watch-automation

Folder automation recipes with carrel watch

carrel watch DIR --on EVENTS --run CMD runs shell actions on file events (watchdog-based). {path} in the action is substituted with the triggering file, already shell-quoted. Multiple --run flags execute in order. --debounce MS collapses editor save-storms. Use --once or --timeout SECS for bounded test runs, --json-lines for machine-readable logs. Ctrl-C exits cleanly.

Before composing a recipe, run carrel watch --help to confirm the installed version has the flags you plan to use.

Recipe: auto-thumbnail new images

carrel watch ~/Pictures/incoming --on created --glob '*.png' \
  --run 'carrel thumb {path} --out-dir ~/Pictures/thumbs'

Add a second --glob-less watch or broaden the glob for jpg. Thumbnails land in --out-dir; the watch ignores files its own actions write.

Recipe: auto-index documents into the desk db

Keep carrel search results fresh as files arrive:

carrel watch ~/Documents/desk --on created,modified \
  --run 'carrel --root ~/Documents/desk index --update {path} --if-indexed'

--update (re)indexes just the touched file; --if-indexed makes it a silent no-op until someone has run carrel index once — safe to leave running.

Recipe: auto-convert a drop folder

Everything dropped as markdown comes out as PDF:

carrel watch ~/dropbox/md-in --on created --glob '*.md' \
  --run 'carrel convert {path} --to pdf --out-dir ~/dropbox/pdf-out'

Chain steps with repeated --run (they execute sequentially per event), e.g. convert then index the output directory.

Recipe: file an inbox instead of scripting it

When the actions would be "read the document, name it, move it, index it", use carrel intake — one command instead of a --run chain, and it never overwrites or deletes:

carrel intake ~/inbox --to ~/archive                       # dry-run: the plan
carrel intake ~/inbox --to ~/archive --apply               # file what is there
carrel intake ~/inbox --to ~/archive --watch --stable 5    # keep filing arrivals