AppleScript

Average customer rating:

Indeed the missing manual
Too many mistakes to be valuable
Greatly informative, but needs a better editor.
A necessity to learning the program
What a technical manual should be

FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual
Geoff Coffey , and Susan Prosser
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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FileMaker 8 Functions and Scripts Desk Reference
Creating a Database in FileMaker Pro 8: Visual QuickProject Guide
Special Edition Using FileMaker 8 (Special Edition Using)
FileMaker 8 @work: Projects and Techniques to Get the Job Done (@Work)
FileMaker Pro 8 Bible

ASIN: 0596005792

Book Description

Used by millions worldwide, FileMaker Pro is an award-winning database program for managing people, projects, images, assets, and other information. It's easy to use and totally customizable--so long as you know what you're doing. But FileMaker Pro doesn't come with a printed manual, so FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual is the authoritative, jargon-free book that should have been in the box.

FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual approaches FileMaker the way FileMaker approaches you: it's user-friendly and seemingly straightforward enough, but it offers plenty of substance worthy of deeper exploration. Packed with practical information as well as countless expert tips and invaluable guidance, it's an in-depth guide to designing and building useful databases with the powerful and pliable FileMaker Pro.

Covering FileMaker for both Windows and Macintosh, FileMaker Pro: The Missing Manual is ideal for small business users, home users, school teachers, developers--anyone who wants to organize information efficiently and effectively. Whether you want to run a business, publish a shopping cart on the Web, plan a wedding, manage a student information system at your school, or program databases for clients, this book delivers.

Author Geoff Coffey has many years of experience using FileMaker Pro (he was, in fact, an early beta tester for the product). Author Susan Prosser is a FileMaker Certified Developer who trains other developers. Together, Coffey and Prosser show you how to: <ul>

Get FileMaker up and running quickly and smoothly </li>

Import and organize information with ease </li>

Design relational databases that are simple to use, yet powerful </li>

Take advantage of FileMaker Pro calculation capabilities </li>

Automate processes with scripting </li>

Customize FileMaker Pro to your needs and preferences </li>

Share information with other people (coworkers, clients, and customers) and other programs </li>

Understand and select the best security options</li></ul>

What could easily come across as dry and intimidating--things like relational theory, calculations, and scripting--are presented in a way that is interesting and intuitive to mainstream users. In no time, you'll be working more productively and efficiently using FileMaker Pro.

Customer Reviews:

Indeed the missing manual.......2007-06-11

Why software cannot come with good manuals anymore is a mystery. This is exactly as advertised, the missing manual. Some other books will show you how to build bigger, more sophisticated solutions, but this one covers every aspect of how Filemaker works, which is what a manual should do.

Oh, and by the way, Filemaker is an amazing, underappreciated tool which helps manage a mailing list or build an entire database system. You cannot go wrong with it.

Too many mistakes to be valuable.......2007-05-16

I hesitate to write negative reviews because I always suspect that the errors I find are my own misunderstandings. In this case I felt COMPELLED to write one. I bought this book wanting it to be great and having high expectations based on the reviews I read. I doubt many of the reviewers OR the EDITORS read this book very closely. There are so many mistakes (small and large) and examples which flat out DON'T WORK, that the book has almost driven me mad. I've wasted HOURS trying to get things to work the way the authors described. The errata posted on the oreilly.com site lists maybe 1/4 of the errors. There is ONE posted review on Amazon.com which took notice of this, but all of the others seem to miss it completely. Kudos to Raymond Smith!

Two perfect examples (in case you want to save yourself a few hours of struggle):

1. The Invoice Finder tutorial on page 372 simply doesn't work using the "minimum amount" field as they describe. It will work using the date range criterion, but when you add the minimum amount match, it fails. I built a file following along with the text and thought it was MY file that was broken. Then I tried the files supplied with the Missing Manual "CD". The authors' files don't work either. They SEEM to work with the data already in them, but if you add an invoice, it doesn't work. And if you simply open the "options..." definition of the Total Due field on the "Invoices" table, then OK the dialog box, all the existing data fails as well. It must be some kind of indexing problem, but the fact that it slipped by the editors is almost impossible to believe.

2. The Repeating Fields for Multiple Results on page 417 is totally wrong. The formula they supply will not work at all, and in fact, unless the "Price" field is a repeating field as well (which they don't mention at all), you can't do any calculations using the "Get(CalculationRepetitionNumber)" that will work the way they describe. Not to mention the fact that in the second mention of the calculation they call it "Get(CalculatedRepetitionNumber)" which is wrong and won't even take. The text suggests that you "test this calculation with a few numbers", but I doubt that any editor tried it. AND THIS IS LISTED IN A POWER USERS' CLINIC.

I don't know if this is an author problem or an editor problem, but either way, it is a REAL problem for readers.

What a disappointment and a waste of many hours... Don't listen to the majority of reviews on this book. They have clearly come from people who read it but were not actually trying to learn from the DOING the examples in the text. The book is written in a friendly easy style, but there are too many errors to make it valuable. And it's been out for TOO long for these things not to be listed in an available errata or supplement.

Greatly informative, but needs a better editor........2007-04-27

I'm not a database expert, yet I'm not a beginner. This review is from a person with a basic understanding of database programs.

I'm about halfway through this book and it has been a great guide to learning about FileMaker. However, it is soooo frustrating that there are many errors in the examples used throughout the book. With all the dry, technical speech (the author does try to lighten it up some) my ADD may kick in a little causing me to read it wrong while thinking about something else, but there are many times when the book tells me to do something with the example file you download with the "missing cd" and it just doesn't working right. For me it doesn't matter if they have updates on misprints in the book available online. I'm the kind of person who would prefer it be printed correctly the first time and not have to check everything against an online list of typos. That said, and taking the examples with a grain of salt and just getting the concepts behind them, I really do think this book is a good resource for becoming familiar FileMaker pretty fast. I've not read any other books but this one has to be one of the most comprehensive ones.

A necessity to learning the program.......2007-02-28

Without this book, it will take a long time to understand how the program really works. Unfortunately the manufacturer's provided help is too filled with "jargon" and not enough explanation. It becomes necessary to "reverse engineer" the provided examples to understand how much of the program can be used, being time consuming and filled with trial and error. And since there is no printed version, there is no where to put the notes and comments always gathered as one learns a program

Having written software on a professional basis for the original PCs in assembly language and being a regular user of such systems as SolidWorks parametric software I have a proven ability to understand. But the documentation that came with FileMaker was insufficient to grasp too may details needed to make the program usable in creating one's own databases rather than use a "canned" template.

The book is well written and gives good examples. In addition the authors are available by email to help really serious problems, but don't abuse that by constant pestering. I doubt if I could have gotten good use of the program in any reasonable time without this book. I only gave it a 4 instead of a 5 because I think it could be made perfect with a few more actual written examples of the scripts or commands as the user would type or use them in the program. My real rating is 4.5 But that doesn't detract from it's value. Having looked at other books I feel this is the best.

Bob McCormack
Sonoma, CA

What a technical manual should be.......2007-02-24

This is what a technical manual should be. Well written in a style that avoids jargon. Well organized so that it covers every major point of the application, without endless excuses that certain subjects are beyond the scope of the book. Carefully indexed. Well edited. Profusely and intelligently illustrated. And, finally, designed for readability.

FileMaker beginners will find that this is a true tutorial and covers far more territory than most casual users will want to travel. FileMaker pros will find this a handy reference for the inevitable moment when they can't remember something or need to explore a function new to them.

This edition has been outmoded to a degree because of the introduction of FileMaker 8.5, but it is still eminently useful.

In short, this truly is the "missing manual" for FileMaker Pro 8 and should be considered an essential book for any user. It is far superior to "Special Edition Using FileMaker 8".

Jerry

Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Panther Edition

Average customer rating:

Panther help is on the way!
Mac OS Panther, The Missing manual
Bilingual
A superb book.
Save your time -- This is the only book you need

Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Panther Edition
David Pogue
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual
Mac OS X Panther for Dummies
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Teach Yourself Visually Mac OS X v. 10.3 Panther

ASIN: 0596006152

Book Description

Apple says that Mac OS X 10.3 introduces 150 new features--but that's not really true. In fact, "Panther" includes many more than that. It's faster, more polished, and much more efficient. But it still comes without a manual. With 300,000 copies in print, the first two versions of this book became industry bestsellers. Now David Pogue brings his humor and expertise to this completely rewritten, greatly expanded edition. It covers:<ul>

Getting started. The early chapters demystify the Dock, windows, and the unfamiliar Mac OS X folder structure--an ideal introduction.</li>

New technologies. Mac OS X 10.3 brings breakthroughs in window management (Expose, the Sidebar); security (File Vault, Secure Empty Trash); and productivity (faxing, Fast User Switching).</li>

Bonus software. Panther comes with over 50 free programs--and this book gives you expertise in all of them. This beefed-up edition includes all-new mini-manuals on iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, iChat AV, and Safari.</li>

Basics of Unix. You can completely ignore Panther's Unix core. But if the command line intrigues you, this book offers a gentle introduction.</li>

Finding familiar features. Two "Where'd It Go?" Dictionaries make it easy for Mac OS 9 and Windows refugees to look up a traditional feature--and find out where it went in Mac OS X 10.3.</li></ul> As always, Mac OS X: The Missing Manual offers warm, witty writing, and bursts with the shortcuts, surprises, and design touches that make the Mac the most passionately championed computer in the world.

Customer Reviews:

Panther help is on the way!.......2005-09-12

This is not the first user manual, by David Pogue, that I have purchased. I rely on these publications to not only give me the basics, but also a more advanced understanding of new and unfamiliar Mac operating systems. Get to know Panther with the help of David Pogue!

Mac OS Panther, The Missing manual.......2005-09-04

Excellent help so far. Our school IT administrator was so impressed he is ordering a copy for the staff. I never realised you could continue to burn info, images etc onto an ordinary cd! The Expose feature pointed out in this book is brilliant for quick access to school reports. I am not very familiar with the MacIntosh computers but this book is going to be a great source of info for OSX.

Bilingual.......2005-05-03

I'm becoming bilingual--I'm learning to speak Apple as well as Windows. I just got a new iMac G5. Apple basically tells you to learn the system by pushing all the buttons to see what they do. Yeah, right. I also have the XP Missing Manual. This is a good series, a lot better than the Dummie series, if you really are a dummie. The organization is good and there is a lot of information, starting with the basics and going from there.

A superb book........2005-04-25

In section 3.5, David Pogue writes "In some ways, just buying a Macintosh was a renegade act of self-expression...", I believe it says it all! :)
David really knows what he's talking about. I've tried almost every tip/trick/gem he gives in this superb book and it worked. The missing manual is great book for a stunning operating system and a fantastic computer.
This book is highly recommended for folkes who are really interested in knowing how to work with Mac OSX. Worth the $.

Cheers.

Save your time -- This is the only book you need.......2005-03-30

I recently decided to make the switch from PC to Mac. The last time I had a Mac was 1997, which was the era of System 7. I have browsed seven -- count them, seven -- books now on Mac OS X Panther, and I can tell you without a doubt that this is the only book you need if you're new to Mac and/or switching from Windows (or Linux, for that matter).

Most of the other books (including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0782142834">Mastering Mac OS X</a> and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0321232968">Robin Williams Mac OS X Book</a>) provided nothing more than ancillary, high level information that a third grader would know. None told you anything that 15 minutes playing around wouldn't, and 85% of most targeted new users. Seriously, do you really need to know the top of the mouse is called the "button" (graphic included) and how to "click" and/or -- wait for it -- double-click this button? Seriously, it sounds crazy, but these other books actually spend chapter after chapter on elementary concepts such as how to click the mouse and how to drag-and-drop an icon.

The Missing Manual (this book), instead seems to target the average computer user. I found the writing much easier to read (mainly because I didn't have to browse through pages of elementary instruction), and important information like keyboard shortcuts and using the terminal were easier to find. When I'm reading a 700+ page book, it's very important for me to be able to browse (or speed read) quickly. I found this book very condusive for that.

If you're a software developer (like me), I might suggest two other books that build on the foundation covered by this book. <A href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0596006179">Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther</a> is a great book for transitioning to the terminal/console included in OS X. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596006063">Mac OS X Panther in a Nutshell</a> is another great book because over half of it is spent on Unix tools like vi and bash, and includes a full reference of commands at the end. Like all the books in the Nutshell series, the sections are tabbed on the side, making it very easy to flip to a particular section. However, I do not recommend either of these books for non-developers or for someone looking for a foundation of Mac OS X.

If I could give this book ten stars and burn the rest, I would.
I hope the information proves useful.

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

A book to be read again and again -- or not at all!
Excellent book, but even better with Amazon or O'Reilly "search"
Not helpful to a beginner
A great book for intermediate or advanced users...
Great for top-to-bottom understanding

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
Matt Neuburg
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MacOS | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

AppleScript: The Missing Manual
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ASIN: 0596102119

Book Description

Mac users everywhere--even those who know nothing about programming--are discovering the value of the latest version of AppleScript, Apple's vastly improved scripting language for Mac OS X Tiger. And with this new edition of the top-selling AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, anyone, regardless of your level of experience, can learn to use AppleScript to make your Mac time more efficient and more enjoyable by automating repetitive tasks, customizing applications, and even controlling complex workflows.

Fully revised and updated--and with more and better examples than ever--AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition explores AppleScript 1.10 from the ground up. You will learn how AppleScript works and how to use it in a variety of contexts: in everyday scripts to process automation, in CGI scripts for developing applications in Cocoa, or in combination with other scripting languages like Perl and Ruby.

AppleScript has shipped with every Mac since System 7 in 1991, and its ease of use and English-friendly dialect are highly appealing to most Mac fans. Novices, developers, and everyone in between who wants to know how, where, and why to use AppleScript will find AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition to be the most complete source on the subject available. It's as perfect for beginners who want to write their first script as it is for experienced users who need a definitive reference close at hand.

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition begins with a relevant and useful AppleScript overview and then gets quickly to the language itself; when you have a good handle on that, you get to see AppleScript in action, and learn how to put it into action for you. An entirely new chapter shows developers how to make your Mac applications scriptable, and how to give them that Mac OS X look and feel with AppleScript Studio. Thorough appendixes deliver additional tools and resources you won't find anywhere else. Reviewed and approved by Apple, this indispensable guide carries the ADC (Apple Developer Connection) logo.

Customer Reviews:

A book to be read again and again -- or not at all!.......2007-05-09

No, don't start with "AppleScript: The Definitive Guide." Although I was highly motivated, diligent, and intelligent (if I may say so), Neuburg's exigent, articulate, and idiosyncratic "guide" defeated me, and I had to buy and work all the exercises in another book (Kochan's "Beginning Applescript") to obtain the background needed to appreciate this one.
The highly praised chapter in the first edition about conquering FrameMaker has been moved to an Appendix in the 2nd Edition, but since Neuberg sends the reader there on page 75, it is still useful and timely. It would have been more useful had he chosen a scriptable application that is on every Macintosh, or one, at least, that is shipped with Tiger, so that readers could follow his adventure rather than simply read about it. The worst that would have happened is that a newer modification of the application might have come out, in which case, as with FrameMaker, the reader could read about, but not experience, the process.
'Introductory' books in the liberal arts ("The Discarded Image" by C.S. Lewis comes to mind) are larded with quotations in Greek, Latin, French, and German, not to mention others. In exactly the same spirit, Neuburg shifts shamelessly from AppleScript to Perl, especially, but also to Unix, Objective-C, Python, and JavaScript, not to mention others. If you can't follow such examples -- he tells you that is all right -- you get the point that AppleScript is compatible with these and more, and he has the chutzpah to mention his own JavaScript book if that is your deficiency.
The effectiveness of good programming books diminishes as you move away from the computer. Programming is learnt at the keyboard, not in the lecture hall. That said, this book has an astonishing amount to offer to someone perusing it in an easy chair and mulling things over, rather than trying a succession of incorrect guesses at the keyboard. Kochan's book taught me, quickly and easily, how to move a Finder window around the screen, but when I decided that the window I wanted to move was the one holding the AppleScript program, Kochan left me without a clue. The "Oh, yeah" that finally got it moving occurred to me over a sausage biscuit in a fast food place with Neuburg's book in front of me. He didn't tell me what to do, but his dictionary exposition got me to where I could figure it out for myself.
As other reviewers have pointed out, Neuburg's emphases are upon the obscure, the contradictory, and the difficult. To explain these, he has not bothered with the obvious, the consistent, and the easy. They do not interest him, and he pays us the high (too high) compliment of implying that the obvious, the easy, and the consistent need not be explained at all.
If you wish to learn AppleScript and must learn it on your own, begin with a book (Kochan's, for example) that will make you reasonably competent in a hurry (three months, in my case). Then, when you have discovered that AppleScript is not as easy as you thought, you are ready for Neuburg to confirm your worst suspicions about its intricacies, devastate your casual assumptions about obvious solutions, and give you pride in beginning to learn AppleScript.
If you buy this book, you must read it several times, or you will not learn much of what it has to say.

Excellent book, but even better with Amazon or O'Reilly "search".......2007-04-08

Matt Neuburg's AppleScript book is an excellent overview of AppleScript. Alas, it is limited, as all such books are, by AppleScript's peculiar nature.

The problem is that AppleScript is primarily useful when it interacts with scriptable Applications; this means that many important commands one may think of as belonging to AppleScript belong to Applications instead [2]. If you working to extend an existing script, and decide to research a command in the excellent book index Matt built himself [1], you'll often be frustrated. The command, you see, belongs to the Application, not to AppleScript.

On the other hand, there's a good chance Matt used in the command in one or more examples. In the absence of a companion book entitled "AppleScript for Applications" [3] you'd like to find those examples. Alas, that's where you want a full text search engine.

The good news is, there are two. The even better news is that O'Reilly could make their engine much more visible and useful, with advantages for everyone.

Consider the case of the 'Duplicate' command, which is supported by iTunes (among others) and the Finder (in slightly different ways, no doubt). When I tried Amazon's "search within the book" I discovered several illuminating references. Similarly, O'Reilly allows one to search within the book as a promotion for its Safari eBook library.

The Safari search works well, but they don't want to give away too much for free. You can only read a snippet of information in the search results. A snippet that doesn't, currently, include the page or section number. If you click further you get to the 'buy safari' screen, but you also get to see the section number. Now, you can return to the book and read the information.

O'Reilly could make all of us (and themselves) happy by keeping Safari just as closed as it is today, but merely adding a section reference to the search results they freely expose already.

Here's the win-win for O'Reilly, Matt, Amazon and us:

1. Include the section reference in the initial search results screen.
2. Promote the search facility in every published O'Reilly book and explain how to use it on the O'Reilly book page.
3. If need be, request readers register to obtain this service. O'Reilly doesn't do spam, but they can suggest email subscriptions, RSS feeds, etc during the registration process.

Let us count the wins:

1. Matt's book is suddenly a better book. Readers get more value from it. They use it more. They like it and O'Reilly more.

2. O'Reilly gets ongoing visits from its customers.

3. O'Reilly gets free, regular, promotion of Safari services.

4. Amazon sells more books.

5. O'Reilly does not reduce the value of Safari, they enhance it by introducing users to it without giving it away.

It's a win-win for everyone. I just hope someone at O'Reilly can see the profit in it for them.

john

[1] In my real life I'm a knowledge representation/informatics geek. I have a lot of respect for the unrecognized intellectual labor that goes into producing a truly excellent index. In this case Matt did the work himself!

[2] Many applications may use the same string to refer to somewhat similar functions with slightly different syntax and semantics. This "ontologic dilemma" is a kind of uncontrolled overloading, and it makes AppleScript very challenging to use.

[3] If Matt decides to sell an "AppleScript for Applications" as a Tidbits eBook I'll pay for mine in advance!

Not helpful to a beginner.......2007-02-19

It seems like key pieces of information have been left out of this book, which is very atypical for any of the Definitive Guide series from O'Reilly, and of O'Reilly books in general. I picked up this book because it was the most recently published on the topic, and I'm still confused even after reading it. The first three chapters were on very basic subjects such as why you would want to use Applescript in general, where you would want to use it, and basic concepts. Next, part two is all about the syntax of Applescript, piece by piece. This is all very nice, and it probably is complete and correct, but it is like handing someone a maintenance manual on a washing machine who has never seen one before. Now that I know how to fix a broken one, what do I do with the actual machine itself? Part 3, "Applescript in Action", at first looked promising, but actually it just tells you how to fine tune your applications and shows some advanced features without ever really showing you specific problems that Applescript could solve and then solving them using the language. This is probably a good reference for someone who already is an experienced Applescript programmer, but I didn't find it helpful. I've ordered "Beginning Applescript" by Kochan to try to get some more remedial help on the subject. Hopefully, between these two books I can really learn Applescript, rather than just dabbling in it, which is what I've been doing for some time.

A great book for intermediate or advanced users..........2007-02-13

I'm frankly surprised by some of the reviews which suggest this is a great beginner's book... I really don't think so. It covers a lot of conceptual material which isn't going to help you figure out how to write a basic applescript function. In my opinion, this is a book for moderately experienced scripters who would like to know the inner workings of Applescript, and the critical little items that can cause a script to fail. It provides excellent insight into script objects, recursion, polymorphism, parenting, variable scope, closure, objects, targets/nested targets, references, dereferencing, raw appleevents, and other advanced topics. If you need a book to teach basic programming, I'd recomment Hanaan Rosenthal's book instead. Buy this one after you've finished that one.

Great for top-to-bottom understanding.......2007-02-09

Matt Neuburg has written a great text. It's easy to read and understand, and it's great a for a thorough understanding of the language. The first section of the book doesn't discuss code very much; moreso the practical application for the language in a real-world environment. The second section delves right into code, giving practical examples and helpful tips. After reading the first two chapters of the second section, I was writing simple programs to control applications. Great book for a beginning AppleScript programmer; even better book for a person completely new to programming.

AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Second Edition

Average customer rating:

Better available elsewhere
Knowledgeable, but many errors

AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Second Edition
Hanaan Rosenthal
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
AppleScript Studio Programming for the Absolute Beginner
Beginning AppleScript (Programmer to Programmer)
AppleScript: The Missing Manual
Discovering Automator

ASIN: 1590596536

Book Description

This is the second edition of Hanaan Rosenthal's critically-acclaimed AppleScript book. It goes the extra mile to teach you AppleScript--explaining advanced topics without leaving you behind.

AppleScript is the high-level scripting language that resides on the Mac platform. It can be used to add functionality to the Mac operating system, automate tasks, add functions, and generally make things easier. AppleScript has always been very useful, and with Mac OS X, you can take AppleScript further than before.

This book begins with the basics like handling variables, loops, and commands. Then it proceeds with more advanced concepts like debugging, AppleScripting with databases, manipulating PDFs with SMILE, and automating media workflow. In a nutshell, this book: <ul>

Takes you on a journey from novice to professional AppleScripter.</li>

Is completely comprehensive; nothing is left to the imagination.</li>

Is up-to-date through AppleScript 1.10/Mac OS X Tiger.</li> </ul>

If you are a Mac user who wants to know the real meaning of having full control over your machine, get into AppleScripting. And pick up this book because it really is the only guide you need to master the art of AppleScripting!

Customer Reviews:

Better available elsewhere.......2007-06-01

Bought this book after having read the reviews for the first edition and have finally finished it after having given up a number of times in exasperation at the vast amount of errors in the text and the code (both in the book and downloadable). The author no doubt knows his subject and covers what you need to know to become proficient in AppleScript, but I am not sure who this book is aimed at. It is not suitable for anyone new to programming as concepts are introduced early but only explained later on in the text, the mistakes in the examples create confusion (AppleScript even being referred to as ActionScript), and the inane Dummies style humour and prose with "cool" and even "ultracool" examples insulting to the mature reader. To add to my dissatisfaction the binding started to fall apart after only 250 pages. This is both the first and last Apress book that will be in my library.

During my way through this I bought both Danny Goodman's book from SpiderWorks and Matt Neuberg's "Definitive Guide". My recommendation to anyone else looking to learn AppleScript would be to start with Goodman, and if you know a programming language to go straight to Neuberg. Both highly recommended.

Knowledgeable, but many errors.......2007-04-25

Tue 4/24/2007 3:27 pm. I haven't finished the book but, for instance, there were two wrong captions in the first 32 pages. Numerous other errors in the text. I feel Rosenthal gives a good feel for how AppleScript works, not sugar-coated, and I didn't have much trouble with the errors, but someone new to programming might (I am a programmer without AppleScript -- or Apple for that matter -- experience).

AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X

Average customer rating:

AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X
Bible and Handbook
It's True, This is THEE Book on AppleScript...
Great book, intimidating size
Applescript Book great for beginners to expirienced

AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X
Hanaan Rosenthal
Manufacturer: friends of ED
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

AppleScript: The Missing Manual
Beginning AppleScript (Programmer to Programmer)
AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
The Mac Xcode 2 Book
Beginning Mac OS X Programming

ASIN: 1590594045

Book Description

A high-level scripting language residing on the Mac platform, AppleScript adds functionality to the Mac operating system. AppleScript functions like a powerful macro language that automates tasks and adds functions. This book supports all versions of AppleScript – through the latest, version 1.9.3. Rosenthal is already popular within the Mac community, and in this book he reaches out to Mac scripters. This book thoroughly explains advanced topics, without leaving the beginning Mac scripter behind. The book addresses scripting, current to Panther. And it continues where other books stop, offering additional points of view and perspective, as needed.

Customer Reviews:

AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X.......2005-09-21

this book suitable for beginner (as me) and advanced user. It start with basic AppleScript skill. And the best thing if the language it use is simple and interesting. You will not feel boring (like other training books) when read it.

Bible and Handbook.......2005-08-14

Easy to read and very complete, until with the least details (How to implement a debug mode, how to name subroutines, good practices to write the code, etc.)

It's True, This is THEE Book on AppleScript..........2005-07-28

Prior to getting this book as a gift I read every printed book and pdf on AppleScript written in the last 10 years, and still my progress hit a wall that I couldn't get past. Seeing as I've only been scripting for a year, that's part of the problem. Most AppleScript books are either severely outdated, poorly written, or both. This book breathed new life into a subject that really needed a fresh perspective. This book is an extremely thorough reference, a challenging and inspiring workbook and a treasure trove of ready-to-use scripts and tools that you can take and make your own in the real world.

Don't expect:
"This is a subroutine, here is what it does. This is a variable, this is what it does."

Instead, expect stuff like this:
"Here is a common problem, here are four ways to solve it. Here is why the first three work. Here is why the last one might not be a great idea. Here is how you can put this to use in the real world."

This book is low on fluff and useless graphics and high on useful tools. It is important to maintain a rhythm and mood when trying to get an audience to make it through 800 pages and Hanaan succeeds in keeping the content fresh and throws in just the right amount of humor. And unlike just about every other technical book I've read, the jokes are actually funny.

And you'll find that the approach to solving a problem doesn't focus on right or wrong, or the good or bad way of doing things. Rather, it shows the better or best way of doing something and backs it up with real world scenarios and in plain english. I could go on and on about this book and how much it has helped me and my business. Bottom line, if you use AppleScript then by this book now and keep it close by.

Great book, intimidating size.......2005-02-10

I think I have read just about every book there is
on AppleScript.

At 850 pages and $59.99, this book could easily
scare away potential AppleScript book buyers.

That would be a mistake.

This book, unlike many of the existing AppleScript
books, is based solely on Mac OS X. The target
audience is the whole range of AppleScripting
experience. The author provides from the ground
up introductory chapters for beginners, detailed
chapters on under interaction and file and error
handling for intermediate scripters, and advanced
subjects for professional scripters.

These later topics include debugging, script
objects, and automation.

Needless to say, trying to be all things to all
people is a goal of considerable complexity. I
think Mr. Rosenthal pulls it off rather well.
I do not easily recall any technical book I have
read that flows so easily. The chapters are well
organized with reasonable goals for each. At the
end of each chapter is a Power Wrap-up.

Unlike the often-anemic chapter summaries found
in many books, these Power Wrap-ups
encapsulate all the important knowledge imparted
in each chapter. They make excellent reference
sections, requiring revisiting the full text of the
chapter only if some point needs further
clarification or example.

How well does Mr. Rosenthal meets his goal of
addressing AppleScripters of all skill levels?

Well, I am a professional software developer and
an occasional AppleScripter. I muddle through
AppleScript when needed and somehow manage
to get the task at hand done. Most other books I
have on AppleScript have examples that deal
with, for instance, FileMaker Pro, but do little to
get one to the point where he can attack the
AppleScript dictionary of other applications or to
develop the script architecture to properly
complete the desired task.

Mr. Rosenthal, more clearly and thoroughly than
any other AppleScript author I have read, has
given me the knowledge, skill and courage to dig
into more complex AppleScript projects.

This book is a good match for my skill level.

I cannot address how professional AppleScripters
might find this book, but it appears to me there is
a lot of good, advanced, information here.
I think the serious AppleScript beginner would
find everything he needs right here, although the
book's size might be slightly intimidating.

Is the book Comprehensive as touted in the title?

I think so.

I feel this book fills a serious void that has existed
in the AppleScript realm. The crystal clear writing
is marred only by a few poorly reproduced screen
captures (at least in my copy.) Most graphics are
fine.

For those concerned about buying an expensive
book from an unknown publisher, I can state that
I have read a few computer books from Friends of
Ed and have found each to be well worth the
reading effort. Friends of Ed is now part of
Apress, another publisher that may not be
familiar to the Macintosh community. However,
Apress is well known in the PC community for
their wide range of technical, primarily
programming, books. Any pre-purchase concern
about the publishing house should be swept away.
In summary, this is a big book, a bit more
expensive than most AppleScript books, a bit
intimidating in its size, but very well written and
organized.

Applescript Book great for beginners to expirienced.......2005-02-06

Here is a book that is clear, concise, and gets you to think about Applescript, in the right way. Hanaan gets into the way Applescript works with exemplary thoroughness and accuracy. The right choices were made in the priority of a "Contents at a Glance" whereby just reading the titles of the chapter one can flip ahead and get to apple-scripting. One can always spend the time to get familiar again with the basic syntax of Applescript as a review or get to understand the use of Applescript and a Media Workflow or Integrated Production Environment.

There are real world examples of workflow's and practical tips on how to get back to healthy scriptwriting. Hanaan does teach you how to do many specific things with AppleScript, and gives you the proper foundation to solve new problems on your own.

The book also supplies plenty of examples of that won't work, what can go wrong and how to deal with them. There are a good amount of screen shots, a few illustrations. Unlike many "Thinking" books, this could also be used as a cookbook for Applescript. You will find lots of examples, from simple one-liners, to those hard to place Labeled Parameters. There are many examples to try in your choice of script editor and even downloads of the examples given to try your own skills with Applescript. There is confidence and approachable personality, throughout the book, with a bit of wit, too.

There are some intensive references on the styles of scripting that helps all scripters decide how to approach a solution. There is no "lightly touching" on a subject that can include Applescript. Hanaan gets into what it can do for you, giving the right amount of information for an informed decision.

Those new to Applescript will be find the candor of the text to be easy to follow along with and the advanced scripter will learn some new tricks or relearn some old techniques to improve their scripting foundation.

Average customer rating:

Okay for beginners, not for programmers.
OK as an introduction but lacks depth
A great start for beginners
Not for Intermediate Programmers or Beginners
an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn to use applescript

AppleScript: The Missing Manual
Adam Goldstein
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X
Beginning AppleScript (Programmer to Programmer)
Mac OS X Tiger: Missing Manual
AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Second Edition

ASIN: 0596008503

Book Description

From newspapers to NASA, Mac users around the world use AppleScript to automate their daily computing routines. Famed for its similarity to English and its ease of integration with other programs, AppleScript is the perfect programming language for time-squeezed Mac fans. As beginners quickly realize, however, AppleScript has one major shortcoming: it comes without a manual. No more. You don't need a degree in computer science, a fancy system administrator title, or even a pocket protector and pair of nerdy glasses to learn the Mac's most popular scripting language; you just need the proper guide at your side. AppleScript: The Missing Manual is that guide. Brilliantly compiled by author Adam Goldstein, AppleScript: The Missing Manual is brimming with useful examples. You'll learn how to clean up your Desktop with a single click, for example, and how to automatically optimize pictures for a website. Along the way, you ll learn the overall grammar of AppleScript, so you can write your own customized scripts when you feel the need. Naturally, AppleScript: The Missing Manual isn't merely for the uninitiated scripter. While its hands-on approach certainly keeps novices from feeling intimidated, this comprehensive guide is also suited for system administrators, web and graphics professionals, musicians, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and others who need to learn the ins and outs of AppleScript for their daily work. Thanks to AppleScript: The Missing Manual, the path from consumer to seasoned script has never been clearer. Now you, too, can automate your Macintosh in no time.

Customer Reviews:

Okay for beginners, not for programmers........2007-06-04

This book is very basic and doesn't really get into any depth. Rather than teaching the fundamentals of AppleScript, it's more of a guided tour to what you can accomplish with AppleScript in various common applications. For the average computer user, this may be helpful, but if you're a programmer and want to learn how to write your own scripts, other resources would be a better bet.

I also wasn't impressed with the writing style or organization - while I *am* impressed that a high school student could write a book like this, for most technically inclined people, I'd look elsewhere.

OK as an introduction but lacks depth.......2007-02-24

"Applescript - the missing manual" is OK as an introduction to the basics of Applescript - it explains how to edit & run a script, gives a feel for what applescript looks like and what its capable of, and describes some useful tools - but I was disappointed by its coverage of the heart of the subject: the syntax of the language. To learn how to do anything even slightly beyond the examples given in the book (which are mostly rather trite) I had to go to the Applescript Language Guide, on the Apple developers site. This actually explains the language, though its way out of date and pretty heavy going.

Overall, an OK book to get started but you'll need something more detailed to really use applescript. If you already know how to program, I'd recommend looking for something a bit more technical.

A great start for beginners.......2007-02-22

This title doesn't get down to the fine details or into more advanced AppleScript, yet it does have the ability to get one started on the right track. It's a book for beginners with little understanding of AppleScript. It's well written and easy to follow. It might be all you need...but for those of you who have experience and need to get deeper into the language, I'd suggest another book. It's also based on Panther AppleScript so there are a few pieces of script that need a little fixing in order for it to work in Tiger, but I found it rare. I feel pretty comfortable with AppleScript after reading this book and I'm able to build upon the basics much faster.

Not for Intermediate Programmers or Beginners.......2006-12-11

As have other reviewers, I found this book gives enough information to get me in trouble or to get me frustrated but doesn't give enough details or explanations or even examples to get me out of them. You could do several things using the book but if you tried to do something very different from what he illustrated you'd probably get mysterious error messages and little or no help understanding what the problem is.

I have used the Missing Manual for going from Windows to Mac and found it far more helpful than this book.

I'd urge you to spend a bit more and get something much more complete. I just bought "Applescript The Definitive Guide (2'nd. ed.)" by M. Neuburg and I'm hopeful it will meet my needs. I notice there are several other books available here for beginners and I'd consider some of them before getting this one.

an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn to use applescript.......2006-05-11

this is just a great book im not sure where to begin this review. i am new to programming and i wanted to start off small and applescript seemed like just the thing. after reading tiger missing manual i decided to get this book on the recomendation of david pogue. i was not disapointed. applescript is really easy to use and this book shows you excatly how to use it(just like an missing manual book does). i highly reccomnd this and any other missing manual title to any beginner or power user. being a power user myself i definetly got my moneys worth from all these books. im currently reading iphoto 6 from david pogue and im allittle disapointed on that one its more of a "how to take pictures" than how to use iphoto. but iphoto being such an intuitive program you really don't need much to learn to use it.

AppleScript Studio Programming for the Absolute Beginner

Average customer rating:

Okay, where's the fireplace?
Disappointing
Excellent Way to Get Started in Programming

AppleScript Studio Programming for the Absolute Beginner
Jr., Jerry Lee Ford
Manufacturer: Course Technology PTR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MacOS | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Second Edition
AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
AppleScript 1-2-3
Beginning AppleScript (Programmer to Programmer)
AppleScript: The Missing Manual

ASIN: 1598633031

Book Description

This book focuses on teaching the reader how to program using AppleScript, the language that controls and automates applications on Mac OS X. Unlike other books on AppleScript, AppleScript Studio Programming for the Absolute Beginner focuses on AppleScript?s role in supporting the development of AppleScript Studio applications. AppleScript Studio comes free with Mac OS X and provides the framework and integrated development environment for creating applications that include fully functional graphical user interfaces. Throughout the book, users will learn the key functionality of both the AppleScript language and the AppleScript Studio application development framework by developing graphical game-based applications that are actually fun to create. Topics covered include values, variables, classes, conditional logic, loop building, strings, lists, records, handlers, and much more. Although intended for readers new to programming, there is also additional coverage of more advanced topics; users will learn to work with drives, files and folders, how to control applications, and how to debug programs and handle errors. The companion CD-ROM includes all of the source code from the book.

Customer Reviews:

Okay, where's the fireplace?.......2007-04-27

This book is a wonderful idea, but unfortunately, it's a total disaster. Here's why:

1) The book is poorly edited and a vast majority of the examples provided in it simply don't work.

2) The book claims that there's a companion website, but they don't tell you where it is.

3) After searching the web, I finally found on the company's website an MS Windows-only executable file, which contains the book's examples. Unfortunately, Mac users cannot open "Microsoft" programs, making the example files worthless.

As I said, this book is a good idea, but they did a terrible job producing it. This is definitely a DON'T BUY ITEM...

Disappointing.......2007-04-23

The book has too many errors and is poorly edited. Some of the errors are minor. For example, pg 26 step 5 says to quit the Interface Builder and save when prompted. The very next step says to select the button control and click Show Inspector... hmm, can't do that if the Interface Builder is closed. There are several instances of these kind of errors sprinkled throughout, and I'm only on pg 57 (of 363.)

Which brings me to my next problem. The second project is creating the Fortune Teller app. I've stopped at pg 57 because I can't get the app to run. The code is typed in exactly as in the book and it gives me an error when I build and run it. I'm running OS X 10.4, same as the author. No problem I thought, I'll just go to the web site and see if there are any corrections. Appendix A is called "What's on the companion web site?" and describes the code examples in the book. That's great, but they neglected to print the url to get to the site. I searched for 10 mins looking for it and found it in small print on the back of the book [...].

Now for the inexcusable part. I found the web page for this book with the download link to the code samples. The link shows as "33031_AppleScript_Source.ZIP". However, the link is really pointing to "33031_AppleScript_Source.exe". An executable? Well, not really because when I downloaded it, Get Info shows it as a document. I can't even open this document. I tried changing the extension to .zip but that didn't work. I also tried .gz and some other popular compression extensions but nothing works.

It's a shame. This book has the potential to be a great introduction to Applescripting and building apps that interact and leverage the power of other apps on your system. As it stands, I think absolute beginners, the target audience for this book, would quickly become frustrated and give up.

Excellent Way to Get Started in Programming.......2006-12-11

AppleScript has been growing in popularity since its introduction a dozen or so years ago. Down through the years it has been expanded and developed to a higher level. With the release of OS X, it has dramatically increased its utility, power and ease of use. Now bundled under the general name AppleScript Studio, it is included with OS X after version 10.1.2.

Basically AppleScript is an English language like programming language that continues the Apple tradition of making their computers easy to use. It is a fast to learn, fast to write language.

This book follows the same concepts, it begins with a simple application (a Knock-Knock joke), goes into the editing system, and from there into the standard programming rules: variables, conditional logic, loops, strings, building a GUI and so on. (Yes, I know AppleScript is a scripting language that doesn't do GUIs. But Cocoa is supplied almost as a part of AppleScript, and Cocoa does do GUIs.)

This is an excellent beginners book to learn programming the Apple way.

Adobe Illustrator Scripting with Visual Basic and AppleScript

Average customer rating:

Probably better for AppleScript
Pure Genius
Illustrator Scripting Automation Techniques Galore!

Adobe Illustrator Scripting with Visual Basic and AppleScript
Ethan Wilde
Manufacturer: Pearson Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Adobe Scripting: Your Visual Blueprint to Scripting in Photoshop and Illustrator
AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X

ASIN: 0321112512

Book Description

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 3.0//EN"><HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Untitled</TITLE></HEAD><BODY>If you're a designer, production pro, or Illustrator power user, chances are you repeat tedious tasks over and over in your daily work. Think about it: How many times have you performed the same step on hundreds of images? Save time--and wear-and-tear on your wrists--with Adobe Illustrator Scripting, the clearest, quickest route to reducing your workload and making life easier through the power of scripting.

Adobe Illustrator Scripting combines the in-depth coverage of a reference book with actual hands-on training that shows you how to create and run scripts in Illustrator, using both AppleScript (for Mac users) and Visual Basic (for the PC). You'll learn how to automate tasks such as linking graphics to a database, transforming images, and performing batch processes. There's no better time to try your hand at scripting, even if you have no prior experience--with Illustrator 10, the program is more scriptable than ever before. Adobe Illustrator Scripting will help you unlock the true potential of this workhorse application. </BODY></HTML>

Download Description

If you're a designer, production pro, or Illustrator power user, chances are you repeat tedious tasks over and over in your daily work. Think about it: How many times have you performed the same step on hundreds of images? Save time--and wear-and-tear on your wrists--with Adobe Illustrator Scripting, the clearest, quickest route to reducing your workload and making life easier through the power of scripting. Adobe Illustrator Scripting combines the in-depth coverage of a reference book with actual hands-on training that shows you how to create and run scripts in Illustrator, using both AppleScript (for Mac users) and Visual Basic (for the PC). You'll learn how to automate tasks such as linking graphics to a database, transforming images, and performing batch processes. There's no better time to try your hand at scripting, even if you have no prior experience--with Illustrator 10, the program is more scriptable than ever before. Adobe Illustrator Scripting will help you unlock the true potential of this workhorse application.

Customer Reviews:

Probably better for AppleScript.......2004-05-26

I'm mostly a Mac user, but I have to work on the PC for a long-term project. I'm finding that the book's coverage of Visual Basic is poor. For example, some of the scripts have typos! which is really difficult when you are trying to learn programming. In fact, I've found a number of typos in the text and this doesn't inspire confidence. This seems to be the only book out there that covers VB scripting, but I've had to do a lot of work to complete my education.

Pure Genius.......2003-02-01

Thanks Adobe for making Illustrator scriptable! And thanks Ethan Wilde and Adobe Press for putting together such a compelling text on automating Illustrator. If you do anything in Illustrator regularly, this book is going to change your life. PC or Mac - it doesn't matter because the author has done the most amazing thing: He explains both scripting langauges side-by-side in the introduction, scriping tutorials, and examples in the book. I'm just glad that I use AppleScript 'cause it sure looks easier that Visual Basic!

Illustrator Scripting Automation Techniques Galore!.......2002-10-30

This title is a real cookbook for automating Adobe Illustrator. It covers every minute aspect of scripting Illustrator, including its object model, quirks, and special objects. The book includes a bunch of complete working script examples for Mac and Windows (AppleScript and Visual Basic).

Book Description

<HTML>

You could be saving yourself time and money right now using tools you probably didn't even know you had. AppleScript, a powerful and free scripting tool included on every Macintosh, enables individuals, professionals, and businesses to save time and money by automating time-consuming, repetitive tasks. Hallmark, for example, used AppleScript to reduce the number of color proofs needed to create a greeting card from a range of 5 to 25 expensive proofs per card down to just two. The best part? You don't need a degree in engineering to create powerful, results-driven scripts.

In AppleScript 1-2-3 Apple's AppleScript product manager, Sal Soghoian, teaches beginners how to address nearly any automation task on the Macintosh. Broken down into three parts, the book starts by explaining AppleScript fundamentals through a series of hands-on how-tos designed to teach you how to write functional scripts. The second section expands on the knowledge gained in the first section with an in-depth examination of useful AppleScript tools and techniques, and the third section uses sample scripts to demonstrate how to automate Apple and third-party applications. If you're looking to work more productively by automating your workflow, you'll want this primer written by the leading expert in the field-no one knows more about AppleScript than Sal.

</HTML>

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