Beginning, Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™ Programming

Chapter 13. AppleScript and AppleScriptObjC

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER:

• The different ways you can use AppleScript scripts, and the tools you can use to create them

• The basics of the AppleScript language

• How to script applications such as Finder, iPhoto, and QuickTime

• How to develop complete applications with the AppleScriptObjC bridge

AppleScript is a scripting language developed by Apple primarily for scripting applications that have a graphical user interface (GUI). It reads like English and is targeted more at the general Mac user than the programming professional. Nonetheless, even the serious programmer has something to gain from AppleScript. AppleScript allows you to take full advantage of the functionality offered by applications ranging from iPhoto to QuickTime, Mail to Microsoft Word. AppleScript is to GUI applications what the Bash Shell is to Unix commands — the glue that binds them together. (If you don't know what this means, read Chapter 12 on the Bash Shell.)

In recent years, AppleScript has ventured beyond its traditional hunting grounds into application development. By integrating AppleScript with the Cocoa frameworks (see Chapter 8); Apple has made it possible to develop complete Mac OS X applications with AppleScript, using a scripting bridge. This makes it possible for non-programmers to easily write applications that look stunning and behave as any other Cocoa application.

Note

Just as AppleScript has been moving into the realm of application development, ...