Automation on the Mac

@Guglielmo Piega

cool! this looks hopeful.....
i wanna tweak it though and im not sure how. i will email the maker
of the script, thanks...

I'm a seasoned programmer in traditional languages like java, objective-c, vba, etc etc.

I agree that one of the largest hurdles for programming in applescript IS the language. BUT, if you actually attempt a couple of large projects the simplicity of the language begins to come through.

Automator, applescript and custom automator actions (via xcode/IB) have become my new favorite programming environment. They are incredibly handy in a work environment where I can create workflows that greatly aid novice computer users. As a result there's less work for me to clean up at the end of the day, and it's easier for the end user to do a specific task (especially tasks that are multi program).

i dont think this can be done, but if it can, i would like to write an applescript to change my OS language from English to Japanese. I would like to write another that will change it from japanese back to english. i live in japan and i am constantly switching languages because i teach english speakers and japanese speakers how to use their macs (obviously i dont teach them applscript, but everything else)

the current way to change languages is a drag.... i wanna save time. im on leopard now and even the new automator couldnt change it because i cant DRAG one language over the other with the new automator recording feature.... that would be great....

I'm sure you have this in mind but I'll say it anyway. The Dictionary. How in the world are you supposed to read them? The books I have give examples in a format that applescript no longer uses in Dictionaries. Also, each program seems to be written differently and implements properties differently. It's really frustrating. I'm anxious to see if you will be getting past puff pieces on applescript that i see so much but avoid assuming your readers already know all of what you're talking about.

Maybe you can help me understand just what the heck Automator is?!?

I should note that I'm intimately familiar with Applescript, having coded a 1000-line Photoshop->DB script when I worked at Disney a few years ago.

So, does Automator replace Script Editor? How does Automator fit into what has become, in my opionion, a mess?

Cheers,
FL

Looking forward to learning some applescript; thus far it has seemed more complicated to me than C (how ironic) so I haven't tried very hard to learn it and just do most things with small C programs.

I agree with #6 above. I find AppleScript very frustrating, but perhaps that's because I'm used to more "standard" programming languages. May I make the suggestion that you touch upon Ruby scripting for OS X? That seems like the perfect compromise: the power of OS X scripting with a more "normal" language like Ruby.

Guys, thanks for giving me a chance. I am going to start with the basics and go on from there. So, even if you haven't used AppleScript (or Automator) before, you will be able to jump right in!

Perfect post Cory. Keep it coming. I used to program for windows. Now I just can't wait to learn how to program for the Mac. Thanks for your efforts. And of course welcome to TUAW.

Great topic, I've done very little applescript but I would love to get into more.

How about a script that involves dropping an image on it to resize the image, save it with a prefix and then upload it to a server. You could use CyberDuck or Transmit for the uploading.