# Watch Folders

This script enables you to monitor a folder for new files/folders to transfer with OffShoot or transcode with EditReady.

### Requirements

* OffShoot 23.2 Pro or newer
* EditReady 23.1 or newer

### Known limitations

* This script ignores existing subfolders.
* EditReady needs to be open for the Watch Folder script to work.
* macOS: no support for filenames containing `\` or `%`.
* macOS: when multiple files are added (nearly) simultaneously, one or more might not be transcoded.
* Windows: no support for filenames containing any of these characters: ``+[]{}`'``.

### How to use

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="macOS" %}

1. [Download](https://downloads.hedge.video/offshoot/watchfolders/Watchfolder%20Setup%201.01.scpt) the Watch Folder setup script.
2. Double-click the script to open it in Script Editor.
3. Configure the settings in the script and save it.
4. To run the script, go to `Script > Run` or press `Command-R`. New files that appear in the source folder will transfer to the destination folder using OffShoot.

To stop watching the folder, rerun the Watch Folder script.

The script sets up a macOS Folder Action, which triggers the script whenever a file appears in the watch folder. The script then calls OffShoot to transfer those files to the configured destination.

{% hint style="info" %}
macOS Folder Actions can also be managed through the Folder Actions Setup app.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/d0BBiuF1giNwqVXiJcBS" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>The Folder Actions Setup app</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
You can watch multiple folders by making copies of the script with different configurations and running them one by one. To stop each watch folder, you can rerun each script or manually remove them from the Folder Actions Setup app.
{% endhint %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Windows" %}

1. [Download](https://downloads.hedge.video/offshoot/watchfolders/Watchfolder%20Setup%201.0.scpt) the script.
2. Start a PowerShell session as an Administrator:
   1. Click **Start.**
   2. Type `PowerShell ISE`, then click `Run as administrator` on the right.

<figure><img src="/files/c7M0jn09c0Po8UbbLrtE" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>How to run PowerShell ISE as administrator</p></figcaption></figure>

3. In PowerShell ISE, open the script using `File` > `Open...`
4. Configure the settings in the script and save it.
5. To run the script, go to `Debug > Run` or press `F5`. The script will start OffShoot transfers for new files in the configured source folder.
6. Keep PowerShell ISE open for as long as you want the folder to be watched. New files that appear in the source folder will transfer to the destination folder using OffShoot.

To stop watching the folder, close PowerShell ISE.

{% hint style="info" %}
You can watch multiple folders by making copies of the script with different configurations and running them in a New PowerShell Tab.&#x20;
{% endhint %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.hedge.video/offshoot/features/automation/examples/watch-folders.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.