Brief History
The AppleScript project was a direct result of the HyperCard project. HyperCard was a hypermedia authoring environment that predated the World Wide Web. It featured an English language-based scripting language called Hyper Talk, which HyperCard programmers used to embed logic and behavior within a HyperCard stack.
A HyperCard stack, by the way, was very much like a collection of Web pages, except that it all ran as part of a desktop application. You could create links and program buttons to perform certain actions. In many ways, HyperCard was an important forerunner of all the hypermedia projects and tools that followed, including CD-ROMs and the Web. In fact, the only thing that kept HyperCard from becoming the first Web browser was its focus on local stacks of cards, as opposed to network-oriented stacks.

About AppleScript
AppleScript is a scripting language that provides direct control of scriptable applications and scriptable parts of the Mac OS. A scriptable application is one that can respond to a variety of Apple events by performing operations or supplying data. An Apple event is a type of inter process message that can encapsulate commands and data of arbitrary complexity. By providing an API that supports these mechanisms, the “Open Scripting Architecture” makes possible one of the most powerful features in OS X the ability to write scripts that automate operations with multiple applications.
AppleScript scripts can be used to perform repetitive tasks, automate complex workflows, control applications on local or remote computers, and access web services. Because script writers can access features in any scriptable application, the features from many applications can be combined. For example, a script might make remote procedure calls to a web service to get stock quotes, add the current stock prices to a database, and then graph information from the database in a spreadsheet application. From controlling an image-processing workflow to performing quality assurance testing for a suite of applications, AppleScript makes automation possible.
While the AppleScript scripting language uses an English-like terminology which may appear simple, it is a rich, object-oriented language, capable of performing complicated programming tasks. However, its real strength comes from providing access to the features available in scriptable applications. If you make your application scriptable, it will help scripter’s get their work done, and quite likely become indispensable to their work process.
The “Automator” application, available starting in OS X version 10.4, lets users work in a graphical interface to put together complex, automated workflows. Workflows consist of one or more actions, which are provided by Apple, by developers, and by scripter’s, and can be written in AppleScript and in other languages, including Objective-C. Starting in OS X v10.5, developers can incorporate workflows directly in their applications, providing another mechanism for accessing features of other applications and the Mac OS.
“Scripting Bridge,” available starting in OS X version 10.5, provides an automated process for creating an Objective-C interface to scriptable applications. This allows Cocoa applications and other Objective-C code to efficiently access features of scriptable applications, using native Objective-C syntax. Some other scripting languages, such as Ruby and Python, can use Scripting Bridge, but also have their own software bridges to access features of scriptable applications. AppleScript has several other new or improved features in OS X v10.5, including full support for Unicode text, additional support for identifying and working with application objects in scripts, 64-bit support, more accurate and useful error messages, and additional script ability in Apple technologies such as iChat and the Dock. For more information, see AppleScript Features.

Advantages and Disadvantaged of AppleScript
Advantages:
AppleScript is by no means the only scripting language for OS X. Nonetheless, AppleScript has several advantages that make the best option for many jobs: * It's more like English than any other Mac language. AppleScript's greatest advantage is that it uses grammar that closely resembles the commands you'd give to your seven-year-old son. (A typical command, for example, would be "say cheese", which would have your computer speak the word "cheese" out loud.) * It works with the same programs that you do. Virtually every big-name Mac program supports AppleScript commands: Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, FileMaker Pro, and so on. Lots of free programs support AppleScript, too: TextEdit, Address Book, Mac OS X Mail, iPhoto, and many more. * It works with other computer languages, too. AppleScript isn't just a little software island; it's got bridges to virtually every other programming language on Mac OS X. A serious UNIX hacker, for example, can mix AppleScript commands right into UNIX programs. * Lots of people use it. There are several popular gathering places for AppleScripters online, where people find useful pre-made scripts for free. If having a problem, chances are that someone else has had the same problem and posted a fix somewhere on the Web. And if simply can't work a problem out, AppleScript's large community means that someone else can almost always help to fix it.
Disadvantages
Despite all its advantages, however, AppleScript isn't perfect. Several trade-offs had to be made to make it more like English, for example, and the language sometimes reveals all too well that it was designed with 10-year-old computers in mind. Here are some of AppleScript's biggest weaknesses: * Commands are sometimes inconsistent between programs. Because AppleScript has changed so many times over the years, some commands work differently in different programs. This is not a complete showstopper, though; it just means you may have to dig deeper into a program's dictionary to find the right command. * Some programs do not support AppleScript at all. Certain programs, unfortunately, don't take advantage of all that AppleScript has to offer. Programs that show up in this category are usually old, free, and/or made by a company that does not make Mac support a top priority. * It's slower than most other languages. In exchange for all the power AppleScript grants for users, the language has an unusually high overhead for running commands. In the real world, it probably would not make much of a difference. * It only works with Macs. Furthermore, if scripts were written that take advantage of new AppleScript features, the scripts will only work in Mac OS X. Of course, if it is only going to write scripts for computer, this is not a big deal.

Features of AppleScript * Visor
One of the features introduced by the iTerm2 team is the “Visor”. Visor is an existing tool for Terminal allowing you, with a simple hotkey, to make the terminal appear on top of any running app.
To use this feature with iTerm2, no need to install anything extra. Simply edit your preference and choose a Visor hotkey.

* Dashboard widget
There is a Dashboard Widget for iTerm allowing you to run quick commands from the Mac OS X Dashboard.

* The launch script
AppleScript was already compatible with iTerm and this feature was conserved in iTerm2 so that I can automate the creation of my iTerm workspace.
Below is an example of the type of things I do when launching my iTerm workspace like opening a tab in a given folder and running svn up. Emptying a log file and tailing it. Launching memcache in a dedicated tab. Opening a bookmarked session on a remote server.
-- iTerm launching script for samo9789 launch "iTerm"

tell application "iTerm" activate -- talk to the new terminal tell the first terminal

-- set terminal size set number of columns to 200 set number of rows to 60

-- launch a default shell in a new tab in the same terminal
--launch session "Default"
-- this is automatically done at iTerm launch

-- create the project tab launch session "Default" tell the last session set name to "project" write text "cd Workspace/my_project" write text "svn up" end tell

-- create the memcached tab launch session "Default" tell the last session set name to "memcached" write text "memcached -vv" end tell

--open a named bookmark launch session "my_bookmark"

end tell

end tell

Below is an example of a working AppleScript.

Finally, to use the script, you must : * either save it as an application in the Apple Script Editor (File > Save as) which you’ll be able to run from Spotlight, Albert, Quicksilver or any launcher you are using * save the scripts as ~/Library/Application Support/iTerm/AutoLaunch.scpt in which case the script will run when you launch iTerm - everytime * Split Panes
Another good news is that iTerm2 introduced split panes. I’ve just tweeted the developer hoping to learn how to script the creation of split panes. Stay tuned… * Update :
<<EOF
tell application "iTerm" activate set myterm to (make new terminal) tell myterm launch session "Panes" set number of columns to 244 set number of rows to 73 tell application "System Events" to keystroke "d" using command down tell application "System Events" to keystroke "d" using command down tell application "System Events" to keystroke "D" using command down tell application "System Events" to keystroke "D" using command down tell application "System Events" to key code 123 using {command down, option down}

Another iTerm2 user suggested the following Apple Script to create split plane (until the developer gets back to us with official support). You can see his contribution on Google Code.

tell application "System Events" to keystroke "D" using command down tell application "System Events" to keystroke "D" using command down tell application "System Events" to key code 123 using {command down, option down} end tell end tell
EOF

Anyway, this is a welcomed feature!

Sample AppleScript Commands Command | Description | AppleScript suite | activate | Brings an application to the front, and opens it if it is on the local computer and not already running. | log | In Script Editor, displays a value in the Event Log History window or in the Event Log pane of a script window. | Clipboard Commands suite | clipboard info | Returns information about the clipboard. | set the clipboard to | Places data on the clipboard. | the clipboard | Returns the contents of the clipboard. | File Commands suite | info for | Returns information for a file or folder. | list disks | Returns a list of the currently mounted volumes.
Deprecated Use tells application "System Events" to get the name of every disk. | list folder | Returns the contents of a specified folder.
Deprecated Use tell application "System Events" to get the name of every disk item of.... | mount volume | Mounts the specified AppleShare volume. | path to (application) | Returns the full path to the specified application. | path to (folder) | Returns the full path to the specified folder. | path to resource | Returns the full path to the specified resource. | | Sample AppleScript Keywords Command | Description | about | handler parameter label | above | handler parameter label | after | used to describe position in the “Relative” reference form; used as part of operator (comes after, does not come after) with classes such as date, integer, and text | against | handler parameter label | and | logical and operator | apart from | handler parameter label | around | handler parameter label | as | coercion operator | aside from | handler parameter label | at | handler parameter label | back | used with “Index” and “Relative” reference forms; in back of is synonymous with after and behind | before | used to describe position in the “Relative” reference form; used as an operator (comes before, does not come before) with classes such as date, integer, and text; synonymous with in front of | beginning | specifies an insertion location at the beginning of a container—see the boundary specifier descriptions for the “Range” reference form |

Sample Codes and Screen Shots * "Your text here" with icon stop buttons {"OK"} default button {"OK"}

display dialog

* display dialog "Delete current document?" with icon 0 buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 1

* "Enter some text:" default answer "" with icon note giving up after 15 set {returnedText, returnedButton, gaveupBoolean} to the result as list --> {"some text", "OK", false}

display dialog

* set theName to (choose from list {"John", "Joe", "Bill"}) if theName is false then display dialog "You clicked cancel to exit." with icon stop buttons {"Exit"} default button {"Exit"} else set theName to (item 1 of theName) display dialog theName with icon note buttons {"Info"} default button {"Info"} end if

Making a Choice from a List of Options

* try display dialog "Enter a number" default answer "" buttons "OK" default button "OK" set userEntry to text returned of result return userEntry as number on error set alertString to "The text entered is not a number" set messageString to ("" & userEntry & " is not a number. ") & "Run the script again and use only number keys." display alert alertString message messageString buttons "OK" default button "OK" as informational giving up after 20 end try

Display Alert Dialogs

* considering case repeat with x from 1 to 3 display dialog ("Enter the password for access to this file:") default answer "" with icon stop with hidden answer if text returned of result is thePass then exit repeat end if if x is 3 then return "You have attempted to access this file too many times. Your access is denied. Please try again." end repeat end considering

Display Dialog with Password

* Using Say and Listen Commands with iTunes tell application "iTunes" activate set visible of front window to true set myMusic to (name of every playlist) end tell set userResponse to voiceQuery("Which playlist would you like to hear?", myMusic, 30) if userResponse is false then error number -128 say "Playing " & userResponse & " please wait" tell application "iTunes" activate set thePlaylist to userResponse set view of front window to playlist thePlaylist copy (get view of front window) to thePlaylist play thePlaylist end tell on voiceQuery(userPrompt, theseItems, timeoutValue) set cancelCmds to {"Cancel"} set matchItems to cancelCmds & theseItems try tell application "SpeechRecognitionServer" set userResponse to listen for matchItems with prompt userPrompt giving up after timeoutValue displaying theseItems end tell if userResponse is in cancelCmds then error "user cancelled" end if return userResponse on error display dialog "The music did not play!" return false end try end voiceQuery

Users of AppleScript * Programmers
Individual that composes instructions for computer systems to refer to when performing a given action. Programmers usually have an extensive background in some form of computer coding language, which may include XML, PHP, Perl, HTML, or SQL. Programmers are essential to the development of computersbecause without the coding that is necessary to make a computer work properly, the machine would be useless. Programmers may specialize in one area or may write instructions for a wide range of systems or programs.

* Apple developers
Apple Developers have complete set of technical resources, support, and access to pre-release software — providing them with everything they need to create innovative apps for iOS and OS X, extensions for Safari, and accessories for iPod, iPhone and iPad.

REFERENCE
AppleScript Keywords. Retrived from https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/applescript/conceptual/ap plescriptlangguide/reference/ASLR_keywords.html
AppleScript Overview. Retrieved 2007, from https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/applescript/conceptual/a plescriptx/AppleScriptX.pdf
AppleScript: The Missing Manual. Retrieved from http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/programming/applescript/0596008503/int roduction/applescripttmm-preface-4-sect 2#X2ludGVybmFsX0h0bWxWaWV3P3htbGlkPTA1OTYwMDg1MDMlMkZh HBsZXNjcmlwdHRtbS1wcmVmYWNlLTMmcXVlcnk9
Commands Reference. Retrieved from https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/applescript/conceptual/ap plescriptlangguide/reference/ASLR_cmds.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40000983- CH216-SW59
Free AppleScript Code Examples. Retrieved from http://applescripter.hubpages.com/hub/applescript_code
Halfon S. (2011). iTerm2: advanced features. Retrieved from http://www.worldgoneweb.com/2011/iterm2-advanced-features/
Myer T. (n.d). Automator book. Retrieved from http://my.safaribooksonline.com/9780470525869/index?indexview=SYMBOL# 2ludGVybmFsX0h0bWxWaWV3P3htbGlkPTk3ODA0NzA1MjU4NjklMkZpb Ryb2R1Y3Rpb24mcXVlcnk9
Programmers. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/programmer.htm
Apple Developer Programs. Retrieved from https://developer.apple.com/programs/

Introduction to AppleScript

Submitted by:
Marjorie H. Tadique
201011859
BSIT 4-3

Submitted to:
Mr. Jake Ersando
Instructor