Setting up a uTorrent schedule using iCal alarms

Since I have finally figured out that TPG's off-peak hours are 2.30am - 8.00am I asked myself how can I realistically download anything in this period. I have been using uTorrent since the Xtorrent upgrade fiasco and the Windows version has a built in timer but alas not for the Mac. Apparently it is on the to-do list.

My first effort was trying to set up an Automator script to handle the opening and closing on uTorrent. I could slip into Mininova before bed and set my downloads the quit out of uTorrent the have my magic Automator script switch it on and off at my designated times. I thought the opening and closing of applications on a timer would be bread and butter for Automator but no...there is no scheduler in Automator.

What you can do though is set an iCal alarm to run an application or script. You can easily create an application in Automator to launch an application.

1. Open the automator application
2. Select the custom workflow
3. Search for "launch"
4. Drag the "Launch Application" script to the workflow
5. Select the uTorrent application
6. Select File -> Save As ->
7. Save the file as an application
8. Repeat this replacing the "Launch Application" with "Quit Application" script

Once you have your applications you can set up your schedule in iCal

1. Open iCal
2. Insert a new event at the time you want uTorrent to launch
3. Under alarm select "Open File"
4. Change iCal to uTorrent launch application you just created
5. Change 15 mins before to 0 mins before
6. Repeat this with the quit application at the time you want the application to close
7. Set your repeat schedule, I have mine set for every day.

This is a real workaround and I am positive a scheduler will be built in soon, but for now this works. As explained I simply fin the torrents I am looking for, start them downloading then quit out of uTorrent.

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posted by Brad Down at 10/12/2009 11:19:00 PM