Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger: Visual QuickStart Guide

AppleScript Basics

AppleScript (Figure 19) is the scripting language that comes with Mac OS. It enables you to automate tasks and extend the functionality of Mac OS X.

Figure 19. The contents of the AppleScript folder inside the Applications folder.

You use AppleScript’s Script Editor application to write small programs or scripts that include specially worded statements. AppleScript statements are converted by Mac OS into Apple events—messages that can be understood by the operating system and applications. When you run a script, the script can send instructions to the operating system or applications and receive messages in return.

For example, ...