Explained Automation options

Understand rules

The makeup of smart containers varies slightly from app to app, but the foundation is always rules or conditions (if... then). Figure out in plain English what requirements you want items to match, and then set about defining that using the menu options.

Start using SmartF olders

In Finder, you can create Smart Folders, which are automatically filled with items that match your specified criteria. The contents could be anything from recently-saved JPEGs to all items that you’ve tagged with a red label.

Smart Playlists

Smart Playlists in iTunes provide the means to create collections of music that continually adapt. For example, you might create one for recent additions you haven’t played at all, or stuff you love (you’ve rated five stars, say) yet haven’t played for months.

Text replacement

If you’re always mistyping, use the Text tab in System Preferences’ Keyboard pane. There, you’ll find a table in which to specify text you want to replace with longer phrases, plus system-wide settings for shortcuts, such as turning quotation marks “curly” (like that).

Smart Mailboxes

By default, the Mail app provides you with a sole Smart Mailbox: Today. This contains all of the messages that arrived on the current day from all of your accounts. But it’s easy to create more useful custom Smart Mailboxes to automatically group messages that match your specified criteria in each case.

Automate tasks

Automator is used to build workflows that can perform tasks on your behalf. In the hands of a programmer, it’s a hugely powerful facility, but the drag-and-drop system is suitable even for complete beginners.