Archives for September 2012

MacTech Conference 2012 > Deploying an AppleScript Server

I'll be speaking about AppleScript servers at the upcoming 2012 MacTech Conference.  Hope to see you there.

-Ben Waldie

 

Deploying an AppleScript Server

AppleScript automation capabilities have existed on the Mac for years, and are widely used throughout the Mac enterprise market. Like many businesses, you may be using scripts to streamline your user workflows and improve productivity and efficiency.

In this session, you'll learn how to take scripting to the next level by deploying a dedicated AppleScript server. Find out how your users can hand off files and other data to the server for processing, allowing them to focus their attention on other important tasks. Explore ways of implementing schedule-based scripts, which can run at night or during other downtime. Get tips for migrating existing scripts to function in an unattended environment.

Any Mac professional who wants to increase efficiency, improve quality, and take workflow automation to the limit will not want to miss this session.

Attendees will learn:

  • What an AppleScript server is, and what it can do
  • Tips for implementing your own AppleScript server
  • Tips for implementing folder watching scripts
  • Tips for implementing scheduled scripts
  • Tips for migrating existing scripts for use on an unattended machine

The MacTech Conference runs from October 17-19, 2012 in Los Angeles.  It's a 3-day, immersive, technical conference specifically designed for Apple developers, IT Pros, and Enterprise.

[Learn more or register on the MacTech Conference website...]

MacTech Article > Automation and App Usage in Mountain Lion

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard rumors about automation-related changes in Mountain Lion.  Here are the big ones going around… Gatekeeper doesn’t let you run apps or scripts that aren’t in the Mac App Store – third party app and script distribution is dead!  Sandboxing prevents apps from talking to one another – AppleScript and inter-application automation are dead! First, let’s get something straight.  These are rumors.  Second, like lots of rumors, they aren’t true.  So, what’s the real deal, then?

[Read the full article in MacTech magazine's July 2012 issue, available in print and in the MacTech iPad Newsstand app]

Peachpit Article > Building a Basic AppleScriptObjC (Cocoa-AppleScript) Application with Xcode

In OS X Mountain Lion, AppleScript continues to be a powerhouse tool for controlling applications on the Mac. Whether you need to automate the creation of a few folders in the Finder, or generate a several-hundred-page product catalog in Adobe InDesign, AppleScript is waiting to lend a hand. Despite AppleScript's learning curve, Mac users everywhere are using it on a daily basis, and it saves time and money that might otherwise be wasted.

 AppleScripts aren't known for having slick interfaces. Perhaps most often, these scripts are written as simple applications, using the AppleScript Editor (found in/Applications/Utilities). When you double-click the application, it launches, performs some series of hidden tasks, and then quits. Developing script applications that work like this is quick and easy if you have the know-how, but if you're planning to distribute your script to other people, this format isn't always ideal. For one thing, aside from displaying simple dialog messages, you have no real way to let users know what your script is doing. Furthermore, unless users are AppleScript-savvy, there's no way for them to adjust the behavior of your script.

AppleScriptObjC (also called Cocoa-AppleScript) is an advanced method of developing AppleScript-based native Cocoa applications. With AppleScriptObjC, you can develop rich user interfaces and interact with them directly from your scripts. [Read more on the Peachpit.com...]

Using Dropbox to Track a Stolen Mac

My sister is currently living overseas.  Last month, her Mac was stolen.  Unfortunately, she didn't have Find My Mac enabled, as she was running an older version of OS X, which didn't support it. The police did manage to recover the Mac after a few days, but this situation got me thinking... how could you track down a stolen Mac without Find My Mac enabled?  Certainly, there are commercial third-party apps that could help.  But, what about something a typical Mac user might have installed?  What about Dropbox? [Read more on the Peachpit blog...]

iOS Productivity: Printing from your iPhone or iPad via Your Mac

AirPrint was introduced with iOS 4.2, and lets you to print right from your iOS device.  Now you can be super productive, right?  Only if you have an AirPrint enabled printer at your disposal.  Although there are hundreds of printers available that support AirPrint these days, what if you're like me, and have older printers that iOS doesn't recognize?  Your Mac can help. [Read more on the Peachpit blog...]