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AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition: Use AppleScript--How, When, Where, and Why

January 24, 2006

Sebastopol, CA--AppleScript comes free as part of every Mac OS X system, and with it, users can harness the power of their Mac and control both the system and the applications (such as iTunes, Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, Word, FileMaker Pro, Apple Mail, and more) that run on it. But they need to know how. AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition (Neuburg, O'Reilly, US $39.99) teaches AppleScript as it's never been taught before--with scrupulous attention to detail and clarity.

For everyone who is ready to put their Mac to work, AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition is a thorough, refreshingly straight-forward reference and instruction guide. Neuburg explains everything users need to know about AppleScript: what it is, why it exists, where it lives, how it works, and how to make it perform better, smoother, and faster.

"I had never seen the AppleScript language taught, explained, and documented in what I would regard as a clear, rigorous, and helpful way," says author Matt Neuburg. So he did it himself. Neuburg's new book presents AppleScript as a programmer, a student, and a thinker would learn it. Completely revised and fully updated to cover Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) and AppleScript 1.10, this second edition includes:

  • A thorough introduction to AppleScript basics
  • Examples of when, why, and how to use AppleScript
  • Warnings of pitfalls, common mistakes, and AppleScript shortcomings
  • Detailed explanations of AppleScript's variables, script objects, handlers, references, datatypes, operators, global properties, coercions, and more
  • Guidance on interpreting an application's dictionary
  • Instructions for combining AppleScript with Unix scripting
  • Advice on building applications and Automator actions using AppleScript Studio
  • A new tutorial on making Cocoa applications scriptable
  • Tips for getting every last ounce of speed out of AppleScript
  • With AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, AppleScript users can automate repetitive tasks, customize applications, and even control complex workflows to make their Mac time more efficient and more enjoyable than they thought possible.

    Additional Resources:

    AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
    Matt Neuburg
    ISBN: 0-596-10211-9, 592 pages, $39.99 US
    order@oreilly.com
    1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000

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