Filed under: Software, How-tos
Great beginner's guide to AppleScript
Many years ago I started playing with AppleScript. For some reason, it failed to hold my attention, though I know you can do many cool tricks with it. Perhaps I'd still be at it if I had found an overview like the one posted at AppStorm.This well-written guide starts with the basics and builds from there. I've seen entirely too many AppleScript guides that either go from the Tell statement right to masters-level stuff or that end entirely after creating the obligatory "Hello, world!" script.
Joshua, writing for AppStorm, covers variables, accessing dictionaries and walks readers through the creation of a handy Mail script. It's not comprehensive, of course, but just right as an introduciton. Check it out and get scripting.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jason Martin said 6:41PM on 7-08-2009
Brilliant! That's exactly the kind of thing I've missed in wanting to get started. Thanks for passing it along.
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bnaro said 7:22PM on 7-08-2009
Great beginner's article, there are a lot of communities online for scripting, but few decent resources for diving head-first into AppleScript.
I recently started working in AppleScript again (for FileMaker plugins) and I can't imagine why it isn't more popular. It's great for business, if you take the time to know what you're doing (hint: turn on "access for assistive devices", learn some of the language, and make System Events be your evil minion of unwarranted productivity!).
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RandyGee said 4:55PM on 7-09-2009
No, no, no. This tutorial lost me at the first paragraph.
Here's what I want:
Show me a cool thing that a script can do and tell me how to build THAT, step by step, explaining why this does this and that does that.
I'm the type of guy who likes to tinker and deconstruct things as a method of learning, and tutorials that explain to me the concept behind the tools rather than telling me how to use them is the most boring way of describing things.
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Joshua Johnson said 7:13PM on 9-25-2009
Thanks for the shout out! My follow-up article on advance AppleScript techniques is now up here:
http://mac.appstorm.net/how-to/applescript/advanced-applescript-techniques/
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