Applescript : The Definitive Guide (Paperback)

Summary

If you want to know all about AppleScript--the how, where, and why of using it--dig into AppleScript: The Definitive Guide. It doesn't make the mistake that other books do: it isn't about scripting this or that particular application, and it doesn't assume that learning AppleScript is easy or obvious. Instead, the book teaches and documents the language in a clear and rigorous manner, just as you'd expect with any programming or scripting language.

AppleScript is a dynamic, object-oriented scripting system that allows Mac users--even novices who know nothing about programming--to directly control Macintosh applications, including the Mac OS itself. You can write scripts to automate repetitive tasks, customize applications, and even control complex workflows.

AppleScript has always been useful, but with Mac OS X it's even more so. Nearly every application that comes with Mac OS X is scriptable. Even non-scriptable applications can often be driven with AppleScript, thanks to the new Accessibility API and GUI Scripting technologies. And now AppleScripters can put a true Aqua interface around their scripts! There's never been a more exciting time for AppleScript users.

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide explores and teaches the language from the ground up. If you're a beginner and want to learn how to write your first script or just understand what the excitement is all about, you'll be able to do so after reading this book.

Experienced AppleScripters will love having the most definitive, up-to-date AppleScript language reference available. AppleScript: The Definitive Guide is the quintessential guide to this important Mac tool. Regardless of their level of experience, AppleScripters everywhere will turn to this book again and again.

Table of Contents

Preface 


Part I. AppleScript Overview

1. Ways to Use AppleScript

      The Nature and Purpose of AppleScript 

      Is This Application Scriptable? 

      Calculation and Repetition 

      Reduction 

      Customization 

      Combining Specialties 

2. Places to Use AppleScript

      Script Editor 

      Scripting Environment 

      Internally Scriptable Application 

      Script Runner 

      Automatic Location 

      Application 

      Unix 

3. The AppleScript Experience

      The Problem 

      A Day in the Life 

      Conclusions, Lessons, and Advice 

4. Basic Concepts

      Apple Event 

      The Open Scripting Architecture 

      Script 

      Compiling and Decompiling 

      Script Text File 

      Applet and Droplet 

      Scripting Addition 

      Dictionary 

      Scriptable, Recordable, Attachable 


Part II. The AppleScript Language

5. Introducing AppleScript

      A "Little Language" 

      Extensibility and Its Perils 

      The "English-likeness" Monster 

      Object-likeness 

      LISP-likeness 

      The Learning Curve 

6. Syntactic Ground of Being

      Lines 

      Result 

      Comments 

      Abbreviations and Synonyms 

      Blocks 

      The 

7. Variables

      Assignment and Retrieval 

      Declaration and Definition of Variables 

      Variable Names 

      Scoping of Variables 

      Script Properties 

      Lifetime of Variables 

8. Handlers

      Returned Value 

      Parameters 

      Syntax of Defining and Calling a Handler 

      Pass By Reference 

      Scoping of Handlers 

      Handlers as Values 

9. Script Objects

      Scoping of Script Objects 

      Top-Level Entities 

      Script Object's Run Handler 

      Handler Calls 

      Script Objects as Values 

      Compiled Script Files as Script Objects 

      Inheritance 

10. Objects

      Class 

      Target 

      Get 

      It 

      Me 

      Properties and Elements 

      Element Specifiers 

      Properties of Multiple References 

      Object String Specifier 

11. References

      References as Incantations 

      Creating a Reference 

      Identifying References 

      Dereferencing a Reference 

      Creating References to Local Variables 

      Reference as Parameter 

12. Control

      Branching 

      Looping 

      Tell 

      Using Terms From 

      With 

      Considering/Ignoring 

      Errors 

      Second-Level Evaluation 

13. Datatypes

      Boolean 

      Integer, Real, and Number 

      Date 

      String 

      Unicode Text 

      Styled Text 

      File 

      Alias 

      Application 

      Machine 

      Data 

      List 

      Record 

14. Coercions

      Implicit Coercion 

      Explicit Coercion 

      Boolean Coercions 

      String, Number and Date Coercions 

      File Coercions 

      List Coercions 

      Unit Conversions 

15. Operators

      Arithmetic Operators 

      Boolean Operators 

      Comparison Operators 

      Containment Operators 

      Concatenation Operator 

      Parentheses 

      Who Performs an Operation 

16. Global Properties

      Strings 

      Numbers 

      Miscellaneous 

17. Constants

18. Commands

      Application Commands 

      Logging Commands 


Part III. AppleScript In Action

19. Dictionaries

      Resolution of Terminology 

      Resolution Difficulties 

      What's in a Dictionary 

      The 'aeut' Resource 

      Inadequacies of the Dictionary 

20. Scripting Additions

      Pros and Cons of Scripting Additions 

      Scripting Additions and Speed 

      Classic Scripting Additions 

      Loading Scripting Additions 

      Standard Scripting Addition Commands 

21. Scriptable Applications

      Targeting Scriptable Applications 

      Some Scriptable Applications 

22. Unscriptable Applications

      Getting Started with Accessibility 

      GUI Scripting Examples 

23. Unix

      Do Shell Script 

      Osascript 

24. Writing Applications

      Applets 

      Digital Hub Scripting 

      Folder Actions 

      CGI Application 

      AppleScript Studio 


Part IV. Appendixes

A. The 'aeut' Resource

B. Tools and Resources


Index