Beginning AppleScript®

5.4. Using Special String Characters

Unlike many other programming languages, AppleScript does not distinguish single characters from character strings. So when you read about a character in this section, understand that it's a character string containing just a single character.

5.4.1. Special Properties Used Outside Strings

The following table shows some special properties in AppleScript that you can use when working with strings. A property is like a variable, with some unique differences that you learn about in Chapter 8. For now, just assume that you can use a property like other variables in your program.

Property	Meaning	Examples
return	end of line character	"Line one" & return & "Line two"
space	space character	"one" & space & "two"
tab	tab character	if inChar = tab then ...

In the first example from the table

"Line one" & return & "Line two"

the return character is inserted between the two strings "Line one" and "Line two", forming a single string that consists of the string "Line one" followed immediately by a return character. That character is, in turn, followed immediately by the string "Line two".

Assuming that the variable firstName is a string that stores someone's first name and lastName is a string that stores that person's last name, you can write the following:

set fullName to firstName & space & lastName

With this line, you assign the person's first and last name, delimited by a space, to fullName. Of course, this is equivalent to writing

set fullName to firstName & ...