Beginning AppleScript

by Kochan, Stephen G.

• ISBN13: 9780764574009
• ISBN10: 0764574000
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-17
• Publisher: Wrox

Summary

What is this book about?Geared toward programmers with no prior development knowledge, Beginning AppleScript serves as a comprehensive guide to using AppleScript on the Mac OS X platform. This title introduces the reader to AppleScript, and then illustrates how to efficiently start writing scripts through sample programs as each concept is introduced. Exercises at the end of each chapter allow the reader to test and demonstrate their knowledge on how to write functional scripts. The appendices include a list of other resources for additional developer information, and a summary of the language suitable for reference.

Author Biography

Stephen G. Kochan has been developing software and writing books for over 20 years. He is the author and coauthor of several best-selling titles on the C language, including Programming in C and Programming in ANSI C (both from Sams Publishing), Programming C for the Mac (Macmillan Computer Publishing), and Topics in C Programming (Wiley Publishing), as well as several Unix titles, including Exploring the Unix System and Unix Shell Programming (both Sams Publishing), and Unix System Security (Hayden Books). His most recent title on Mac programming is Programming in Objective-C (Sams Publishing), which is a tutorial on the primary programming language used on the Mac for application development.

Table of Contents

About the Author	v
Acknowledgments	xxv
Introduction	1	(1)
Who This Book Is For	1	(1)
How This Book Is Structured	2	(2)
What You Need to Use This Book	4	(1)
Conventions	5	(1)
Source Code	5	(1)
Errata	5	(1)
p2p.wrox.com	6	(1)
Writing Your First AppleScript Program	7	(18)
Starting with Script Editor	7	(2)
Try It Out: Typing Your First Program	8	(1)
Compiling and Running Your Program	9	(3)
Try It Out: Running Your First Program	9	(2)
Try It Out: Saving Your First Program	11	(1)
Extending Your First Program	12	(3)
Reporting Errors in Your Programs	12	(2)
Try It Out: Adding a Description to Your Program	14	(1)
An AppleScript Command to Display a Dialog	15	(2)
Understanding the Buttons Parameter in the display dialog Command	17	(4)
Try It Out: Using the display dialog's Buttons Parameter	17	(2)
Changing the Labels on a Button	19	(1)
Try It Out: Setting the Default Button In a Dialog	19	(1)
Adding an Icon to Your Dialog Box	20	(1)
Try It Out: Adding a Note Icon to Your Dialog	21	(1)
Multiple AppleScript Commands	21	(1)
Try It Out: Add a ``Beep''	21	(1)
Adding Comments to Your Programs	22	(1)
Summary	23	(1)
Exercises	24	(1)
Variables, Classes, and Expressions	25	(44)
Working with Variables	25	(9)
Variable Names and the set Command	25	(2)
Accessing the Value of a Variable and the get Command	27	(1)
Try It Out: Working with Variables	27	(1)
Try It Out: More on Working with Variables	27	(2)
Try It Out: Understanding Case In Variable Names	29	(3)
Writing Special Variable Names	32	(1)
The Special result Variable	33	(1)
More on Commands and Statements	34	(4)
Commands	34	(1)
Statements	34	(1)
The log Command and the Event Log	35
Try It Out: Using the Event Log	34	(2)
Try It Out: Using the Event Log History	36	(2)
Basic Data Type Classes	38	(5)
The string Class	38	(1)
The Integer Class	39	(1)
Small and Double Integer Classes	39	(1)
The real Class	39	(1)
The Boolean Class	40	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Boolean Values	41	(1)
The class Command	42	(1)
Try It Out: Using the Class Command	42	(1)
Basic Data Type Conversions	43	(6)
Coercing a Data Type Using the as Operator	44	(1)
Try It Out: Basic Data Type Conversions with the as Operator	44	(5)
Arithmetic Operators and Expressions	49	(4)
Try It Out: Understanding Arithmetic Operations	49	(4)
The Date Class	53	(13)
Try It Out: Understanding the Date Format	54	(1)
Getting Date Properties	54	(1)
Try It Out: Getting the Properties of a Date	54	(2)
Setting Date Properties	56	(1)
Try It Out: Setting Date Properties	57	(3)
Performing Arithmetic with Dates	60	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Arithmetic with Dates	60	(2)
Classes of Weights and Measures	62	(1)
Try It Out: Using Weights and Measures	63	(3)
Summary	66	(1)
Exercises	67	(2)
Making Decisions	69	(32)
The if Statement	69	(2)
A Single Line Form of the if Statement	70	(1)
AppleScript's Relational Operators	71	(9)
Try It Out: Testing the Various Relational Operators	72	(1)
Numeric Tests	73	(1)
String Tests	74	(2)
Date Tests	76	(1)
Getting Data from the User	77	(2)
Try It Out: Taking the Absolute Value of a Number	79	(1)
The if-else Statement	80	(2)
Nested if Statements	82	(1)
The if-else if Statement	83	(3)
Try It Out: Displaying a Message Based on the Day of the Week	84	(2)
Compound Relational Tests	86	(3)
Try It Out: Testing Whether a Year Is a Leap Year	88	(1)
Creating Your First Application	89	(5)
Try It Out: Speaking a Salutation	90	(2)
Try It Out: Displaying a Startup Screen	92	(1)
Try It Out: Have Some Fun: Get Your Salutation at Log In	93	(1)
Catching Errors with the try Statement	94	(4)
Try It Out: Introducing the try Statement	94	(2)
Try It Out: Error Handling with the try Statement	96	(1)
Try It Out: More on the try Statement	96	(2)
Summary	98	(1)
Exercises	98	(3)
Program Looping	101	(24)
The repeat...times Statement	101	(1)
Try It Out: Log a Message Five Times	101	(1)
The repeat with Statement	102	(9)
Try It Out: Counting from 1 to 10	102	(2)
Writing a Loop with an Increment	104	(1)
Try It Out: Counting Down from 10	105	(1)
Try It Out: A Program to Sum the Integers from 1 to n	106	(2)
Your First Look at a Dictionary	108	(1)
Try It Out: Looking Up a Command in a Dictionary	109	(2)
The repeat while Statement	111	(2)
Try It Out: Counting from 1 to 10	111	(2)
Using Flags	113	(5)
Another Look at the Triangular Number Program	113	(1)
Try It Out: Getting Another Chance	113	(2)
A Final Look at the Triangular Number Program	115	(1)
Try It Out: Limiting the Number of Attempts	115	(2)
A Quick Look at the Concatenation Operator	117	(1)
The repeat until statement	118	(4)
Try It Out: A Simple Guessing Game	119	(3)
The repeat with Statement for Lists	122	(1)
Try It Out: Sequencing through the Elements in a List	122	(1)
Setting Up an Infinite Loop with repeat	123	(1)
Summary	123	(1)
Exercises	124	(1)
Working with Strings	125	(36)
Strings, Text, and Unicode Text	125	(1)
The Null String	126	(1)
Review of Concatenation	126	(1)
Getting the Size of a String	127	(1)
Using Special String Characters	128	(2)
Special Properties Used Outside Strings	128	(1)
Escape Characters Used inside Strings	128	(1)
More on Unicode Text	129	(1)
The considering and ignoring Statements	130	(5)
Combining Attributes	132	(1)
Try It Out: Using considering and Ignoring Statements	133	(2)
Words, Characters, and Paragraphs	135	(10)
Working with Elements	136	(2)
Try It Out: Working with Character Elements	138	(2)
Try It Out: Working with Word Elements	140	(3)
Try It Out: Picking a Random Element	143	(1)
Understanding Text Item Delimiters	143	(1)
Try It Out: Working with text Item delimiters	144	(1)
Locating Strings inside Strings	145	(4)
Try It Out: Using Containment Operators and the offset Command	146	(3)
Specifying a Range to Get a Substring	149	(1)
More on the Count Command	149	(4)
Try It Out: Count the Number of Words in Some Text	150	(1)
Using length instead of count	150	(1)
Try It Out: Enumerating the Words in a String	151	(1)
A Quick Note on References	152	(1)
Enhancing the Alarm Clock Program	153	(5)
Try It Out: Enhancing the Alarm Clock Program	154	(4)
Summary	158	(1)
Exercises	158	(3)
Working with Lists and Records	161	(50)
Working with Lists	161	(35)
Empty Lists	163	(1)
Counting the Number of Items in a List	163	(1)
Accessing the Items in a List	164	(1)
Try It Out: Working with List Items	165	(3)
Try It Out: Sequencing through the Items In a List	168	(1)
Try It Out: A Program to Display Populations of U.S. Cities	169	(3)
Try It Out: A Modified Version of the Population Program	172	(2)
The choose from list Command	174	(1)
Try It Out: Looking Up the choose from list Command In the Dictionary	174	(1)
Try It Out: Using the choose from list Command	175	(3)
Accessing Items by Class	178	(2)
Enumerating Lists: A Quick Review	180	(1)
The rest and reverse Properties	180	(1)
Try It Out: Exercising List Properties	180	(1)
Modifying Lists	181	(2)
Try It Out: Modifying List Items	183	(3)
Try It Out: Deleting and Inserting items In a List	186	(6)
Using Containment Operators with Lists	192	(1)
Multiple Assignments with Lists	193	(1)
List Coercions	194	(1)
A Quick Note about Efficiency and Large Lists	195	(1)
Working with Records	196	(11)
Defining a Record	196	(2)
The result Record from the display dialog Command	198	(1)
Working with Lists of Records	198	(2)
Try It Out: A Version of the Population Program Using Records	200	(3)
Modifying Records	203	(2)
Retrieving Multiple Properties	205	(1)
Using the Containment Operators with Records	206	(1)
Summary	207	(1)
Exercises	207	(4)
Working with Files	211	(32)
Path Names: Traditional Mac and Posix-style	211	(3)
Full Path Names	212	(1)
Relative Path Names	212	(1)
File Name Extensions	213	(1)
What's in a Name?	214	(1)
The file Class	214	(1)
File Name Aliases	214	(1)
Reading and Writing Files	215	(16)
Try It Out: Creating a File In AppleScript	216	(3)
The open for access Command	219	(1)
Writing Data with the write Command	220	(1)
Closing a File with the close Command	221	(1)
Getting Information about a File or Folder Using the info for Command	221	(1)
Reading Data with the read Command	222	(1)
Try It Out: Reading Data from a File	222	(3)
Try It Out: Using Various read Command Parameters	225	(3)
More on Using the write Command	228	(1)
Try It Out: Writing and Reading a List of Records	229	(2)
Truncating a File Using the set eof Command	231	(1)
Getting the Size of a File Using the get eof Command	231	(1)
Appending Data to the End of a File	231	(1)
Enumerating Disks and Folders	231	(10)
Try It Out: Using the list folder Command	232	(3)
Try It Out: Using the choose file Command	235	(1)
Using the choose file Command to Pick a File	235	(2)
Using the choose folder Command to Pick a Folder	237	(1)
Using the choose file name Command to Pick a File Name	238	(1)
Try It Out: Generating a List of Files for Backup	238	(3)
Summary	241	(1)
Exercises	241	(2)
Handlers	243	(40)
Writing a Handlers	243	(2)
Try It Out: Writing Your First Handler	243	(2)
Passing Parameters to Handlers	245	(2)
Try It Out: Passing Parameters to Handlers	245	(2)
Returning Handler Results	247	(2)
Try It Out: Returning Values from Handlers	247	(2)
Argument Types	249	(1)
Local Variables	250	(2)
Try It Out: Local Variables	250	(2)
Call by Value	252	(5)
Try It Out: Understanding Call by Value	252	(5)
Recursive Handlers	257	(5)
Try It Out: Recursive Factorial Handler	257	(2)
Try It Out: A Recursive List Sort Handler	259	(3)
Local/Global Variables and Variable Scope	262	(7)
Try It Out: Local versus Global Variables	263	(2)
Try It Out: Understanding Variable Scope: Protecting a Global Variable	265	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Variable Scope: Local and Global Variables with the Same Name (Part 1)	265	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Variable Scope: Local and Global Variables with the Same Name (Part 2)	266	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Variable Scope: Accessing a Global Variable Declared Outside a Handler	267	(1)
Try It Out: Writing General Purpose Handlers	268	(1)
Saving and Loading Handlers	269	(3)
Try It Out: Saving and Loading the List Handlers	269	(3)
The Apostrophe-s notation	272	(1)
Labeled Parameters	272	(6)
Try It Out: Writing a Handler with Labeled Parameters-Form 1	273	(1)
Identifying Parameters with Prepositions	274	(1)
Try It Out: Writing a Handler with Labeled Parameters-Form 2	275	(1)
Combining Labeled Parameter Formats	275	(1)
Specifying a Direct Parameter	276	(1)
Using with and without for Boolean Parameters	277	(1)
Specifying Patterns for Parameters	278	(2)
Summary	280	(1)
Exercises	281	(2)
Error Handling	283	(18)
Beeps and Dialogs	283	(1)
The try...on error Statement	284	(8)
More on the on error Clause	285	(1)
Try It Out: Experimenting with Errors	286	(1)
Try It Out: Identifying Errors by Number	287	(2)
Catching a Specific Error by Number	289	(1)
More on Error Numbers and Error-Handling Strategy	290	(2)
The error Command	292	(6)
Try It Out: Catching Errors In Your Handlers	293	(3)
Try It Out: Error-Proofing Your Code	296	(2)
Summary	298	(1)
Exercises	299	(2)
Working with Applications	301	(54)
Talking to Other Applications: The tell Statement	301	(16)
Try It Out: Using the tell Statement	302	(2)
Try It Out: References to Objects and More on the tell Statement	304	(2)
Try It Out: Sliding Windows	306	(1)
Try It Out: Stacking Windows	307	(2)
The One-Liner tell Statement	309	(1)
More on Targets	309	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Targets-Part 1	309	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding Targets-Part 2	310	(1)
Using my, me, and its inside tell Blocks	311	(1)
Try It Out: Calling Handlers from within tell Blocks	312	(1)
Try It Out: Accessing Properties or Variables from within tell Blocks-Part 1	313	(1)
Try It Out: Accessing Properties or Variables-Part 2	314	(1)
Tell Me Some More	315	(2)
More on Working with the Finder	317	(21)
Looking at the Finder's Dictionary in Greater Detail	317	(1)
Try It Out: Examining the Finder's Dictionary	317	(4)
The Finder's Classes	321	(1)
Containers	322	(1)
Try It Out: Learning about Containers--Part 1	322	(1)
Try It Out: Learning about Containers--Part 2	322	(1)
Try It Out: Learning about Containers--Part 3	323	(1)
Try It Out: Learning about Containers--Part 4	323	(1)
Try It Out: Learning about Containers--Part 5	324	(1)
Common File Operations	324	(1)
Common Folder Operations	325	(3)
Try It Out: Getting a List of Containers	328	(1)
Try It Out: A List of Containers as Allases	328	(1)
Try It Out: Adding a Prefix to Each File in a Folder	329	(2)
More on Understanding Finder File References	331	(1)
Try It Out: Understanding File References	331	(1)
Try It Out: Using Finder Filer References outside a tell Block	332	(1)
Beware of the repeat-with Statement!	333	(1)
AppleScript versus the Finder's File Class	334	(2)
Filters	336	(1)
Try It Out: Using a Filter	336	(2)
More on Working with Applications	338	(5)
Try It Out: Generating a List of Backup Files	338	(4)
Ignoring Application Responses	342	(1)
Application Timeouts	343	(1)
Applets and Droplets	343	(8)
Stay Open Applications	344	(1)
The run Handler	344	(1)
The quit Handler	344	(1)
The reopen Handler	344	(1)
The idle Handler	345	(1)
Try It Out: Simple Applet Handlers	345	(2)
Droplets	347	(1)
Try It Out: Creating a Droplet	347	(4)
Summary	351	(1)
Exercises	352	(3)
Scripting iLife Applications	355	(30)
Scripting iTunes	356	(10)
Try It Out: Examining the iTunes Dictionary	356	(3)
Working with Tracks and Playlists	359	(4)
An iTunes Player Applet	363	(1)
Try It Out: An iTunes Song Player	363	(3)
Scripting iPhoto	366	(6)
Try It Out: Examining iPhoto's Dictionary	367	(1)
Try It Out: Making an Album from a Folder of Images	368	(4)
Scripting iDVD	372	(10)
Try It Out: Examining iDVD's Dictionary	372	(3)
Try It Out: Making a DVD Slide Show from a Folder of Images	375	(7)
Summary	382	(1)
Exercises	382	(3)
Script Objects	385	(34)
Defining a Script Object	385	(1)
Try It Out: Defining a Script Object	385	(1)
Script Properties	386	(4)
Try It Out: Working with Script Properties	387	(1)
Initializing Script Properties	387	(1)
Try It Out: Initializing Script Properties	388	(1)
Copying Script Objects	389	(1)
Try It Out: Copying Script Objects	389	(1)
Your Program Is a Script Object	390	(4)
Try It Out: Defining Properties at the Top Level	390	(1)
Try It Out: Properties in Applications	391	(1)
Try It Out: Recording Values in Applications	392	(1)
Scope of Properties	393	(1)
Try It Out: Scope of Script Properties	393	(1)
pi Is a Property	394	(1)
Script Objects Containing Handlers	394	(3)
Try It Out: Defining Handlers Inside Scripts	395	(1)
The Run Handler	396	(1)
Handlers Containing Script Objects	397	(2)
Try It Out: Defining Script Objects Inside Handlers	397	(2)
Storing, Loading, and Running Scripts from Files	399	(2)
Try It Out: Illustrating the store script and run script Commands	399	(1)
Try It Out: Running and Loading a Script	400	(1)
Script Objects and Object-Oriented Programming	401	(14)
Try It Out: Returning a Script Object from a Handler	402	(1)
Try It Out: More on Returning Script Objects	403	(2)
Try It Out: Defining a Rectangle Object	405	(2)
Polymorphism	407	(1)
Try It Out: Polymorphism In AppleScript	407	(2)
Inheritance	409	(1)
Try It Out: Illustrating Inheritance	410	(2)
Try It Out: Defining a Square Using Inheritance	412	(1)
Using its in Inherited Handlers	413	(1)
Try It Out: Using my in Handlers	413	(1)
The continue Command	414	(1)
Try It Out: Calling a Parent's Handler Using the continue Command	414	(1)
Summary	415	(1)
Exercises	416	(3)
Loose Ends	419	(30)
Command Handlers	419	(1)
Try It Out: Writing a Command Handler	420	(1)
Using terms from	420	(1)
Using the clipboard	421	(2)
The Script Menu	423	(1)
Folder Actions	424	(3)
Try It Out: Working with Folder Actions	425	(2)
Open Scripting Architecture	427	(2)
Scripting Additions	429	(1)
AppleEvents	429	(1)
Try It Out: AppleEvents in the Event Log History	429	(1)
Recording Scripts	430	(2)
Try It Out: Recording Actions in the Finder	430	(2)
GUI Scripting	432	(2)
Try It Out: Introduction to GUI Scripting	432	(2)
Before and After	434	(1)
Creating a Reference to an Object	434	(1)
Web Services: XML-RPC and SOAP	435	(3)
Try It Out: Using SOAP Services	437	(1)
Running Scripts from Terminal	438	(1)
The do shell script Command	439	(2)
The with transaction Statement	441	(1)
Delayed Evaluation with the run script Command	441	(1)
Scheduling Scripts to Run with the cron	442	(3)
Try It Out: Chime the Hour!	442	(3)
Summary	445	(1)
Exercises	446	(3)
Introducing AppleScript Studio	449	(24)
Installing AppleScript Studio	449	(1)
Developing a Simple Application	450	(19)
Try It Out: Working with AppleScript Studio	451	(18)
An iTunes Remote	469	(1)
Summary	470	(1)
Exercises	471	(2)
Appendix A: Exercise Answers	473	(52)
Appendix B: Language Reference	525	(30)
Operators	525	(3)
English Equivalents of Relational Operators	526	(1)
Containment Operators	527	(1)
Built-in Classes	528	(2)
Classes of Weights and Measures	530	(1)
Lists	530	(1)
List Class Properties	530	(1)
Element Specifiers	531	(1)
Records	531	(1)
Record Class Properties	531	(1)
Strings	532	(1)
String Class Properties	532	(1)
Predefined String Properties	532	(1)
Escape Characters	532	(1)
String Elements	533	(1)
Dates	533	(1)
Date Class Properties	533	(1)
Predefined Properties for Working with Dates	534	(1)
Compound Statements	534	(4)
considering	534	(1)
if	535	(1)
ignoring	536	(1)
repeat	536	(1)
tell	537	(1)
try	537	(1)
using terms from	537	(1)
with timeout	537	(1)
with transaction	538	(1)
Commands	538	(17)
activate	539	(1)
adding folder items to*	539	(1)
ASCII character*	540	(1)
ASCII number*	540	(1)
choose application*	540	(1)
choose color*	540	(1)
choose file*	540	(1)
choose file name*	541	(1)
choose folder*	541	(1)
choose from list*	541	(1)
choose URL*	541	(1)
clipboard info*	541	(1)
close access*	542	(1)
closing folder window for*	542	(1)
continue	542	(1)
copy	542	(1)
count	542	(1)
current date*	543	(1)
delay*	543	(1)
display dialog*	543	(1)
do shell script*	543	(1)
error	544	(1)
exit repeat	545	(1)
get	545	(1)
get eof*	545	(1)
get volume settings*	545	(1)
handle CGI request*	545	(1)
info for*	546	(1)
launch	546	(1)
list disks*	546	(1)
list folder*	546	(1)
load script *	546	(1)
log	547	(1)
mount volume*	547	(1)
moving folder window for*	547	(1)
offset*	547	(1)
open for access*	547	(1)
open location*	548	(1)
opening folder*	548	(1)
path to*	548	(1)
random number*	548	(1)
read*	549	(1)
removing folder items from*	549	(1)
return	549	(1)
round*	550	(1)
run script*	550	(1)
say*	550	(1)
scripting components*	550	(1)
set	551	(1)
set eof*	551	(1)
set the clipboard to*	551	(1)
set volume*	551	(1)
start log	551	(1)
stop log	552	(1)
store script*	552	(1)
summarize*	552	(1)
system attribute*	552	(1)
the clipboard*	552	(1)
time to GMT*	553	(1)
write*	553	(2)
Appendix C: Resources	555	(4)
Errata, etc.	555	(1)
AppleScript Books	555	(1)
Websites	556	(1)
Mailing Lists and Newsgroups	556	(1)
Development Tools	557	(2)
AppleScript Studio	557	(1)
Script Editor	558	(1)
Smile	558	(1)
Script Debugger 3.0	558	(1)
Index	559