have an AppleScript save itself

so i’m trying to avoid having to search for a file to load as a very large list each time i execute a script.

my idea is to have main.script call secondary.script to return the big list variable.

i have secondary.script set up where the list variable is a Property so that once it’s been pointed to the list’s file it won’t need to read it again. (i have checks in place if the list file is missing or modified as well).

my problem is that unless i actually open and run secondary.script it’s not updating it’s Property values and has to be pointed to the list file every time.

i need secondary.script, once it’s done it’s thing, to save itself without someone having to open and run it.

anyone have any ideas?

Hi,

post some sample code;can’t get you @all
…

i apologize for not including any code. see if this helps:

main.scpt:

set theList to run script {alias ((path to desktop as string) & "secondary.scpt")}

secondary.scpt:

property theList : ""
property theListFile : ""
property theListModificationDate : ""

on getTheList()
	set theListFile to choose file with prompt "Select the list file"
	tell application "Finder"
		set theListModificationDate to modification date of theListFile
	end tell
	open for access theListFile
	set theList to read theListFile using delimiter return
	close access hiliteListFile
end getTheList

if theList is "" then my getTheList()
try
	tell application "Finder"
		set theListModificationDateTest to modification date of theListFile
	end tell
	if theListModificationDateTest is not equal to theListModificationDate then
		open for access theListFile
		set theList to read theListFile using delimiter return
		close access theListFile
		set theListModificationDate to theListModificationDateTest
	end if
on error
	my getTheList()
end try
return theList

i am looking for something between the end try and the return at the bottom of secondary.scpt that will cause the script to save itself, thereby saving the properties for the next time the script is called.

Edit,

while planning to do something simular I tested the code and it worked.

→ Saving as *.app to give the ability to store properties. start once (automatically or …) to store the properties and then call it by the mainScript with run script … the list will only be read when modified …

may be there is an easier way¿

cu

Hans

hi,

save the code as App, run the App once, then call by main.script “ didn’t test it …

property theList : ""
property theListFile : ""
property theListModificationDate : ""

on run
	if theListFile is "" then
		my getTheList()
	else
		try
			tell application "Finder"
				set newListModificationDateTest to modification date of theListFile
			end tell
			if newListModificationDateTest is not equal to theListModificationDate then
				open for access theListFile
				set theList to read theListFile using delimiter return
				close access theListFile
				set theListModificationDate to newListModificationDateTest
			end if
		end try
		return theList
	end if
end run

on getTheList()
	set theListFile to choose file with prompt "Select the list file"
	
	tell application "Finder"
		set theListModificationDate to modification date of theListFile
	end tell
	open for access theListFile
	set theList to read theListFile using delimiter return
	close access theListFile
	return theList
end getTheList