Archives for May 2005

QUARKXPRESS AUTOMATOR ACTIONS NOW AVAILABLE
Automated Workflows, LLC Announces Automator Actions for use with QuarkXPress

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - May 30th, 2005 - Automated Workflows, LLC is pleased to announce the availability of Automator actions for use with QuarkXPress, which can be used to automate time consuming desktop publishing tasks!
Automator is the latest and greatest automation technology, developed by Apple Computer, Inc., and released with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Designed for all levels of users, from novice to expert, Automator makes performing time consuming and repetitive tasks a snap! The basic unit for automation in Automator is called an action, and each action is responsible for performing a single specific task. Using Automator's interface, users can link actions together in infinite ways to form a complete workflow that matches their unique needs. Hundreds of actions are included with Automator for performing tasks in Apple applications and the operating system itself. This list can be expanded with actions made available by developers.
Automated Workflows, LLC provides users with the ability to extend the immense power of Automator with new actions that interact directly with QuarkXPress. By extending Automator in this manner, users are now able to begin automating repetitive and time consuming desktop publishing tasks that would otherwise need to be performed manually. This means being able to quickly and easily begin automating even the most complex tasks, such as catalog construction!
For example, using Automator actions available from Automated Workflows, LLC, a workflow that opens a QuarkXPress template, retrieves product IDs from a FileMaker Pro database, locates photos corresponding to those IDs in iPhoto, imports the found photos into the Quark template, retrieves product text from a FileMaker Pro database, imports the product text into the Quark template, retrieves product pricing from a FileMaker Pro database, and imports the product pricing into the Quark template, can quickly and easily be created. All of this without the need for manual processing or programming!
Automated Workflows, LLC's actions are available for purchase, either individually, or in multi-action packs. Pricing varies based on the functionality offered, and demonstration versions of all actions are available for download. The Quark Automator actions, available today, include the following:

• Apply Quark Box Names
• Open Documents in Quark
• Place Images in Quark Document
• Place Text in Quark Document
• Retrieve Quark Box Names
• Save Quark Document

Automated Workflows, LLC also offers Automator actions for use with other popular applications, including FileMaker Pro, InDesign, iPhoto, and Photoshop. The list of available actions will continue to be expanded as new actions are developed.
Automated Workflows, LLC offers AppleScript and workflow automation consulting services to Macintosh-based businesses. For additional information about Automated Workflows, LLC's Automator actions, or to inquire about custom development of a solution, visit Automated Workflows, LLC's website.

Press Contact:

Ben Waldie
President
Automated Workflows, LLC
116 Cold Stream Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460

AppleScript and Automator are registered trademarks of Apple Computer. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

AUTOMATOR BOOK ANNOUNCED
Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator Available From SpiderWorks, LLC

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - May 23rd, 2005 - Automated Workflows, LLC is pleased to announce the availability of the "Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator", written by Benjamin S. Waldie, president of Automated Workflows, LLC.
At the heart of Mac OS X Tiger, Automator is an application that brings the power of automation to the user level, with no programming required! Within Automator, users work with two main types of components, actions and workflows. Actions are built by developers, and each action’s purpose is to perform a single task, such as opening a file, checking your email, or rotating an image. Workflows are designed and constructed by users, by piecing together actions in a sequence, to create a virtual assembly line of automated tasks. Once constructed, workflows may be saved and triggered by a user in a variety of ways. Workflows may be run from within the Automator application, saved and run as an application, as a Folder Action, as an iCal alarm, as a print workflow, and more.
The "Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator" provides detailed coverage of Automator from the perspective of both a user and a developer. The first section of the book is geared toward users, and covers all aspects of the Automator application itself. Users are guided through the use of the Automator interface, and are taught how to use the application to construct unique automated workflows, which can help users to become more efficient in their daily routines. The second section of the book is geared toward developers, and explains how to extend the power of Automator by creating custom actions. Developers are walked through the process of creating Automator actions in both AppleScript and Objective-C.
The "Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator" is available in eBook format for $14.95, and in print form for $29.99 from SpiderWorks, LLC. The print version of the book is also available on Amazon.com.
Benjamin S. Waldie is also the author of "AppleScripting the Finder", an eBook also available from SpiderWorks, LLC. Benjamin writes a regular AppleScript column for MacTech Magazine and X-Ray Magazine, and is president of Automated Workflows, LLC. Automated Workflows specializes in offering AppleScript and workflow automation consulting services to Macintosh-based businesses.
SpiderWorks, LLC specializes in how-to eBooks and printed books, providing quality content from respected authors at a low price. Where it takes some publishers several months to get new technology-related books into the hands of customers, SpiderWorks is able to bypass traditional print production hurdles by embracing the eBook format and utilizing an advanced print-on-demand publishing system, satisfying the immediate needs of today's digital lifestyles in a timely, cost-effective manner.
For additional information about the "Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator", please visit the Automated Workflows, LLC website. For additional information about SpiderWorks, LLC and other exciting books, visit the SpiderWorks, LLC website.

Press Contact:

Ben Waldie
President
Automated Workflows, LLC
116 Cold Stream Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460

Automator is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

MACTECH MAGAZINE APPLESCRIPT ARTICLE ANNOUNCED
Current Issue of MacTech Magazine Features Article Written by Benjamin S. Waldie, President of Automated Workflows, LLC

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - May 1st, 2005 - This month's MacTech Magazine, the May 2005 issue, features an article that provides an overview of the new AppleScript-related features in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. This article was written by AppleScript Essentials columnist, Benjamin S. Waldie, president of Automated Workflows, LLC.
AppleScript is a scripting language, built into Mac OS X, which allows users to write scripts in order to automate time consuming and repetitive tasks.
Benjamin S. Waldie is president and CEO of Automated Workflows, LLC, a firm specializing in AppleScript and workflow automation consulting. For years, Benjamin has developed professional AppleScript-based solutions for businesses across the globe, including Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, NASA, and TV Guide Magazine.
For additional information, visit Automated Workflows, LLC's website.

Press Contact:

Ben Waldie
President
Automated Workflows, LLC
116 Cold Stream Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460

AppleScript is a registered trademark of Apple Computer. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.