Training CDs

AppleScript 2006

This is an introductory AppleScript training CD, available from the Virtual Training Company, for anyone interested in learning AppleScript for OS X. Well-known AppleScript columnist and author, Ben Waldie, president of Automated Workflows, LLC, has created 91 detailed lessons, totaling 7 hours of training, that provide users with a solid introduction and foundation for writing AppleScripts.

Follow along at your own pace, and begin learning about the power of AppleScript automation.

Below is a listing of the topics covered on the AppleScript 2006 Introduction to AppleScript Training CD. The first 21 lessons are available for a free preview. To view the Free Tutorials listed below, you must have QuickTime installed. Please note that the online free samples have been compressed for quicker downloads. Purchased CDs have higher sound and video quality. Monitor resolution needs to be set to at least 1024 by 768 to view the entire movie.

Introduction

Welcome and Course Goals
Introduction to AppleScript
AppleScript Components Pt.1
AppleScript Components Pt.2
Introduction to Automator Pt.1
Introduction to Automator Pt.2
Example Code

Script Editor

Script Editor
Versions
Script Window Overview Pt.1
Script Window Overview Pt.2
Editing and Navigation Features
AppleScript Formatting
History Windows
Saving Scripts Pt.1
Saving Scripts Pt.2
Saving Scripts Pt.3
Third-Party Script Editors

Scriptable Applications (Part 1)

Introduction to Scriptable Applications
Recordable Applications
Attachable Applications
Non-Scriptable Applications

AppleScript's Language

Objects, Properties, and Commands
Statements
Value Classes
Coercion
Operators
Operators
Range
Grouping and Commenting
Terminology Abbreviations

Scriptable Applications (Part 2)

Accessing Application Dictionaries
Navigating Application Dictionaries Pt.1
Navigating Application Dictionaries Pt.2
Navigating Application Dictionaries Pt.3
Targeting Application Objects
Locating Applications

Variables and Properties

Introduction to Variables
Data Sharing
Local Variables
Global Variables
Properties
Pre-Defined Variables
Property and Variable Persistence

Adding Logic to a Script

Introduction to If/Then Statements
Simple If/Then Statements
Nested If/Then Statements
Complex If/Then Statements

Repeat Loops

Introduction to Repeat Loops
Repeat Until/Repeat While
Repeating Through a List
Incremental Repeating
Nested Repeat Loops

Extending AppleScript

Scripting Additions
Background Scriptable Applications
Calling UNIX Code

Basic User Interaction

Displaying Dialogs
Displaying Alerts
Choosing from a List
Choosing Files and Folders
Other Types of User Interaction

Error Handling and Troubleshooting

Try Statements
Timeouts/Ignoring Application Responses
Troubleshooting Techniques

File Interaction

Referencing Files
Dynamic Folder Paths
POSIX Paths
Reading Files (Part 1)
Reading Files (Part 2)
Writing to Files

Subroutine Handlers

Introduction to Subroutine Handlers
Subroutine Handler Parameters
Handler Return Values
Recursive Handlers

Command Handlers

Introduction to Command Handlers
Drop Scripts
Idle Scripts
Folder Action Scripts

Script Objects and Loaded Scripts

Script Objects
Loading and Storing Scripts
Calling Handlers in Other Scripts

Advanced AppleScripting

Remote Apple Events
GUI Scripting
Enabling GUI Scripting
Database Events
Image Events
Multi-Application Scripting
AppleScript Studio

Next Steps and Resources

Planning a Script
Web Sites, Forums, and Mailing Lists
Books and Other Training Resources

Credits

About this Author

The 2000 Mac OS 9 version of this Training Course is still available. To get it, click here.

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