Does anyone use AppleScripts?

zo

I've been using Macs for the last 8 years and I have never used one. I don't know why. I feel I might mess up the computer or something. I also feel that while a script may be a good shortcut, many times I can do the same things with one extra step and a few more seconds.



A few years ago, Jobs and Schiller (I believe) showed off an amazing AS demo with Quark ( I believe) and the internet. The scenario was that someone sent pictures through the net to their office and with an AS basically all the pics got automatically postioned, corrected, placed, etc etc. Looked incredibly cool... but complex.



How many people actually use AS to automate their workflow? How useful really is it?

jambo

I've never used AppleScript myself but I'd like to learn. Does anyone know when AppleScript Studio is due to be released?



J

graphiteman

I started off with AppleScript, but found that it wasn't all too powerful (Especially in the interface department). So I switched to REALbasic. It can do anything AppleScript can do (even more powerfully) and it is also a full fledged programming language that can compile for OS 9, OS X, and Windows (Windows, however, does not include apple events for obvious reasons).



You can even create AppleScripts triggered by moving 3d objects!



<a href="http://www.realsoftware.com/realbasic/"; target="_blank">http://www.realsoftware.com/realbasic/</a>;

spaceman_spiff

I love using Applescripts with apps like Claris Emailer (Yeah, I know. I'm the only one still using it. Applescripts are one of the main reasons why this app still does the job for me.) Another app that just rocks when you use Applescript is Tex-Edit. I have a few scripts that will change the size of the window, stagger the windows when more than one are open, change the file type, remove extra returns and spaces and change the font, style, color and size of the text. These scripts are mapped to a handful of F keys so these kinds of functions are all accomplished with a single keystroke! Some of the scripts were downloaded from the Tex-Edit scripts page which I then modified. Some I wrote myself.



I also use a script to clear the caches of all my browsers. If you aren't sure about how to write a script, using the record button of the Script Editor is a great way to figure things out.



[ 11-21-2001: Message edited by: roger_ramjet ]</p>

nebrie

[quote]Originally posted by jamiemarshall:

<strong>I've never used AppleScript myself but I'd like to learn. Does anyone know when AppleScript Studio is due to be released?



J</strong><hr></blockquote>



It's due by the end of this year.

Maybe an announcement will be made when Phil gives his next keynote in December since the first mention of it was made at his last keynote. We'll probably see a demo of AppleScript and video editing software working together.

logan cale

I use it a lot for stupid things in ircle, but I'm currently working on a script to automate picture placement in Quark for a publication.

majormatt

I once ruined a geoforce 2 card with an applescript.

crawlingparanoia

MajorMatt,

Care to explain?

pookjp

never.

belle

I use them all the time. AppleScript is incredibly powerful, but it's probably wasted because users really have to invest a lot of time to get the most from it. Perhaps AppleScript Studio will help make a difference? It's going to be interesting to see which price bracket it falls into.



The script I've been using the longest is one I attached to a folder to manage a website. Files dropped on the folder are sorted into sub-folders (e.g. .jpg -&gt; /images), then the whole lot is synchronized with the matching folders on the server.



I also love useful little scripts like <a href="http://www.webentourage.com/blogscript.php"; target="_blank">Blogscript</a>.



The samples on the AppleScript page suggest it's going to be fun scripting OS X. Check out the <a href="http://www.apple.com/applescript/macosx/script_menu/"; target="_blank">Internet Services</a> scripts, and the guide to<a href="http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/macosx/Carbon/interapplicationcomm/soapXMLRPC/index.html"; target="_blank"> XML-RPC and Soap</a>.

superfly

applescript is a killer with filemaker. i built a small content manager for a website in just a few days without ever using neither filemaker nor applescript before. applescript can even upload files via ftp without needing other apps using the "url access scripting addition" (it's in your system folder)...



as studio sounds interesting...

nebagakid

TWO THINGS:

First, I used AppleScript to make a script that would take answers to questions and make a personalized description of a magical doll. Comeon, I was like what? 7!?.... anyway;

and....



TWO: [quote]Originally posted by Nebrie:

<strong>



It's due by the end of this year.

Maybe an announcement will be made when Phil gives his next keynote in December since the first mention of it was made at his last keynote. We'll probably see a demo of AppleScript and video editing software working together.</strong><hr></blockquote>



Nebrie is probably right on the dot. The last time they showed off AppleScript was at his last keynote and those showed demos of them nice Adobe products spiting out pamphalets and weather maps using AppleScript.

Maybe, AppleScript could help automate text generator for the day by using Final Cut Pro FX Scripts and AppleScript? Apple is probably has stuff done we never would've thought of.

Seriously, who thought of AppleScript generating a weather map in Illustrator like that?]



AppleScript Studio is going to show some major coolness. And hopefully, it will be easy just like the first AppleScript.

wormboy

I started using Applescript when I started scripting. It was my introduction. But I quickly "graduated" to MacPerl and have found little need to go back to Applescript. I use my scripts mostly to extract information from datasets, rather than data workflow, for which Applescript seems particularly suited.

majormatt

Ok, I shall explain.



I bought a PC Geoforce II MX400 card for my G4. In order for it to work I needed an applescript to flash it. Well, its really my fault, I saved the applescript wrong as compiled instead of applet and put it into the startup folder. I then started up with the new card and then the script editor came up, it launched the flashing applications, but apparently with the editor in the background messed up the flash thus corrupting the geoforce rom.