Conventions Used in This Book

The following conventions are used in this book:

Italic

Used for file and folder names , URLs, and new terms when they are defined.

Constant width

Used for code examples and the names of variables , handlers, and commands.

Constant-width italic

Used for placeholders in code, where the programmer would supply the actual name of something.


Constant-width bold

Used in code examples, for user input from the command line; often seen in conjunction with % , which symbolizes the shell prompt.

-- code comment in italic

Used in code examples, for my comments to the reader about the code or its effect.

--


code comment in bold

Used in code examples, to represent the result (output) of executing the line.

vertical bar

Used in syntax templates to indicate alternatives.

[square brackets]

Used in syntax templates to indicate that something is optional.

Used to indicate a line of code that continues; these lines will be unbroken in your code but were too long to fit on the printed pages of this book.

This icon represents a tip relating to the nearby text.

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Acknowledgments (First Edition)

In a completely just world, Mark Alldritt of Late Night Software would probably have his name on the cover of this book. In fact, he really ought to have written the book himself, since in all probability no one outside of Apple knows more about AppleScript than he does. I have benefited from his knowledge in three ways: he wrote Script Debugger, without which much of AppleScript's behavior would have remained opaque to me; he provided untiring assistance and advice while I was writing; and he performed a thorough and valuable technical review of the first draft.

Paul Berkowitz also acted as technical reviewer, a task which he performed with brilliance and insight, combining a long and thoughtful experience of AppleScript with diligence and critical perspicacity. He corrected many errors of fact, and gave excellent advice from the perspective of a model reader. Those who find this book useful should know that much of the credit is his. Chuck Sholdt also made several helpful suggestions and provided much-needed encouragement.

All the members of the AppleScript team at Apple who were present at Apple's 2003 WWDC were extremely generous with their time despite the many other demands upon it. Some of them provided important technical advice that has greatly increased the book's accuracy.

It remains only to add that the responsibility where I have not taken or understood the advice of my technical reviewers must rest with me.

My editor, Chuck Toporek, did all the right things. He assigned me the book, he monitored the signals emerging from Apple, he enabled me to attend Apple's 2003 WWDC and put me in touch with the AppleScript team, and he displayed forbearance, confidence, and patience while I was writing, leaving me to wrestle with problems of form and content on my own, never criticizing an early draft that he knew I would eventually rip to shreds myself , while at the same time providing encouragement when needed and advice when requested . Having as copyeditor my old friend Nancy Kotary made this stage of the process a pleasure instead of a trial; she brought to the task her characteristic combination of sound judgement, sharp eyes, and a kind heart, and a number of passages read more clearly thanks to her intervention. Genevieve d'Entremont oversaw the production in a thoroughly professional manner. My thanks to them and to all at O'Reilly Media who participated in the making of this book.