[Kaveman]

stupid emoticons that is UserName: and then password

 

[DMHamm]

Thank you, Kaveman - I kind of thought that might be the case. Guess I'll be putting that "Applescript 1-2-3" book to work sooner rather than later.