Mac vs Windows Automation

[JMichaelTX]

@sancarn

Here's some code I wrote to, for example, extract an entire staff list from our company's exchange server using AHK:

Thanks for sharing that. Your code clearly shows the app scripting power of AHK, which I had not seen elsewhere. Didn't see anything like that on the AHK web site.

Your code reminds me a lot of JavaScript for Automation (JXA), which is a sister to AppleScript and also based on Apple Events, but uses the core JavaScript engine.

@sancarn

I wouldn't talk to me about speed For a start AppleScript, I'm pretty certain, is much slower than AHK. But not just that, but you're talking about ASObjC algorithms, which is great and all, but compared to compiled code that is very slow..

No doubt that compiled code is faster, but I have to say that when I can search 18,000 for dups in only 0.3 sec using ASObjC, that is fast enough for me.

But even native AppleScript can be very fast. For example, we developed a script that searches 10 windows and 200 tabs of Chrome (or Safari) to find and open the window/tab of a given URL, in only 0.14 sec.

@sancarn

So in summary, the AppleEvents API is great, but it's very difficult to say that one is any faster and/or flexible than the other unless you have been there and worked extensively with both systems.

Good point, and I certainly have no recent experience in Windows. I think what caught my attention is that you moved from Mac to Windows because of automation. I had not see anyone previously making a platform choice for that reason.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

@sancarn

Anyway, I fear this is a little off topic Might want to split the conversation to another thread...

You're right. I'll split our discussion to a new topic now.