Apple® Automator with AppleScript® Bible

Chapter 4. Advanced Automator Topics

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Working with variables

• Working with loops

• A closer look at plugins

• Recording manual events

In Chapter 3, you learned the basics of the Automator interface and the basics of workflows and actions. You learned how to put together some basic workflows and how to use the Automator interface to your advantage. In this chapter, you're going to learn a little bit more about some advanced Automator concepts. I'll be introducing you to variables, loops, plugins, scheduling workflows, recording manual events, and setting up watch folders.

The goal of this chapter is simple: By the time you're done reading it, you'll know just about everything you need to know to create any workflow you want. After this chapter, you'll be spending quite a bit of time learning how to work with AppleScript. After you've mastered that skill, you'll be working on 50 automation projects in Part III. In just about every project in that section of the book, you'll get a chance to look at a specific automation problem, apply some basic Automator skills, add AppleScript to the mix (if needed), and really customize a solution. Right now, though, it's time to learn some advanced tricks in Automator.

One quick note: If you are using Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4), then most of the stuff in this chapter won't work unless you upgrade to Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) or Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6). Variables, loops, and manual recording only work in Leopard or higher!

Working with Variables ...