Archives for November 2012

MacTech Article > Introduction to AppleScriptObjC (Cocoa-AppleScript)

AppleScriptObjC, also known as Cocoa-AppleScript, is a framework in OS X. It was initially released with OS X 10.6, and serves as the official replacement for AppleScript Studio, which Apple deprecated at the time. AppleScriptObjC is used by scripters to write rich, fully featured Cocoa apps in AppleScript. Think of AppleScriptObjC as the “Pro” version of AppleScript. For building simple scripts, AppleScript alone works great. For building advanced and complex scripts, perhaps with advanced interfaces, you want to think about moving to AppleScriptObjC.

If you’re a hardcore AppleScript developer or regular MacTech reader, then you’ve probably heard of AppleScriptObjC. You may have worked your way through a tutorial, and maybe even created a very simple app. If you haven’t used AppleScriptObjC yet, then you may have used Xcode in the past to develop AppleScript Studio apps. This month’s column starts with the basics. It provides a very introductory look at AppleScriptObjC. While we won’t build an actual app just yet, we’ll explore some of AppleScriptObjC’s core concepts and syntax.

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

TUAW Post > Cascade Finder windows with AppleScript

You're busy. You've got tons of things going on at any given time. Your Mac's screen is constantly cluttered with a bazillion Finder windows, and you keep shuffling them around to find the one you need. Sure, Mission Control in Mountain Lion lets you view all of your Finder windows at once in a pretty tiled view. But, it doesn't sort them, and with a ton of little windows, finding the one you want is no piece of cake. How nice would it be if the Finder had a "Cascade Windows" feature? With a little help from AppleScript, your wait is over. In this post, you'll write a simple AppleScript that sorts your opened Finder windows and cascades them, making it quick and easy to find the one you want and clearing your cluttered screen in the process.

[Read more on TUAW...]

TUAW Post > Create Evernote 5 template notebooks with AppleScript

Evernote 5 is a wonderful app for gathering information and keeping it organized and synchronized between your devices. In Evernote, you create notebooks and fill them with notes. These notes can be anything - thoughts, web clippings, files, photos, audio, etc. Whenever you need to recall information you've added to Evernote, just type in a few keywords to instantly locate it.

This post shows how to use AppleScript to create template notebooks that contain default template notes. You can use these templates for creating new projects, jobs, or anything else you might need.

[Read more on TUAW...]

 

Macworld > Ask the Script Doctor: Working with Text

Ask the Script Doctor is a regular column in which we solve real-world Mac problems using AppleScript and Automator. If you have a problem you’d like us to solve, send an email to the Script Doctor for consideration.

Whether we’re writing novels or email, we all use text all the time. AppleScript is a great tool for making text-focused work easier and more efficient. For that reason, I get a lot of questions about how to simplify common text tasks. Here are a few of those questions and my answers.

[Read more at Macworld.com, subscribe to the print edition, or get Macworld on your iPad...]

Do you have a scripting problem or a question for the Script Doctor? Send it to scriptdoctor@macworld.com.

TUAW Post > Build a Photo Calendar with Automator

I'm very happy to announce that I am now writing automation and productivity tips for The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).

My first post is an Automator how-to.  It shows you how to create a Print Plugin that shows up in the PDF menu when you print a document. This specific plugin lets you print a photo calendar right out of the Calendar app.  It's fun, and it shows off some of the cool stuff you can do with Automator.

[Read more on TUAW...]