FileTools DirectoryWatcherAssistant is intended as a companion tool for FileTools. Unfortunately, macOS's sandboxing feature (which is a requirement for release on the Mac App Store) can often interfere with tasks that you may with to preform with a FileTools Watch Directory.

DirectoryWatcherAssistant is designed to work around this problem. Because it is distributed outside the Mac App Store, it is not subject to the Sandboxing requirement. It sits unobtrusively in the menu bar where it waits for your directory watchers to send it commands. It will then complete those commands and send a response to FileTools informing it that it can carry on with its workflow.

Currently, FileTools DirectoryWatcherAssistant handles running of shell commands for the Run Shell Script and Run Shell Command tools. It also enables an Add To iTunes tool, which is not available without DirectoryWatcherAssistant.

FileTools DirectoryWatcherAssistant only accepts commands from FileTools when it is running on the same computer under the same user account, so it is safe and secure. There is no way for other people to use it to circumvent your system's security.