CODEWITHSUNDEEP
applescript
kitchen800
kitchen800

Reputation: 227

Read time/date variable from .txt file using AppleScript

I am trying to read a time / date variable from a .txt file using an apple script. Depending on the time / date in the file I want to stop the apple script or run the rest of the apple script.

So the .txt file lives on my desktop so my apple script is as below:

set desktop_folder to "$HOME/Desktop"
set myFile to "timeDate.txt"
do shell script "echo my file contents is:" & myFile
if myFile < 2021-09-25 then
    error number -128
end if

The date in timeDate.txt file is less 2021-09-25 so it should stop the rest of the code from running. I can't see why the code doesn't stop.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 268

Answers (2)

Robert Kniazidis
Robert Kniazidis

Reputation: 1878

To compare string dates without localization issues for a specific user, they should first be converted to date objects:

-- script: example for comparing string dates
-- assuming the content of text file is a single entry,
-- in the same format as e.g. "2021-09-25"

set comparedDateString to "2021-09-25"
set readDateString to read (choose file of type "txt")

set dateObject to (current date)
set dateObject's year to (text 1 thru 4 of comparedDateString) as integer
set dateObject's day to (text 9 thru 10 of comparedDateString) as integer
set dateObject's month to (text 6 thru 7 of comparedDateString) as integer
set comparedDate to dateObject

set dateObject's year to (text 1 thru 4 of readDateString) as integer
set dateObject's day to (text 9 thru 10 of readDateString) as integer
set dateObject's month to (text 6 thru 7 of readDateString) as integer
set readDate to dateObject

if readDate < comparedDate then error number -128

Upvotes: 1

user3439894
user3439894

Reputation: 7555

Assuming the content of timeDate.txt is a single entry in the same format as e.g. 2021-09-25 without a trailing linefeed, then the following example AppleScript code does what you are attempting to do.

Example AppleScript code:

set myFile to POSIX path of ¬
    (path to desktop) & "timeDate.txt"

set dateString to read myFile

if dateString < "2021-09-25" then return

If you run into a issue comparing a date as text/string, then use:

Example AppleScript code:

set thisDate to "2021-09-25"

set myFile to POSIX path of ¬
    (path to desktop) & "timeDate.txt"

set dateString to read myFile

if date dateString < date thisDate then return

Upvotes: 0

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