There is an annoying feature of the “Run Applescript” module inside automator that is that when you are typing the code, gray dots appear at the cursor position, where the next character will be, interrupts your typing, change lines, and so one.
For example, you are trying to type
set this_number to (first_part & "." & second_part)
and the result may be something like
set this_numb..
er to (first_part & "." & second_part)
Occasionally, it evens craps code already there in subsequent lines.
How do I disable this wonderful feature?
Not sure whether that can be done. It’s called code completion in script editor and can be disabled in that application but I don’t see any option to turn it off in automator. Perhaps there is a hidden setting or something… dunno.
Note that you can tap the Esc key when it appears and it will throw up any matching terms and allow you to choose from among them, thus occasionally saving some typing and ensuring that terms are spelt consistently.
If there is only a single match, then typing 'Esc` will enter it fully, so in your example, typing:
thi followed by the Esc key should enter this_number.
If you type through it, eg type thin in the above example, then it will go away.
It is one of those bizarre apple things in which they hamstring the app by not even giving it preferences because they want it to be ‘simple’ for users but then foist advanced, undocumented (and often unwanted) features on the same hapless users.
My favourite example is how Preview forces the annotation toolbar on the user when you do anything with the image (eg crop, adjust color, adjust size), or even when you close one of those sheets. As a bonus, the annotation toolbar affects the window size, so when you close it, the window then shrinks, even if you had previously maximized it.
Thanks for the prompt reply, but in my case I type fast and when the dots appear the line breaks, and the remaining characters go to the line below. Thanks anyway.