Mac Automation Scripting Guide!

Questions & Suggestions
1

I believe this is new, as of last month - I just stumbled across it:

Mac Automation Scripting Guide

1 Like
2

Dan, thanks for sharing this link.

However, I think it may apply only to macOS Sierra (not released yet), based on this notice at the top of the page:

IMPORTANT

This documentation contains preliminary information about an API or technology in development. This information is subject to change, and software implemented according to this documentation should be tested with final operating system software.

It is very similar to this site:

Mac Automation Scripting Guide, dated 2016-03-21, which was the first release of this site.

3

Well, they may have prepared it for that release, but it has places where it says certain features require 10.11, so I don’t think it’s specific to Sierra.

I’ve spent some time going through the docs, and there’s actually nothing new that I could find. Other than the fact they’ve decided to use Object Templates in their examples, for no reason other than it exists. (This is what requires El Capitan.)

I always say that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it. Sheesh, let’s take an already confusing topic and throw more obfuscation in, because it’s shiny and new.

…and… I digress. Sorry. :stuck_out_tongue:

4

I’m not sure what you are referring to by that statement.

All I am saying is the since Apple specifically noted that “This documentation contains preliminary information about an API or technology in development.” I would be very cautious about using it until it (the documentation) is finished/released.

I have NOT read this new version, so I can’t comment on its content.

But I will say this about the Mar 21 version:

  • I really like the organization
  • It has lots of great stuff about JXA
  • But some of the AppleScript stuff if out of date, and even misleading in some cases.
    (I hope they have fixed this in the new version)

That is consistent with what I have seen reported on the AppleScript Users List – no real changes to Mac automation in macOS Sierra.

5

Yeah, just ignore that.

No worries there. As I said, there’s nothing new that I could see, so it doesn’t matter.