Applescripts For Mac

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  • Download hundreds (593 and counting) of AppleScripts for Apple's Media Apps that will help make managing your digital music and video collection easier and more fun!What's AppleScript? AppleScript is a simple Macintosh-only programming language that can control and automate actions on your Mac.AppleScript is already available on your computer as part of the macOS and many popular.
  • AppleScripts that extend the functionality of Disk Copy, version 6.3 or greater. They are provided as examples of how to use AppleScript to.
  • Let your Mac do repetitive tasks for you. If you need to make the same changes to multiple files—such as changing filenames or resizing images—or archive or back up important files, you can create a custom workflow and have your Mac do the work for you.

10 AppleScripts: Mac's Hidden Secret Why, when people were trying to get me to switch from Windows to a Mac, did no one tell me about AppleScript?

This document is a guide to the AppleScript language—its lexical conventions, syntax, keywords, and other elements. It is intended primarily for use with AppleScript 2.0 or later and macOS version 10.5 or later.

AppleScript 2.0 can use scripts developed for any version of AppleScript from 1.1 through 1.10.7, any scripting addition created for AppleScript 1.5 or later for macOS, and any scriptable application for Mac OS v7.1 or later. A script created with AppleScript 2.0 can be used by any version of AppleScript back to version 1.1, provided it does not use features of AppleScript, scripting additions, or scriptable applications that are unavailable in that version.

Important: Descriptions and examples for the terms in this document have been tested with AppleScript 2.0 in OS X v10.5 (Leopard). Except for terms that are noted as being new in Leopard, most descriptions and examples work with previous system versions, but have not been tested against all of them.

If you need detailed information about prior system and AppleScript versions, see AppleScript Release Notes (OS X v10.4 and earlier).

What Is AppleScript?

AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple. It allows users to directly control scriptable Macintosh applications, as well as parts of macOS itself. You can create scripts—sets of written instructions—to automate repetitive tasks, combine features from multiple scriptable applications, and create complex workflows.

Note: Apple also provides the Automator application, which allows users to automate common tasks by hooking together ready-made actions in a graphical environment. For more information, see Automator Documentation.

Getting started with applescript

A scriptable application is one that can be controlled by a script. For AppleScript, that means being responsive to interapplication messages, called Apple events, sent when a script command targets the application. (Apple events can also be sent directly from other applications and macOS.)

AppleScript itself provides a very small number of commands, but it provides a framework into which you can plug many task-specific commands—those provided by scriptable applications and scriptable parts of macOS.

Most script samples and script fragments in this guide use scriptable features of the Finder application, scriptable parts of macOS, or scriptable applications distributed with macOS, such as TextEdit (located in /Applications).

Who Should Read This Document?

You should use this document if you write or modify AppleScript scripts, or if you create scriptable applications and need to know how scripts should work.

AppleScript Language Guide assumes you are familiar with the high-level information about AppleScript found in AppleScript Overview.

Organization of This Document

This guide describes the AppleScript language in a series of chapters and appendixes.

The first five chapters introduce components of the language and basic concepts for using it, then provide additional overview on working with script objects and handler routines:

  • AppleScript Lexical Conventions describes the characters, symbols, keywords, and other language elements that make up statements in an AppleScript script.

  • AppleScript Fundamentals describes basic concepts that underly the terminology and rules covered in the rest of this guide.

  • Variables and Properties describes common issues in working with variables and properties, including how to declare them and how AppleScript interprets their scope.

  • Script Objects describes how to define, initialize, send commands to, and use inheritance with script objects.

  • About Handlers provides information on using handlers (a type of function available in AppleScript) to factor and reuse code.

The following chapters provide reference for the AppleScript Language:

  • Class Reference describes the classes AppleScript defines for common objects used in scripts.

  • Commands Reference describes the commands that are available to any script.

  • Reference Forms describes the syntax for specifying an object or group of objects in an application or other container.

  • Operators Reference provides a list of the operators AppleScript supports and the rules for using them, along with sections that provide additional detail for commonly used operators.

  • Control Statements Reference describes statements that control when and how other statements are executed. It covers standard conditional statements, as well as statements used in error handling and other operations.

  • Handler Reference shows the syntax for defining and calling handlers and describes other statements you use with handlers.

The following chapter describes an AppleScript-related feature of macOS:

  • Folder Actions Reference describes how you can write and attach script handlers to specific folders, such that the handlers are invoked when the folders are modified.

The following appendixes provide additional information about the AppleScript language and how to work with errors in scripts:

  • AppleScript Keywords lists the keywords of the AppleScript language, provides a brief description for each, and points to related information.

  • Error Numbers and Error Messages describes error numbers and error messages you may see in working with AppleScript scripts.

  • Working with Errors provides detailed examples of handling errors with try Statements and error Statements.

  • Double Angle Brackets describes when you are likely to see double angle brackets (or chevrons—«») in scripts and how you can work with them.

  • Libraries using Load Script describes how to save libraries of handlers and access them from other scripts.

  • Unsupported Terms lists terms that are no longer supported in AppleScript.

Conventions Used in This Guide

Applescripts For Macbook Pro

Glossary terms are shown in boldface where they are defined.

Important: This document sometimes uses the continuation character (¬) for sample statements that don’t fit on one line on a document page. It also uses the continuation character in some syntax statements to identify an item that, if included, must appear on the same line as the previous item. The continuation character itself is not a required part of the syntax—it is merely a mechanism for including multiple lines in one statement.

The following conventions are used in syntax descriptions:

language element

Plain computer font indicates an element that you type exactly as shown. If there are special symbols (for example, + or &), you also type them exactly as shown.

placeholder

Italic text indicates a placeholder that you replace with an appropriate value.

[optional]

Brackets indicate that the enclosed language element or elements are optional.

(a group)

Parentheses group elements together.

However, the parentheses shown in Handler Syntax (Positional Parameters) are part of the syntax.

[optional]...

Three ellipsis points (...) after a group defined by brackets indicate that you can repeat the group of elements within brackets 0 or more times.

a | b | c

Vertical bars separate elements in a group from which you must choose a single element. The elements are often grouped within parentheses or brackets.

Filenames shown in scripts

Most filenames shown in examples in this document include extensions, such as rtf for a TextEdit document. Use of extensions in scripts is generally dependent on the “Show all file extensions” setting in the Advanced pane of Finder Preferences.

To work with the examples on your computer, you may need to modify either that setting or the filenames.

See Also

These Apple documents provide additional information for working with AppleScript:

  • See Getting Started with AppleScript for a guided quick start, useful to both scripters and developers.

  • See AppleScript Overview, including the chapter Scripting with AppleScript, for a high-level overview of AppleScript and its related technologies.

  • See Getting Started With Scripting & Automation for information on the universe of scripting technologies available in macOS.

  • See AppleScript Terminology and Apple Event Codes for a list of many of the scripting terms defined by Apple.

For additional information on working with the AppleScript language and creating scripts, see one of the comprehensive third-party documents available in bookstores and online.



Copyright © 2016 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Updated: 2016-01-25

Bring convenience and consistency to OmniFocus for Mac (Pro Edition) through the magic of AppleScript.

OmniFocus for Mac (Pro Edition) includes extensive support for AppleScript, a native OS X technology. This support makes automation and integration with other OS X apps possible, adding speed and convenience to OmniFocus workflows.

Even if you’ve never written a line of code, you can take advantage of this power by using scripts that others have written. The following is a hand-picked collection of AppleScripts that have been designed to work with OmniFocus. While we test everything that is posted here, we can’t guarantee that the scripts will work as designed in current or future releases of OmniFocus for Mac.

Getting Started With Applescript

OmniFocus AppleScripts

The following scripts provide automation within OmniFocus. For an example of how to install and use AppleScript, check out the free Complete & Await Reply tutorial.

If you’re a Learn OmniFocus Member, check out the Using FastScripts with OmniFocus for Mac tutorial to learn how to conveniently access installed scripts using a menu bar menu and keyboard shortcuts and the recording of the Automating OmniFocus webinar to see some of them in action.

Auto-Parser — by Joe Buhlig
Include the project, tag, flag state and more in the name of an action when you add it to the inbox (using the syntax described here) and, with some configuration, this clever script will automatically process your inbox for you.
[ script page ]

Applescript Format Date

Complete & Await Reply — by Curt Clifton
Marks the selected action(s) complete, then creates new actions(s) with a context of “Waiting”. The new action(s) are given a name of “Reply On:” followed by the name of the action(s) that were just completed.
[ script page ]

Export OmniFocus View To OmniOutliner — by Curt Clifton
Creates a new OmniOutliner document that contains the contents of whatever is currently visible in OmniFocus’ outline view, preserving the hierarcy and the text contained in note fields.
[ script page ]

Focus in a New Window/Tab — by Dan Byler
Opens the project(s) associated with the selected action(s) in a new window or tab. Very convenient if you’re in a context-based perspective and want to view or change a project without losing your place. This repository also includes some other great scripts from Dan Byler.
[ script page ]

Populate Template Placeholders — by Curt Clifton
Highly recommend if you tend to perform similar projects over and over again. The script makes a copy of the selected project and optionally prompts for placeholder text and dates. Watch our video (Members) to learn how to use this script. This tutorial teaches you how to use placeholder text and automatically-calculated defer and due dates.
[ script page ]

Applescripts For Mac Os

Support Note (for Evernote) — by Colter Reed
OmniFocus allows you to add notes to projects, groups, and actions. While this is handy in some instances (e.g. to store the phone number of the person you’re planning to call), it’s not as well suited to more detailed notes. The Support Note script makes it easy to add an Evernote note to the selected OmniFocus item. Conveniently, the script stores a link to the Evernote note in OmniFocus and a link to the OmniFocus item in Evernote.
[ script page ]

Applescript Format Number

Total Time — by Dan Byler
Find that you tend to overcommit? This script can help by adding up the estimated time for all of the selected items. For example, if you had a Hot List perspective showing all available actions that are due or flagged, you can use this script to see if it’s realistic to get all of these done today.
[ script page ]

Update Reviews — by Joe Buhlig
Changes the review dates of projects to match your next scheduled weekly, monthly or annual review. Modify the script to specify the day of the week you perform your weekly reviews, the day of the month you perform your monthly reviews and the month and day you perform your annuals reviews.
[script page]

Verify Next Actions Exist — by Curt Clifton
A parallel or sequential project without any actions is considered stalled. This script scans your database and adds “(missing next action)” to the title of any projects that are stalled. After adding actions to stalled projects, you can run the script again to automatically remove the “(missing next action)” text that was added previously.
[ script page ]

Writing Your Own Scripts

If you’re interested in writing your own scripts, a good place to start is the AppleScript page on Inside OmniFocus. Among other things, this page contains an overview of the scripting process and includes some sample code to help get you started.

Sharing Your Scripts

If you have an AppleScript that you’d like to share with the Learn OmniFocus community, drop us a line. We’ll be happy to put your script through its paces and, if it’s listed in this directory, we’ll make sure that you receive full credit.

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