Apple Javascript (Script Editor) Documentation

applescriptautomatorjavascriptscript

Is there a tutorial on how to use the documentation for Script Editor and Javascript?

I've been using AppleScript and Automator (with JavaScript) for a while but not extensively. I love how it works and what you can do with it. My problem is that I find very confusing the documentation (from Apple's website and from Script Editor's Library menu). I've been experimenting and doing stuff based mostly on examples.

I am familiar with PHP and Java Documentation which are great, is there some kind of easy to understand docs?

Best Answer

Apple has not updated their scripting documentation for JavaScript. The most recent documentation appears in the OS X 10.11 Release Notes - JavaScript for Automation.

There is extensive documentation for AppleScript in the AppleScript Language Guide.

MacStories has published a tutorial Getting Started with JavaScript for Automation on Yosemite.

Both this tutorial and Ash Ryan's Script Editor on Mac now lets you use JavaScript for automation mention a WWDC 2014: “JavaScript for Automation” which is probably the best place to learn more.

Related Solutions

How to change AppleScript path to a Terminal-style path

Use quoted form of the POSIX path of input. Without the quoted form of part, it won't handle funny characters (like spaces) in filenames correctly. See this Apple technote.

Inserting shell script into .app bundle

This won't work for a signed app, but here's how I was able to get this to work:

Create a copy of the app you're trying to modify in case something goes wrong. (⌘D in Finder) For my example here, I modified the non-app store version of VectorDesigner
In Terminal, cd /Applications/VectorDesigner.app/Contents/MacOS
mv VectorDesigner VectorDesigner\ copy (substitute the name of your app here
pico VectorDesigner (or your editor of choice) and add the contents of your script.

I used this script
```
 #!/bin/sh
 osascript -e "tell Application \"Finder\" to display alert \"Hello World\""
 /Applications/VectorDesigner.app/Contents/MacOS/VectorDesigner\ copy
```
The important thing is for the last line to call the renamed executable.
chmod a+x VectorDesigner

Now, when I double-click the VectorDesigner icon, I get the "Hello World" window, then it launches the original program.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

How to change AppleScript path to a Terminal-style path

Inserting shell script into .app bundle

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