AppleScript for System Admins WebCast

Justin Elliott writes "Watch Apple Computer's own AppleScript wizard, Sal Soghoian, present 'AppleScript For System Admins' during Mac OS X Labs' September 24 webcast. Learn about essential AppleScript tools and tips under Mac OS X. Discover how AppleScript can be used for administrative tasks, and how to use AppleScript to effectively interact with the Mac OS X file system."

Comments

Re:Don' Like AS

[skinfitz]

Good point - I remember on one of the admin lists some guy obviously from an OS9 background was having problems moving files around with Apple Script. I introduced him to shell scripting - turns out he had about 30 lines of code to essentially do some basic file copying and moving. I showed him he could do the same thing in about 3 lines of shell script.

You have to be careful with shell scripts on the Mac filing system though - you can end up losing the resource forks which breaks some files.

Re:I like AppleScript, but...

[gerardrj]

Or for that matter, why not Perl. If you co scan CPAN you'll see Perl modules that will connect you in to most of the useful parts of OS X.

It's simple really: Apple prefers to do things in house where they have control. They don't have to fight with anyone or any standards body to revise or extent Applescript.

I can certainly see AppleScript going away in a few more revisions of the OS. With Project Builder so simple to use, Apple may just decide that actual binary programs are so easy to create that AppleScript is just no longer necessary.

Remember... Applescript was developed as a fast and easy way for people to manage small tasks without the drudgery of writing in C. In Project Builder you nary need a line of code, just drag, drop and fill in the blanks, thus eliminating the drugery.