MacResearch has posted a nice two part tutorial on using Platypus, a neat utility that allows you to "create native, flawlessly integrated Mac OS X applications from interpreted scripts." This include shell scripts, Perl, Ruby, Python, etc. With Platypus you can turn command-line only tools into full fledged, free-standing Mac applications that support drag and drop and even basic graphical feedback. Obviously this isn't going to make for a full GUI application, but it will allow you easily to create self-contained OS X applications that you can double-click to run. Especially for those in the science fields, and even for beginning (Ruby) script programmers like myself, Platypus makes it possible to get basic (and even not so basic) Mac app up and running very quickly.Platypus is a free download from Sveinbjorn Thordarson, and donations are requested.
[Via MacResearch]
Update: fixed headline
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-08-2007 @ 12:08PM
Jeff Harrell said...
That's not cool, man. The icon for this program is Syd, one of the three mascot characters from the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
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5-08-2007 @ 1:38PM
Bazza McKenzie said...
I noticed that too - is that really the logo he uses for this? Way to be an uncreative plagiarist, mate.
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5-08-2007 @ 4:30PM
Tom said...
The alternative engine (also free) for building GUI for shell scripts/AppleScripts is OnMyCommand:
http://www.abracode.com/free/cmworkshop/
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5-08-2007 @ 5:11PM
Geoffrey Hutchison said...
Since I'm the author of the tutorials, I should mention I'll be continuing the series with a variety of other ways to add Mac apps for command-line programs and scripts.
Tom, thanks for the tip, I'll check that out!
In short, stay tuned to MacResearch.org if this interests you -- there's more to come!
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5-09-2007 @ 9:08PM
Geoffrey Hutchison said...
For future reference (Google is an amazing thing), the link to the command-line tutorial series is:
http://www.macresearch.org/command_line
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