Scripty Claus' gift to you this Holiday Season is a fun little AppleScript that lines up your Desktop icons and races them across the screen until one of them reaches the finish line.
Here's how to set it up...
[Read more on TUAW...]
TUAW Post > AppleScript Desktop Icon Race
2012.12.24 By
Send Keynote Presenter Notes to Evernote with AppleScript
2012.12.10 By
We've all been there before. You've prepared a Keynote presentation on the Internet phenomenon of cat videos for your local Mac user group. You've finished editing your slides. You've added presenter notes. Next, you want to extract the notes from your slides and bring them into Evernote so you can look them over and maybe use them as the basis for your forthcoming newsletter article. You open your presentation in Keynote and select File > Export. Then, it happens. You remember that Keynote doesn't have a feature for exporting presenter notes. Sure, you could copy them one by one into Evernote, but that will take a while. Fortunately, you know this can be done quickly and easily with AppleScript. Here's how you'll do it...
[Read more on TUAW...]
MacTech Article > Introduction to AppleScriptObjC (Cocoa-AppleScript)
2012.11.29 By
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
2012.11.27 By
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
2012.11.20 By
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
2012.11.19 By
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.
Macworld > Ask the Script Doctor: Solving Mail problems
2012.10.29 By
I'm very happy to announce my new scripting column for Macworld, Ask the Script Doctor. The first one focuses on answering reader questions about AppleScripting Mail.
[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.
AppleScript Easter Egg: Way too long, dude.
2012.10.18 By
I've posted this before, but this one still cracks me up. Create an AppleScript variable name with 252 characters or more, and you get this...
MacTech Article > Understanding AppleScript Dictionaries
2012.10.04 By
Over the years, I’ve written dozens of AppleScript articles for MacTech. Check the archives, and you’ll find my introductory articles on scripting various applications, error protection, looping, branching logic, and much more. One topic that has somehow eluded my column is AppleScript dictionaries. Since dictionaries continue to be a source of confusion for many scripters (trust me, I receive questions about them all the time), I’d like to take this opportunity to try to clear the air.
[Read the full article in MacTech magazine's August 2012 issue, available in print and in the MacTech iPad Newsstand app]
Save $300 on the MacTech Conference 2012
2012.10.01 By
Planning to go to the MacTech Conference and listen to my talk on AppleScript servers? If you haven't registered yet, you can save $300 until October 8th. Here are the conference details...
Description:
MacTech Conference for Apple Developers, Enterprise, IT Pros and consultants is October 17-19, 2012 in Los Angeles. The event: a three-day, information-packed event that will have sessions and activities throughout the day and evening. This immersive conference is hotel-based, giving attendees the opportunity to not only learn from the best, but also to meet new people and spend time with their peers as well. Details about the conference is at http://www.mactech.com/conference .
From Earlier Announcements:
• World-class sessions by world-class talent.
• NASA Jet Propulsion Lab's Special Session on "Interplanetary Networking, Curiosity Style."
• Matt Drance, former Apple evangelist and voice behind Apple Outsider, Keynote on Tech's Role in Shaping the Future
• Speakers from half dozen countries. See full line up at http://www.mactech.com/conference/sessions
Other important details:
• Pre-registration pricing (save $300) ends October 8th.
• MacTech's hotel guest room block has already out-paced last year and sold out once, but more rooms have just been added.
• Meals and Activities included.
NEW: Evening Activities and Entertainment Announced
More details at http://www.mactech.com/conference/activities
• On the first evening, MacTech Conference attendees will be guests at nearby Walt Disney Animation Studios. Not only will they get a behind-the-scenes look at the Animation Studios and talk with Disney technologists and artists, but also have a rare look at how Walt Disney Animation Studios uses advanced technology to create their animated films.
• On the second evening, MacTech's party tradition continues with a walk down Universal's CityWalk to Jillian's where attendees can enjoy all that Jillian's has to offer (bowling, Guitar Hero room, air hockey, video games, arcade, billiards and more). Or, for true entertainment, attendees can try their hand at the now famous Karaoke at the party.
• As part of the entertainment flavor of MacTech Conference 2012, Profiles in History: Treasures from the Vaults will have a variety of Hollywood treasures on display the first day of the event, during registration and throughout the day.
NEW: MacTech Conference 2012: Special Post-Event Sessions Added
• Code 42 Special Presentation: Protecting Enterprise Information in a Mobile World.
• Cryptic Apps Special Presentation: Using Hopper Dedicated Disassembler for Mac and iOS.
• Apple Certifications Exams proctored by v.2
