I’ve been conducting an informal poll on Apple’s AppleScript mailing list, and I thought I’d ask here as well, to reach as wide an audience as possible. It’s more a matter of curiosity than seeking meaningful statistics, and I figure others might also be interested, so I’m after public replies.
So with the mods’ permission, I’m looking for answers to the following questions. The first three are only for Mavericks users, but others are obviously welcome to give their two cents’ worth on the last one. If you’ve replied elsewhere, there’s no need to do so again. Thanks in advance.
Are you using the Script Libraries facility (not Script Debugger libraries or “load script” libraries)? If so, are you using standard AS libraries, ASObjC-based libraries, or both? And are you writing (or at least modifying) them yourself, or getting them elsewhere? And are you using libraries with scripting dictionaries, or using normal AppleScript handler calls?
If you’re not using Script Libraries, is there any particular reason?
Do you know how to set up Script Libraries and use them in your scripts?
Do you think you would be more likely to use ASObjC if you could include it directly in your scripts (perhaps confined to handlers or sections of code), or would it not make any difference?
If you were to be granted one AppleScript-related wish, what would it be?
If you’re not using Script Libraries, is there any particular reason?
At first glance, looked unfamiliar and less friendly, more technical, “hardcore programmy”. Also, lots of scripts that would have to be rewritten, so there’s a lot of inertia involved.
Do you know how to set up Script Libraries and use them in your scripts?
No. Only looked at your first explanation briefly before glazing over. I like old-fashioned AS where you just jump in and start telling things what to do. (I’m a light-weight.)
Do you think you would be more likely to use ASObjC
Probably not. Seems too “hardcore” for the likes of me. If I had concrete examples/recipes for easy “monkey-see, monkey-do” inclusion, that would increase chances.
If you were to be granted one AppleScript-related wish, what would it be?
Probably that everything in an app’s dictionary would have a working example (again, for “monkey-see, monkey-do” scripters like myself).
Thanks for asking!
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Are you using the Script Libraries facility (not Script Debugger libraries or “load script” libraries)? If so, are you using standard AS libraries, ASObjC-based libraries, or both? And are you writing (or at least modifying) them yourself, or getting them elsewhere? And are you using libraries with scripting dictionaries, or using normal AppleScript handler calls?
Yes, writing myself, using normal handler calls ad well as libraries with scripting dictionaries
Do you know how to set up Script Libraries and use them in your scripts?
Yes
Do you think you would be more likely to use ASObjC if you could include it directly in your scripts (perhaps confined to handlers or sections of code), or would it not make any difference?
Any use of ASObjC is useful for performance reasons
If you were to be granted one AppleScript-related wish, what would it be?
A elementary reform of AppleScript away from Carbon Events towards modern XPC related processes
Are you using the Script Libraries facility (not Script Debugger libraries or “load script” libraries)? If so, are you using standard AS libraries, ASObjC-based libraries, or both? And are you writing (or at least modifying) them yourself, or getting them elsewhere? And are you using libraries with scripting dictionaries, or using normal AppleScript handler calls?
Yes, writing them myself, using normal handler calls.
Do you know how to set up Script Libraries and use them in your scripts?
Yes.
Do you think you would be more likely to use ASObjC if you could include it directly in your scripts (perhaps confined to handlers or sections of code), or would it not make any difference?
Yes, but would need a better and revised Applescript Editor App, finding myself just using Xcode as the current Applescript Editor is good for nothing meaningful, other than to test code snippets.
Do you think you would be more likely to use ASObjC if you could include it directly in your scripts (perhaps confined to handlers or sections of code), or would it not make any difference?
Yes, but do sometimes wonder about the point to ASOC, why not just use Objective-C.
If you were to be granted one AppleScript-related wish, what would it be?
A total cleaned up revision of the language, it’s currently very messy and disjointed, and dream on iOS support for AS.
why the need for both AS & ASOC?
Is “Swift” not the future?, why not have AS scripting built into “Swift”?
Apple needs to make a decision as regards the Applescript language, I hope they decide to make it just one comprehensive language, and make their mind up about the future of scripting additions.
I’m using Applescript Editor for simple utilities, writting Script Libraries and simple Apps in Xcode, having to turn to Objective-C for ASOC limitations, and more recently learning “Swift”.
Please Apple put it together in some way, that requires just the one development tool and language.
Because Mavericks is one of the worse backwards compatible OS Apple has ever released. Thousands of workstations are on hold to use Mavericks for this reason. So therefore as an developer I need go back to load script command again:|
Yes
Probably not, most of my scripting involves complex test processing written in C which are used on the command line or servers using XML-RPC
I wish for thee more AppleScript-related wishes ;). getting the source code of the standard scripting addition maybe? Skeleton scripting addition from technical note how to write scripting additions after 10.6 is no longer available. Note: Shane has given me the skeleton addition for me to pick up writing scripting additions again. And within an hour I had my first scripting command ready, thanks again Shane. Now I’m working on my code, otherwise I would still be reading those 1996 papers from Apple which they never have updated.
UPDATE: A more important wish and missing feature of AppleScript’s scripting additions. They’re missing namespace, context and focus.