AppleScripts

Applescript is a wonderful but frustrating thing. I've included here some of the more useful applescripts that I've made to illustrate how to do things. Put them in your Library>Scripts folder. Install the Apple ScriptMenu system and you can run them from the menu bar whenever needed.

NOTES:

  1. All are provided as zip compressed OSX application bundles. Many will not work below 10.3. They will not run on OS9.

Most WILL NOT WORK unless you customise some information inside the script. Launch Script Editor (Applications > AppleScript) and go File>Open. They are not well annotated; unless you know how to edit an applescript they will be useless! More info: Apple; their discussion list.

They work for me. Use at your own risk! Questions or improvements - use this form.

File

Notes

Description

WordLetter.scpt.zip

Address book plug-in for Office 2004 only. Change the path to your selected Word templates folder at the end of the script.

Put in /Library/Address Book Plug-Ins, then hold down over the address label in Address book to quickly and easily address a letter to that person. Opens Microsoft Word from Office 2004 and uses an appropriate letterhead template.

UpdateCurrency.zip

Must changeseveral file paths so the datafile goes in the right place.

Uses Safari to download the latest datafile for 'Currency', the Palm currency conversion app. Puts it in your Palm Files to Upload directory. Next time you sync the Palm, Currency will have the latest conversion rates.

ConnectSMBServer.zip

Won't work in anthing before 10.3. Make sure you get the workgroup right!

Stores username, password, SMB server name and Workgroup so that you can automatically connect to a networked Windows SMB server with one click. Save 'real' versions as non-editable applicatons for security.

LoginAndOpenFile.zip

Must set the log, pass, server IP etc etc. Save 'real' versions as non-editable applicatons for security.

Cconnects to an IP-accessible Apple server, sending login and password, opens a particular share point from that server in list view in a window of set size and location, then opens a specified file with the appropriate application. Useful to quickly open a file you regularly use from a server.

Open FileMaker DB.zip

Modify the database name and the Filemaker Script name for it to work on your machine.

Shows how to tell Filemaker to open a database and run a script - or just to run the script if the database is already open

SharpenLevel150.zip

Modify the path to the directory you want to save the images to.

Droplet that auto-levels, sharpens, sets bylines and sets resolution to 150 dpi using Grpahic Converter then saves the modified files to a directory you specify as JPEG's.

AllTheatresList.zip

Modify the IP, log and pass to whatever you need. Look at the syntax and you can figure out how to get this script to automate a variety of telnet logging in and menu navigation roles.

Complex script. Sets current date to DDMMYYYY format. Opens Terminal app and telnets to an IP address. Waits for incoming text; logs in automatically; gets through a menu structure; gets the text from the telnet window, formats it to rtf in TextEdit. This particular script won't do anything useful for you - but it does illustrate how to script the Terminal and use UI scripting in TextEdit.

favourites.zip

Modify the list of URL's to your favourites.

Opens Safari and makes a new document with a tab for every URL specified in a list. Quick way to check sites you frequently visit.

MergeMovies.zip

Make sure the name order in the window is correct before dropping them. Best with same codec and screen size.

Drop a group of movies onto this and they will be merged into one long movie. Save as self-contained if you want just one movie to contain them all. Really useful. Won't work with all codecs. Fast. No recompression of the original movie. Works with audio also.