Adam Goldstein
1 AppleScript, the Missing Manual - Highly Recommended
Title: AppleScript, The Missing Manual
Author: Adam Goldstein
Publisher: Pogue Press/O'Reilly & Associates, February, 2005
ISBN: 0-596-00850-3
Reviewed by: Curt Blanchard, Tucson Macintosh Users Group
Apple introduced AppleScript in 1993 as a way of automating repetitive Mac chores. Over the years, it has evolved to the point where nearly everything the Mac does can be scripted. Instead of arcane programming code, AppleScripts are written in English partly because its roots are in HyperCard. However, getting the terminology and syntax right requires a good, clear understanding of the AppleScript language. Once again, O'Reilly Press rides to the rescue with another in their excellent Missing Manual series. This at-your-own-pace book begins with the basics of everyday scripting tasks and takes the reader through lists, network scripting, databases and ends with a very detailed power-user section.
This approachable book is written in an enthusiastic, good-humored style (funny, even); important with a subject as intimidating as this. The examples and thoughtful tutorials are exceptionally clear. The author, Adam Goldstein deserves special mention - he's only 17 years old! In his foreword, David Pogue tells about meeting Goldstein when he was only 14 and how impressed he was. He has already been involved in several O'Reilly books even though he's still a high school student in New Jersey. There can be no questions about his bright future. If you are new to AppleScript or an old hand, this well written book is highly recommended.
--Curt Blanchard
Tucson Macintosh Users Group
2 AppleScript: The Missing Manual
AppleScript: The Missing Manual provides hands-on experiences to learn scripting. This is truly the "Missing Manual" for those wanting to automate their Macintosh. As with other Missing Manuals on-line scripts are available with the author providing step-by-step guidance.
The Overview explains Script Menu, how to use the Script Editor, and guides readers into the world of Scripting. Readers modify existing scripts and write their first AppleScript.
This Missing Manual enables readers build proficiency by modifying existing scripts in preparation to enter each new chapter. The author helps novices gain confidence as their skill level matures. With this publication readers are empowered to advance their skill level at their own pace.
For those wanting to maximize benefits of a Macintosh, AppleScript: The Missing Manual is a must have.
3 REVIEW: AppleScript, The Mising Manual
Book Review: AppleScript: The Missing Manual
By Frank Petrie
Author: Adam Goldstein
Publisher: Pogue Press/O'Reilly
Price: $24.95 USD
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Power-User
Rating: Five out of Five stars
Do you work for your computer or does your computer work for you? I should hope its the later. If not, you might want to pick up a copy of AppleScript: The Missing Manual and show your Mac who's the boss.
Another entry in the ever popular 'Missing Manual' series
, Mr. Goldstein, the teenage founder of GoldfishSoft, manages to take you from an overview of AS's underpinnings in Panther (OS X.3) to as far as you care to get involved with the Script Editor.
There's examples of some of the most common repetitive functions accompanied with scripts, thorough explanations, graphics and sidebars. You are also instructed how to download the "Missing CD," which contain all of the examples and exercises from the book.
The book is broken down into four major sections:
*ÊAppleScript Overview - where the glaze is wiped from your eyes and all your fears dissipated
* Everyday Scripting Tasks - actual hands-on scripting with applications that you probably use on a daily basis
* Power-user Features - learn how to get the most out of your scripts so your computer does the work while you sit out side on the porch experiencing daylight
* Appendixes - Part One, lists OS X friendly scriptable programs; Part Two, how to move your old HyperCard scripts into AppleScript; Part Three - references to more books and websites
The author writes in such a calming voice that actually makes this manual a page turner! You'll be amazed at how easily you learn AS as he builds upon each successive lesson. And if you've never delved into scripting functions for your Mac, you'll be amazed at just how powerful this unheralded application can be. And how much you'll want to roll up your sleeves are get immediately to work.
This may be the push that you need to start getting under the hood and fine tuning your machine to be the Mac of your dreams.
Pros: Easy to read and follow; be the envy of your friends by knowing the meaning of boolean
Cons: This could be the start of a major addiction; I'm old enough to be the author's father
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©2005 Frank Petrie - Freelance writer, Macsimum News contributing editor, Curmudgeon
4 easy to understand language
AppleScript used to be for fairly mundane operations. It rose partly in response to DOS and unix machines having their scripting languages for automating various tasks. Well, as the Mac OS grew, so too did the scope of AppleScript. Now Goldstein shows how you can easily use it for automating many manual tasks in OS X. Unsurprisingly, since this is Apple we are talking about, the Script Editor and Script Menu facilities are very cleanly designed.
As for the language itself - it is far more readable than a unix shell script or the latest Microsoft batch files. This is both good and bad, depending on your point of view. It is good in that a new user of AppleScript, who perhaps is not from a technical background, can understand it more easily. So AppleScript can outreach to a broader audience. However, if you do end up learning it, the verbosity can be a little tiresome. Experienced programmers tend to prefer brevity.
But there is a countervailing point. The nice thing is that OS X is a full unix variant. Complete with various unix scripting languages. So you have several choices of languages besides AppleScript.
5 Great for beginners
I saw Adam do a presentation on AppleScript at the O'Reilly booth during MacWorld SF '05 and was so impressed that I bought the book. As webmaster of "Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes", I'm frequently asked to recommend a good AppleScript book for beginners and this is it. It covers everything you need to know to get started AppleScripting right away, and will even teach some old hands new tricks. I highly recommend it.
6 Great for an AppleScript Beginner
Despite the fact I've been using a Mac for years, I've never spent any time with AppleScript. I never really gave it much thought - until I started looking at various AppleScript I pulled from the web. I picked up this book to educate myself a little better on AppleScript.
There are plenty of scripts ready to tweak and also plenty information to get building AppleScript on your own. I appreciated the pictures and figures on every couple pages break it up - which is good because it gets a little verbose at times. =) I also liked the "Power User Clinic" sections that give a little extra info.
Well done - I'll be an AppleScript expert in no time. =)
7 Good start, hits target audience right on
I've been coding AppleScript and AppleEvents since what feels like the beginning of time, starting with AE in 1991 and OS7. Revisiting AppleScript has been one of those processes that in 1997 and now in 2004/5 I have dreaded and embraced for various reasons. The main reason I hate AS so much is the lack of consistancy between application implementations of AppleScript support. I also dislike how over time implementations change making old scripts fairly worthless for relearning and aquanting. One of the other things I dislike most is the lack of a good basic introduction to the concepts and specifics of AppleScript. And finally the lack of a fairly all inclusive book or webpage about AS as a tool, AS the language, 3rd party AS tools that are currently supported and a set of generic educational sample scripts.
Now, Pogue Press along with O'reilly in their "Missing Manual Series" and a very bright high school debutant author named Adam Goldstein have put together what I consider to be the best book on AppleScript currently marketed. Thorough, modern and light reading. Adam Goldstein the wonderkid scripter that runs his own website has done us old time and newbie scripters alike a favor filling a much needed gap Apple left in their AS manuals. This 320+ page book was an easy evening read, consumed in less than 7 hours and 2 hours for reflection and revisiting sections of interest. Some of the most enjoyable things I can mention about this book are... The consistant layout of the text, it is simply a joy to read and hold in my hands. Much like other O'reilly books, this one does not fail to serve well in hand and on desktop next to monitor. Goldstein covers a LOT of territory in 300+ pages, and I found the index useful after the first read for more in depth investigation and details about rather obscure AS topics. To me, a manual of any substance and value is as good as its index. These qualities are alone worth 1/2 the retail of the retail USD $24.95 retail price.
Another thing that impressed me was Goldstein's breadth of knowledge covering bridge technologies, going from AS to JScript, or RealBASIC to AS, or even JS to AS. Living in the web demands a programmer and designer to know many tools and use the best (or in some cases the only) for the right job. Adam is clear on what AS is good for, and offers a rather complete list of alternatives for various other needs. Adam is an honest writer, something politically not in vogue all the time with writers of technology. I appreciate him being a straight shooter regarding the limitations of AS, where it is most useful, now to maximize its power and leaving it behind for other tools more appropriate. To me these merit the other 1/2 of the retail price.
Covering many application AS interfacing like MS Word, or Adobe PS, the process flow scripter/coder is going to love this up and fast running series of 'Power User's Clinic' box hilites throughout the book. Inclusive are the Workaround sections for solving conflicts and problems with apps that behave or have naming conventions in their AS dictionaries that may result in odd behaviors. For those that want to explore the media aspects of AS programming, there are sections about coding iTunes, Web-Browsers, Commercial Graphic Apps and more.
At least two things lack in my opinion ranking this book high rather than perfectly fitting my personal needs. One is the lack of mentioning a few scripting technologies like FScript, and SenseTalk, both of which are extremely powerful and very complete. The first with true Cocoa objects, and the latter with an AS bridge call via the 'do AppleScript' command and the heart of the fully automated and scriptable testing system called Eggplant. Lastly the total lack of AppleScriptable IRC client control is a big oversite. Granted, few will upon utilizing AS spend time coding IRC clients, there is a deep pool of resources online and a webring dedicated to AS IRC scripting useful to the budding and new scripter.
As this book is a Missing Manual release, it is a great launching place for people that want to know the very basics about the tools available for AppleScript like the Script Editor and XCode. This book serves well those that want to get a feel for the tools out there to write more complicated scripts for automation, that of XCode. It does not touch in great detail the use of UI Browser or Smile, two very strong tools that are available fairly cheap to the AS coder. The very last thing that bothers me is the clear lack of commercial experience and focus for AS coding. There is a large market in Publishing for AS Hackers, and it is growing daily. Its apparent this book could use a section or two regarding integration of AS into a business model/work flow, and how to control data flow as part of a configuration management solution. AS is used as part of very complex media production, websites, newspapers, catalogs, libraries, online selling and stores. Yet nothing significant is mentioned about how AS is or could be used in such environments, and this is a sore point for me and this book, missing a great chance to explain how AS can help someone accomplish something useful other than getting iTunes to play folders of music.
Some of the very enjoyable things I can mention about this book are... The consistant layout of the text, it is simply a joy to read and hold in my hands. Much like other ora.com books, this one does not fail to serve well in hand and on desktop next to monitor. Goldstein covers a LOT of territory in 300 or so pages, and I found the index to be very useful after the first read to go back and revisit some topics like the AppleScript Studio coverage that I particularly want to know about, building full blown GUI based AS applications. The simple yet clear coverage of how to construct a simple speech interface to the say command was fantastic, and worth 1/2 the retail of the book alone.
Another thing that impressed me was Goldstein's breadth of knowledge covering bridge technologies, going from AS to JScript, or BASIC to AS, or even JS to AS. Living in the web demands a programmer and designer to know many tools and use the best (or in some cases the only) for the right job. Adam is clear on what AS is good for, and offers a rather complete list of alternatives for various other needs. Adam is an honest writer, something politically not in vogue all the time with writers of technology. I appreciate him being a straight shooter regarding the limitations of AS, where it is most useful, now to maximize its power and leaving it behind for other tools more appropriate. To me that merits the other 1/2 of the retail price of USD $24.95.
Covering many application interfacing like MS Word, or Adobe PS, the process flow scripter/coder is going to love this up and fast running series of 'Power User's Clinic' box hilites throughout the book. Inclusive are the Workaround sections for solving conflicts and problems with apps that behave or have naming conventions in their AS dictionaries that may result odd behaviours. For those that want to explore the media aspects of AS programming, there are sections about coding iTunes, WebBrowsers, Commercial Graphic Apps and more.
At least two things lack in my opinion making this book a high recommendation rather than a perfect fit for my needs. One of which is the lack of mention of a few scripting technologies out there like FScript and SenseTalk, both of which are extremely powerful and complete, the first with true Cocoa objects, and the latter with an AS bridge call via the 'do AppleScript' command.
In all, I give this book a rating of 4.25 out of a potentail 5 rating, for a solid "B" score. A good first edition with a growing list of errata as I revisit sections and notes I made along the margins. I'd recommend it to the starter and intermediate AS programmer. I could see AppleScript: The Missing Manual used by those interested in an overview of AppleScript and how AS techonology could be integrated into an OS X user's productivity tool arsenal.
Disclosure: One thing I wish most would do is complete disclosure so I would know what kind of motivation and flavoring may occur during a review. To apply to self, I must tell you that I review O'reilly books for payment, in this case a free copy of the book in question. I am also a long time user of HyperSense, SenseTalk and Xmodules writer for SenseTalk dating back to 1990 and the advent of HyperCube the original NeXT/OSX Scripting Media System. However, I have attempted to be fair as well as critical of this book and its author when warranted. Goldstein's book would have benefited from more years of commercial software and configuration management experience and not hobby or part time scripting practices.
Todd Nathan is an old hand at new technology. Coding since 6502 ASM for the Apple ][ line of computers in the early 80s, he has seen technologies come and go, mostly go. He enjoys developing Forth compilers in scripting languages for the sheer torture of it all, and ASForth is his latest undertaking. A complete Forth compiler, runtime and interpreter written in AppleScript.
8 AppleScript Book that Fills the Gap
AppleScript: The Missing Manual by Adam Goldstein succeeds in avoiding the failing of most computer books. The problem with the typical computer book is that it falls into one of two types: a tutorial, too short on information to be worth the price, or a lengthy tome (usually written by a computer programmer) that is far too detailed to be readable. AppleScript: The Missing Manual excels in providing a wealth of information in an easily readable manner and lives up to the "the missing manual" identifier.
AppleScript is generally described as a simple but powerful script programming language that reads like simple English. While this is true, the simple, short but powerful, and easy to read example scripts lulls many users. The truth is that while the finished product is easy to read, AppleScript is a "finicky" language that requires exact wording. There has been a lack of good books on AppleScript and even a shortage of online information on the Internet. Inexplicably, unlike the Apple norm, Apple's documentation on AppleScript is very poorly organized and generally cryptic. Mr. Goldstein's book is welcome relief in the large void.
Many computer books just provide information that can easily be encompassed in a short tutorial. So why bother paying the price of the book when you can easily access similar information for free on the Internet? On the other side of the scale, other computer books fail by including too much esoteric information in far too technical language. How many times do you need to read a discussion on whether a programming item fit the academic criteria of being "object-oriented"? Mr. Goldstein' book contains more information and is more complete than a tutorial while not overloading you with too much information. Any moderately computer literate Mac user should be able to easily read AppleScript: The Missing Manual.
This book comprises three sections: Part One: AppleScript Overview. Part Two: Everyday Scripting Tasks. Part Three: Power User Features. Broken down here is what is provided. The first part introduces and explains the use of AppleScript and the tools available. The second part provides a comprehensive review of the typical uses of AppleScript (i.e. Manipulating text, working with files, etc.). Finally, part three adds additional examples of more sophisticated use of AppleScript to control your computer.
Throughout the book, Mr. Goldstein offers script program examples that effectively illustrate ideas but are short enough to be easily understandable. I am sure that you will refer to these well after reading the book. The book also documents many hidden features and gems available in Mac OS X and AppleScript. How else would you discover the hidden "Image Events" application that allows you to script image file conversions easily? Another example is the book contains a very concise and good explanation of the difference between POSIX and alias file path naming conventions used by AppleScript.
The one shortcoming of AppleScript: The Missing Manual is the lack of a reference to the AppleScript script language. The book does a wonderful job of incrementally adding AppleScript statements and operators from chapter to chapter to aid learning AppleScript. But if you need to look up a specific syntax of AppleScript command you may be out of luck.
I highly recommend this book to any Apple Mac user. For the newly initiated AppleScript writer the many examples will introduce the opportunities to write simple and powerful scripts that automate repetitive tasks or accomplish more complex task. For experienced AppleScripter's, I am confident you will learn hidden features that will make your scripting tasks easier. A big plus of AppleScript is that it a great tool for some tasks. After reading this book you will easy recognize tasks that can benefit for a little AppleScript.
9 Another Missing Manual Hit
[...]AppleScript: The Missing Manual by Adam Goldstein is part of the Missing Manual series of beginner/intermediate books published by Pogue Press/O'Reilly and Associates. The focus of this book series is on computer products that have been released without adequate printed manuals (Mac OS X, iLife '04, Google, iPod and iTunes, Windows XP, Windows 2K among others). Their newest release, AppleScript: The Missing Manual, is a welcome addition to their catalog of smart, funny and user-friendly books.
AppleScript is a scripting language that mimics the syntax of English. As such, it's extremely similar to how sentences are structured and, as a result, is very intuitive and simple to use. However, this doesn't belie the fact that it's a very powerful tool for automation.
Goldstein's Missing Manual is an exciting newcomer to the meager collection of AppleScript introductory volumes. This book covers the current Mac OS 10.3 (Panther) release of AppleScript and includes multimedia support, GUI scripting and AppleScript Studio. While it is intended for the beginner and intermediate user, power-hounds will also find many tricks, tips and hidden tools within its pages.
The book is divided into four parts: "AppleScript Overview", "Everyday Scripting Tasks", "Power-User Features" and "Appendixes".
Part One begins with the usual suspects: where to find the AppleScript folder in Mac OS X, how to enable the script menu and the surprising number of useful scripts you'll find there. In just a few pages, Goldstein hands the reader a collection of valuable scripts that were hiding in OS X Panther all along (I particularly like the "ransom note" script).
Part Two is the main core of the book and covers "Everyday Scripting Tasks". The seven chapters in this section run the gamut of increasing difficulty: manipulating text, controlling files, creating lists, organizing and editing graphics, playing sound and video, internet and network scripting and organizing information in databases. The author quickly takes the reader through a series of simple scripts designed to illustrate AppleScript syntax.
Once the reader whips through the example scripts in Parts One and Two, it's time to get down and geeky. Part Three titled "Power-User Features", is the section of the book for geeks and wanna-be geeks. Goldstein shoves enough advanced techniques in five chapters to make these alone worth the price of the book. The reader learns how to enable folder actions, attach built-in folder actions to specific folders, view and edit these built-in folder actions and run his or her own actions.
My favorite chapter in this section is Chapter 13, Mixing AppleScript and Unix. Goldstein gives a quick terminal lesson followed by a neat trick to display the Expose button ("the blob"). Other helpful actions: use do shell script to run Unix programs straight from AppleScript, run shell scripts with admin privileges, run AppleScripts from Unix thus saving time by bypassing the Script Editor and schedule commands (use an AppleScript to run cron every day, use iCal to schedule scripts). Even users who normally shy away from the terminal will want to try some of these.
Part Four contains the Appendix A through C: "AppleScript Support in Common Programs" (a very useful set of tables of applications, their level of AppleScript support, price and where to get them), "Moving from Hypercard to AppleScript" (options and advice for converting Hypercard stacks to AppleScript and major syntax differences between HyperTalk and AppleScript) and "Where to Go from Here" (AppleScript sources: Web sites, discussion lists and books).
Goldstein's style of writing is exceptionally clear with just a dash of humor that humanizes the experience of reading a technical or "how-to" manual. The reader won't find anything confusing, lacking in detail or dull. This book is eminently satisfying on many levels: the writing style is conversational and humorous (I would imagine this is a pre-requisite for writing for David Pogue), the style of this book series is consistently pleasant to read and the level of technical difficulty satisfies the range of readers from beginner through power-user. The "valuable information:price" ration is, hands-down, in the buyer's favor.
A final note about Adam Goldstein, the author of Applescript: The Missing Manual...he is the teenage founder of GoldfishSoft (www.goldfishsoft.com), a Mac OS X games and utilities software company (my 7 year-old son loves AlgeKalk and FrakKalk, geek that he is). By "teenage", I mean Adam Golstein is 17-ish. He began contributing to this Pogue/O'Reilly series several years ago by writing a few sections of Mac OS X Panther Edition: The Missing Manual (FileVault, journaling and Disk Restore). I suspect we'll be hearing a lot more from Mr. Goldstein...and I'm looking forward to it.
