![]() The end tell line closes the tell application block anything after this line will not be sent to TextEdit. So, we’re telling TextEdit to, in the front document (the one we just created), edit the text to say “hello world”. ![]() The document we just created will be in front. ![]() The make new document line, as you’ve guessed, tells TextEdit to make a new document. The word activate is telling the application to launch (if it isn’t already) and come to the front. The TextEdit in quotes is all you need to tell AppleScript which app you want to talk to. This is what AppleScript uses to talk to other apps. The first line is the beginning of a tell application block (which lasts until the end tell). So, this may look a little complicated, but don’t worry I’ll walk you through it. Set text of front document to "hello world" This script is the most complex, so hold on tight. This script will open TextEdit, make a new document, and write in “hello world”. If your volume was turned up, you’ll hear the default computer voice speak the words “hello world” to you. You code will be checked, compiled, and then run. This time, let’s take a shortcut: instead of pressing the Compile button, skip straight to the Run button. You’ll also notice that the Event log tells you what button you clicked on the dialog. The fact that AppleScript Editor didn’t give you an error message means that the code is valid and you don’t have any syntax errors. You’ll notice that the code changed appearance: it’s now blue and black Verdana. It will appear in a purple fixed-width font. Type this into the Your code area of AppleScript Editor: You’ll also get familiar with the AppleScript Editor application and how to use it.įirst, let’s start with a simple dialog box. You’ll get a taste some of AppleScript’s built in user interaction tools, as well as its ability to interact with other applications. To start off with, I’ll show you how to write three simple Hello World programs using AppleScript. Event log: After you run your code, this shows a summary of what happened.Compile: Compile and check your code without running it.Stop: Stop a script while it’s running.I’ve marked the important parts of the window. Open that, and you’ll see a window that looks like this one: This app can be found in /Applications/Utilities. To work with AppleScript, you use the AppleScript Editor app (already on your Mac). I’ll be covering how that works, but first I’ll introduce you to the language and get you familiar with some of its basic built-in functionality. So, as you can see, AppleScript focuses on allowing you to interact with other applications and Mac OS X itself. AppleScript has some limited processing abilities of its own – basic calculation abilities, and some more intricate text processing tools.” AppleScript is primarily an inter-application processing system, designed to exchange data between and control other applications in order to automate repetitive tasks. So, the first thing you’re probably asking is “What the heck is AppleScript?” Wikipedia’s overview is pretty good: “AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple Inc. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in! And the best part is, you’ve got a great resource for any questions: Ask Different! Just ask your question on the site and I or another user will help you out. If not, you’ll still be able to keep up fine and learn a lot from this series AppleScript is a fun first language. If you’ve programmed or scripted before, great you’ll catch on quick. Over the course of this five-post series, I will be giving you an introduction to AppleScript that I believe is both fast-paced and accessible. I’ve been AppleScripting for a long time, and my goal is to teach you a little something. But few people have actually learned AppleScript and seen how it can help them do more with their Mac. They know that it exists, and maybe they’ve even tried it out. Many Mac users have heard of AppleScript.
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