Learn AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X

Description

AppleScript is an English-like, easy-to-understand scripting language built into every Mac. AppleScript can automate hundreds of AppleScript-able applications, performing tasks both large and small, complex and simple. Learn AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Third Edition has been completely updated for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It's all here, with an emphasis on practical information that will help you solve any automation problem—from the most mundane repetitive tasks to highly integrated workflows of complex systems. Friendly enough for beginners, detailed enough for advanced AppleScripters Includes major contributions from expert AppleScripters: Emmanuel Levy, Harald Monihart, Ian Piper, Shane Stanley, Barry Wainwright, Craig Williams, and foreword by AppleScript inventor, William Cook Front Matter....Pages i-xxviii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introducing AppleScript....Pages 3-13 AppleScript in Principle....Pages 15-31 AppleScript in Practice....Pages 33-49 Front Matter....Pages 51-51 Writing Scripts in AppleScript Editor....Pages 53-76 Understanding How Application Scripting Works....Pages 77-141 Learning to Work with AppleScript Objects....Pages 143-161 Working with Text....Pages 163-214 Working with Numbers....Pages 215-240 Working with Dates....Pages 241-266 Working with Lists and Records....Pages 267-292 Storing Objects in Variables....Pages 293-318 More on Commands....Pages 319-367 More on Operators and Coercions....Pages 369-388 Making Decisions Using Conditionals and Loops....Pages 389-411 Making Decisions When Dealing with Errors....Pages 413-435 Interacting with the User....Pages 437-470 Working with Files....Pages 471-503 Organizing Your Code with Handlers....Pages 505-539 Organizing Your Code with Script Objects....Pages 541-584 Front Matter....Pages 585-585 Scripting the File System....Pages 587-621 Front Matter....Pages 585-585 Scripting Apple Applications....Pages 623-674 Extending AppleScript with Scripting Additions....Pages 675-710 AppleScript Amenities....Pages 711-742 Scripting iWork and Office....Pages 743-792 Scripting Data and Databases....Pages 793-815 Scripting Adobe InDesign....Pages 817-861 Interacting with the Unix Command Line....Pages 863-896 Using Smile: The AppleScript Integrated Production Environment....Pages 897-926 Tips and Techniques for Improving Your Scripts....Pages 927-967 Creating Cocoa Applications with AppleScriptObjC....Pages 969-1018 Back Matter....Pages 1019-1073