Launching Application folders by file path

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
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#1

I have been searching via google and forums for the last three days - so I apologize ahead of time if this is apparent and I’ve missed something, as I’m very new to Applescript and MacOS.

I’m using Snow Leopard 10.6.2 and the pre existing AppleScript.

I am trying to call an application to launch via file path:

tell application “Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft Word.app” to launch

It tells me it cannot find that directory

However if I use terminal:
open /Applications/Microsoft\ Office\ 2008/Microsoft\ Word.app

The application launches. However, if I use the same command for Microsoft office 2004 it tells me it cannot be located - so I find I’m having difficulty solving this problem with perhaps a quick and easy shell script to launch via Applescript (as I’ve read can be done).

The end goal is I have two versions of office on this Mac, 2004 and 2008 I need to be able to launch them all (both versions) with a script. Can this be done?

Thank you very much for your time and help,

Myst

#2

Hi,

AppleScript works with HFS paths (colon separated)
try this


set applicationFolder to path to applications folder as text
tell application (applicationFolder & "Microsoft Office 2004:Microsoft Word") to launch
#3

StefanK

Thank you so much for the help! I tried the script and it works perfectly. Now I need to figure out how to chain them together because if I just run

set applicationFolder to path to applications folder as text
tell application (applicationFolder & “Microsoft Office 2004:Microsoft Word”) to launch
set applicationFolder to path to applications folder as text
tell application (applicationFolder & “Microsoft Office 2008:Microsoft Word”) to launch

It tells me the second office 2008 wasn’t found.

Ultimately I want to launch both full suites at the same time (word, excel, powerpoint, entourage). Thank you!

Myst

#4

Also - when I remove the 2004 version call to launch and just leave

set applicationFolder to path to applications folder as text
tell application (applicationFolder & "Microsoft office 2008:Microsoft Word") to launch

I get the following error:

The path name for my 08 version of Word is:

/Applications/Microsoft Office 2008

So I am not clear on how this is ‘not found’ is there something I can look for to have this make sense? Or am I missing something?

Thank you again for any guidance provided.

Myst

#5

Not sure (I’m not on my mac right now), but I guess paths are case-sensitive.
Isn’t your last problem coming from the fact that you wrote “office” instead of “Office”?

AurelienP.

#6

If that was it I was going to bang my head into my desk - I did check and

set applicationFolder to path to applications folder as text
tell application (applicationFolder & "Microsoft Office 2008:Microsoft Word") to launch

gave the following error still

Thank you for the input!

#7

Looks like it should work…

You can try a more indirect route, and let Finder do the opening for you instead of launching the application directly from AS. This seems to work on my system (10.5):

tell application "Finder"
	set officepath to (path to applications folder) & "Microsoft Office 2004:Microsoft Word" as text
	open officepath
	set officepath to (path to applications folder) & "Microsoft Office 2008:Microsoft Word" as text
	open officepath
end tell
#8

nods

Thank you very much Warhaven - the indirect route has worked and I can chain them all together to open both suites at once. Thank you so much - now I need to pick up a book and start from the beginning I think.

Thanks again!

Myst