Lets say you have an extra computer at home which can be used to download Linux distros using Transmission on Mac OS X. Here’s how you can let the computer iChat you when a download is complete.

  1. Sign up for a new iChat screen name and add your normal user as a buddy.
  2. In Transmission, open Preferences
    ? Transfers and set the folder for incomplete files to something different than the “Default download location”.
  3. Start Automator (in /Applications) and create a new workflow
  4. Add the “Run AppleScript” action and paste in this code (replace YOURBUDDY with the scree name of your own iChat account:
  5. Save as a plugin and choose “Folder action” in the “Save As” dialog. Select the folder you setup Transmission to use as the “Default download location”.
  6. Done! The script should now send you an iChat message whenever a new file is added to the folder.

I created this setup a pretty long time ago and still use it, but these days together with a Growl notification plugin that also twitters me when the download is complete.