AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition

Hyperlinks

You can embed AppleScript code in an HTML hyperlink . The user can't actually execute AppleScript code by clicking such a link (the ability to do so would constitute a serious security hole). Rather, when the user clicks that link, the code is displayed in a script editor, ready to execute if the user desires.

The mechanism involved is the applescript URL protocol. The href attribute of the link's <a> tag must begin like this:

applescript://com.apple.scripteditor?

The specification of Script Editor's bundle identifier is apparently a security measure; it is required, but it is also superfluous, because applescript URLs cannot be made to target any other script editor application by changing this value.

Tip

applescript URLs can be made to target a desired application (or applet) by means of a preference set by the user at system level. Apple provides no interface for setting this preference; but the freeware RCDefaultApp preference pane is an excellent way to do it (http://www.rubicode.com/Software/RCDefaultApp/ ).

The next component of the URL is one of the following three expressions:

action=new&
action=insert&
action=append&

They signify, respectively, that AppleScript code should be inserted in a new Script Editor window, placed at the insertion point in the currently frontmost Script Editor window, or appended to the end of the currently frontmost Script Editor window. (If no Script Editor window is currently open, all three have the same effect.)

Finally, the AppleScript ...