Hotfolder print for Mac

Hi!

I have used Breezysys Hotfolder Print on Windows and looking for a Mac alternative of that now.
I would like to print any photos automatically what I copy to an exact folder.
Can you suggest me some solution?

Thanks in advance!

You can use Automator (the application built in to the Mac OS) to make a Folder Action. The Action you specify is attached to the folder you designate as the "Hot" folder and gets triggered each time you add files to the folder. In this case you would:

1) create the Hot Folder (e.g., "HOTFOLDER") on your Desktop, for example.
2) open Automator and create a new Folder Action - you will be given a choice to attach the action to a specific folder. In the dropdown menu, choose "Other" and navigate to the HOTFOLDER on your desktop and select this folder.
3) on the left of the Automator window is the Library panel with all of the Automator actions and steps that you can use to, well, automate things. In the search bar at the top of the list, type "Print" and find the item called "Print Finder items" - drag that item onto the working area of the window.
4) From the dropdown menu, choose the printer to which you would like each of the files in the hot folder to print.
5) Save the Folder Action - this will attach it to the folder and it will be active and ready to use.

6) Now, grab a few files and drag them into/onto the HOTFOLDER - the files should start to print. To test everything, turn your printer off first - the files will be sent to the print queue and you will be able to check that everything is working without actually having the printer start to print, potentially wasting ink and paper if things go wrong.

That's all there is to it. Each time you drag more files into the folder, those files will be printed. All of the files will accumulate inside the HOTFOLDER by default. You can make your action more sophisticated by telling it to print and then delete the files too, etc., assuming you are working with duplicates that can be deleted once the print job is complete. You may also be able to enable some intelligence in terms of fitting the print to a specific size or orientation with other Automator items in the Library - for example, use the "Print Images" item instead of the "Print Finder Items."

Kirk

Hi there,

Thank you so much for this. I do however have an issue, I followed all instructions but because the printer I'm using is a photo printer and uses photo paper of a different size. When Automator prints, the printer throws an error saying there is an issue with the paper size and ink ribbon. it says "pagesize-inkribbon-unmuch 0x0001"
which I have narrowed down to it requesting the printer print on the wrong size paper when automator actions it. It doesn't allow me to set a default print size in the "printers and scanners" preset. Only when I print manually at which point it works and the printer prints the image as it should. Any help? or do you know of programs like the breeze hot folder prints that I can try for Mac?