Summary

Here’s what you learned in this Chapter:

• AppleScript makes applications perform tasks by sending them Apple event messages.

• AppleScript is a programming language designed with everyday users in mind, but with enough power for advanced users and programmers.

• Many AppleScript terms come from the applications it controls. AppleScript terms also come from files called scripting additions.

• Use the Script Editor application to create, edit, and run AppleScript scripts. Script Editor can also make scripts into applications.

• Script Editor can display the AppleScript dictionary of an application to see what commands an application or scripting addition understands and what objects the commands work with.

• You can save a script in any of three formats: text, compiled script, or Application.

• You type AppleScript statements into a new Script Editor window, check the syntax for errors using the compile button, and run the script to test it. Your script can use a copy statement to set the value of a variable. To start controlling an application, you use a tell application statement. A matching end tell statement stops controlling the application. With if statements, you can have AppleScript perform some operations only when specified conditions are met. Repeat loops execute a group of statements over and over. To make a drag-and-drop script application, you include an on open statement and a matching end open statement.

• Apple has developed a number of scripts that you can use as starting points or models for your own scripts.

• You can use Script Runner or Script Menu to run compiled scripts no matter what application is currently active.

• AppleScript can control applications over a network or the Internet on computers that are set to allow remote Apple events.