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On the heels of last issue's interview with Jonas Salling, author of Salling Clicker, I'm here to reveal some interesting new and often-overlooked AppleScript goodies which happen to include Clicker, a little nugget by Illume Software called iNotify and Kanzu Utilities' Extra Suites. However, let me first thank our friend Rob Jorgensen from whom I gleaned some of these great tips. In addition, I'd like to note to readers that our first tip, regarding SEC Helper, should be tackled only by moderate-to-advanced users. I don't recommend beginners go mucking around with OS X package contents.
SEC Helper
As you know, Salling Clicker is a very hot ticket these days with its Bluetooth support, robust AppleScript integration and overall cool factor. What you may not know is that a resourceful AppleScripter can put one of Clicker's internal components to use in a variety of non-Bluetooth/cell phone applications. You see, instead of displaying typical dialog boxes, Salling Clicker provides visual feedback to the user by way of a translucent black bar across the screen with a white text message reversed within that. What I'm about to show you is how you, in your capacity as Clicker Hijacker, can use that same feedback concept in any script you like.
This 'screen bar' is generated by a small helper application within Clicker's preference pane bundle called "SEC Helper" (this acronym is, of course, a hold-over from Clicker's original name, Sony Ericsson Clicker). This helper app is actually what handles Clicker's menu bar item and serves as Clicker's AppleScript terminology dictionary. (See screenshot below)
iNotify allows you to customize your computer by creating buttons on your desktop or menu bar, and pop-up notifications that appear in response to system or application events.
Buttons have rollover and click states, can be translucent and animated, and execute AppleScripts when clicked. Notifications appear in the foreground and then fade away, just like the speaker image that's displayed when you press the volume keys on the keyboard. See the screenshots ... for some examples of how buttons and notifications can be used.
iNotify is a windowless, background process, so it isn't visible in the Dock. Buttons and notifications are created by sending AppleScript commands to the background process.
Finally, you just can't beat iNotify's price: 5 bucks. The complete versatility and limitless possibilities it represents just plain belies this paltry price.
Extra Suites
If you've ever wanted to use progress bars in your OS X scripts without getting into AppleScript Studio, Extra Suites has your number. In fact, David Lloyd of Kanzu Utilities has created an outstanding background application that kicks up your OS X AppleScript vocabulary to notches unknown to mankind. With system commands like 'play AIFF' and 'multibeep', string commands like 'replace' and 'sort' and input commands allowing you to capture keyboard states, Extra Suites can quickly become indespensible. Even those of you who miss the venerable Akua Sweets, which appears to be forever stuck in OS9 Land, will find particular comfort in it.
Plus, Extra Suites is easy to use. It works like a traditional scripting addition by expanding your AS command base, but functions as a faceless background application. Just double-click to launch it and start scripting. Here's a screenshot of Extra Suites' progress window in action within a script I wrote to export mail messages from MailSmith into FileMaker Pro.
T.J.
tj@tjmahaffey.com
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