I found a solution. While the store script command does seem to be broken, the open for access...write... approach works. My problem was that I was specifying the file reference as an hfs path. Changing the file reference to a posix path or posix file solved the problem.

To save the script object to a file, save it as a list item.

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

property || : current application

-- The inline script object to be saved to a file
script theScript
   property foo : null
end script

-- Assign the script property a value
set theScript's foo to ||'s NSString's stringWithString:"bar"

-- Save the script object to a file as a list item
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file.scpt" -- or "/path/to/target/file.scpt" as POSIX file
try
   close access fileRef
end try
set fid to open for access fileRef with write permission
set eof fid to 0
write {theScript} as list to fid
close access fid

To retrieve the saved script object, read the file as a list, and get the list item that is the script object. Be sure to use any needed frameworks.

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

-- Retrieve the script object from the file
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file.scpt" -- or "/path/to/target/file.scpt" as POSIX file
set theScript to (read fileRef as list from 1)'s item 1

-- Confirm that the script was properly retrieved
set theScript's foo to theScript's foo's uppercaseString()
return theScript's foo as text --> "BAR"

Also, see here for ways to get ASObjC code to run in instantiated script objects: http://www.macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=45913

Last edited by bmose (2017-11-09 09:31:04 pm)

My bad.  I didn't mean to include a ".scpt" extension.

I understand your point and modified my effort to the more modest goal of saving a plain vanilla Applescript script object to a file from a script containing ASObjC code.  This is where things got weird. If I saved the plain vanilla script object to a file as a list item, then retrieved the script object by reading the list back from the file within the same script, I was able to retrieve the script object successfully:

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

property || : current application

-- The inline plain vanilla Applescript script object to be saved to a file
script theScript
   property foo : null
end script

-- Assign the script property a value
set theScript's foo to (||'s NSString's stringWithString:"bar")'s uppercaseString() as text

-- Save the script object to a file as a list item
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file"
try
   close access fileRef
end try
set fid to open for access fileRef with write permission
set eof fid to 0
write {theScript} as list to fid
close access fid

-- Retrieve the script object from the file within the same script
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file"
set theScript to (read fileRef as list from 1)'s item 1

-- Confirm that the script was properly retrieved
return theScript's foo --> "BAR" --> Success!!

However, when I tried to retrieve the script object by reading the list back from the file from a different script, the retrieval failed with error -1761, which is Open Scripting Architecture error "There is a component mismatch—parameters are from two different components."

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

property || : current application

-- The inline plain vanilla Applescript script object to be saved to a file
script theScript
   property foo : null
end script

-- Assign the script property a value
set theScript's foo to (||'s NSString's stringWithString:"bar")'s uppercaseString() as text

-- Save the script object to a file as a list item
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file"
try
   close access fileRef
end try
set fid to open for access fileRef with write permission
set eof fid to 0
write {theScript} as list to fid
close access fid

Attempt to retrieve the script object from a different script:

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

property || : current application

-- Retrieve the script object from the file from a different script
set fileRef to "/path/to/target/file"
set theScript to (read fileRef as list from 1)'s item 1 --> Failed with error -1761

-- Confirm that the script was properly retrieved
return theScript's foo

Any thoughts as to why the retrieval succeeds when performed within the original script but fails in a different script?

Last edited by bmose (2017-11-10 05:18:38 pm)

It is my understanding that store script has been broken for years in ASObjC. Apple hasn't deprecated store script in plain vanilla Applescript, so they must consider it to be of some value. So I'm wondering why they haven't fixed this. I assume bug reports have been filed, so does that mean that (A) they don't consider it a high priority, (B) it is unfixable because of the way ASObjC is implemented, or (C) some other reason?

I'm working on a project which, if it were available, would be nicely solved with a script object capable of retaining state between invocations and supplied with handlers incorporating the power of ASObjC code. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned problem with script objects in ASObjC, I have instead taken the approach of using two scripts. One is a plain vanilla Applescript script object that is instantiated for the current task at hand and that retains state between invocations. Its plain vanilla handlers serve only as front ends for the ASObjcC handlers in the second script. The second script is a script file acting essentially as a singleton and consisting only of the ASObjC handlers that the plain vanilla script object calls. I realize that there are other ways to retain state, but a script object that could both retain state and be coded with ASObjC handlers would be a very nice tool in the toolbox.

Last edited by bmose (2017-11-10 11:24:46 pm)

The problems, as far as I can see, are just that store script doesn't work within the "scope" of a use framework … command and that you can't save scripts containing stored ASObjC values. store script is perfectly capable of storing scripts containing ASObjC code.

I'm not sure exactly what you want, but these three demos save viable script applications to your desktop which use an ASObjC method and store the AS equivalent result in a property:

Applescript:

use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later
use scripting additions

-- Script object instantiated at run time (no label after 'script').
-- Inherits ASObjC code from the compiled script object below it.
script
   property parent : script2
   property lastResult : missing value
   
   if (lastResult is missing value) then
       display dialog "First run"
   else
       display dialog "The previous result was " & lastResult
   end if
   
   set lastResult to |uppercase|("Hello!")
   display dialog "This result is " & lastResult
end script
set script1 to result

store script script1 in (((path to desktop as text) & "Script 1.app") as «class furl») replacing yes

-- Script object compiled into main script, below the 'store script' instruction to preserve the readability of the OSAX keywords.
-- The scope of 'use framework "Foundation"' is confined to this script object.
script script2
   use framework "Foundation"
   
   on |uppercase|(aText)
       return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
   end |uppercase|
end script

Applescript:

use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later
use scripting additions

store script myScript in (((path to desktop as text) & "My Script.app") as «class furl») replacing yes

-- Script object compiled into main script, below the 'store script' instruction to preserve the readability of the OSAX keywords.
-- The scope of 'use framework "Foundation"' is confined to this script object.
script myScript
   use framework "Foundation"
   property lastResult : missing value
   
   on |uppercase|(aText)
       return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
   end |uppercase|
   
   if (lastResult is missing value) then
       display dialog "First run"
   else
       display dialog "The previous result was " & lastResult
   end if
   
   set lastResult to |uppercase|("Hello!")
   display dialog "This result is " & lastResult
end script

Applescript:

use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later
use scripting additions

store script makeScript() in (((path to desktop as text) & "My Script.app") as «class furl») replacing yes

-- Script object instantiated at run time, below the 'store script' instruction to preserve the readability of the OSAX keywords.
-- The scope of 'use framework "Foundation"' is confined to this script object.
on makeScript()
   script
       use framework "Foundation"
       property lastResult : missing value
       
       on |uppercase|(aText)
           return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
       end |uppercase|
       
       if (lastResult is missing value) then
           display dialog "First run"
       else
           display dialog "The previous result was " & lastResult
       end if
       
       set lastResult to |uppercase|("Hello!")
       display dialog "This result is " & lastResult
   end script
   
   return result
end makeScript

My choice of the word "poor" was itself poor -- I meant in the sense of something they don't generally do.

Not all bugs get fixed, obviously. But they do get logged, and importantly, the numbers are seen by managers who make the ultimate decisions. I remember Jon Pugh (of Jon's Additions fame) remarking that the single most valuable thing a scripter could do in terms of promoting it at Apple was to post bug reports.

Or as another engineer pointed out: some logged bugs don't get fixed, but no unlogged ones do.

As Nigel Garvey pointed out earlier in this discussion, a script object containing ASObjC code may be saved to disk with the store script scripting additions command provided the use framework "Foundation" statement's scope is confined to the script object and not to the top-level script as a whole. This is illustrated in the following script, which is adapted from one of Nigel's examples. As Nigel points out, the script object must be coded below the store script command in order to preserve the readability of OSAX keywords in the script object (in the current example, the display dialog command):

Applescript:

use scripting additions

set fileRef to ((path to desktop as text) & "MyScript.scpt") as «class furl»

store script myScript in fileRef with replacing

(load script fileRef)'s displayUppercase("foobar") --> displays "FOOBAR"

script myScript
   use framework "Foundation"
   
   on makeUppercase(aText)
       return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
   end makeUppercase
   
   on displayUppercase(aText)
       display dialog (my makeUppercase(aText))
   end displayUppercase
end script

The following is an alternative solution that allows one to code the script object above the store script command, if that is desired for any reason. The two required modifications are (1) to move the use scripting additions command to the script object, and (2) to wrap any scripting additions commands in the top-level script within a using terms from scripting additions block. The using terms from scripting additions block provides a workaround to the restriction that only one use scripting additions command is allowed in the code; it also prevents scripting additions commands from appearing in raw chevron syntax (and sometimes executing successfully on my machine, sometimes not, in true quirky AppleScript fashion):

Applescript:

script myScript
   use framework "Foundation"
   use scripting additions
   
   on makeUppercase(aText)
       return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
   end makeUppercase
   
   on displayUppercase(aText)
       display dialog (my makeUppercase(aText))
   end displayUppercase
end script

using terms from scripting additions
   
   set fileRef to ((path to desktop as text) & "MyScript.scpt") as «class furl»
   
   store script myScript in fileRef with replacing
   
   (load script fileRef)'s displayUppercase("foobar") --> displays "FOOBAR"
   
end using terms from

Addendum:

Even simpler, just pull the use scripting additions command out of the script object and place it at the top of the top-level script. That makes the using terms from scripting additions statement unnecessary:

Applescript:

use scripting additions

script myScript
   use framework "Foundation"
   
   on makeUppercase(aText)
       return (current application's NSString's stringWithString:aText)'s uppercaseString() as text
   end makeUppercase
   
   on displayUppercase(aText)
       display dialog (my makeUppercase(aText))
   end displayUppercase
end script

set fileRef to ((path to desktop as text) & "MyScript.scpt") as «class furl»

store script myScript in fileRef with replacing

(load script fileRef)'s displayUppercase("foobar") --> displays "FOOBAR"

This gets back to Nigel's original example, although there doesn't appear to be a requirement for the script object to be coded below the store script command.

Last edited by bmose (2018-06-12 06:20:25 am)

The following is a condensed version of the storeScript handler from the previous post that does not have to be saved in a permanent external script file. Instead, the current handler may be incorporated inline in any ASObjC script containing a use framework "Foundation" command at the top level. In contrast with the previous version of the handler, the current handler does not perform input argument checking nor does it supply default values for missing input record properties in order to reduce the amount of code needed. Please refer to the previous "usage notes" for a description of the handler's input and output record properties.

The handler does the following:

(1) Takes as its input argument the same input record as described in the previously posted "usage notes", except that no input argument checking is performed, and all input record properties must be supplied with values (i.e., no default values will be supplied for missing properties.)
(2) Dynamically creates a temporary script file in the /tmp folder, which (A) does not have a use framework "Foundation" command, and (B) contains a condensed version of the storeScript handler.
(3) Executes the temporary script's script-storing handler, which executes AppleScript's store script command outside the scope of a use framework "Foundation" command.
(4) After a sufficient delay (i.e., 1 minute), deletes the temporary script file via a background process so that handler execution is not delayed. (Sorry, I'm being a neat freak here.)
(5) Returns the results of the store script execution as an output record as described in the previously posted "usage notes".

Applescript:

on storeScript({compiledScript:compiledScript, destinationFilePath:destinationFilePath, replaceExisting:replaceExisting})
   set tempScript to "
       on storeScriptTemp(compiledScript, destinationFilePath, replaceExisting)
           considering diacriticals, hyphens, punctuation and white space but ignoring case and numeric strings
               try
                   set {scriptSaved, savedFilePath} to {false, missing value}
                   if destinationFilePath = missing value then
                       store script compiledScript -- the user will be prompted for a destination file
                   else
                       if replaceExisting = \"yes\" then
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing yes
                           set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       else if replaceExisting = \"no\" then
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing no
                           set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       else if replaceExisting = \"ask\" then
                           try
                               set preexistingFileFound to false
                               destinationFilePath as POSIX file as alias
                               set preexistingFileFound to true
                           end try
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing ask
                           if not preexistingFileFound then set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       end if
                   end if
                   set scriptSaved to true
                   return {scriptSaved:scriptSaved, savedFilePath:savedFilePath}
               on error m number n
                   if n ≠ -128 then
                       if replaceExisting = \"no\" then
                           set m to \"The script was not saved because the input argument replaceExisting = \\\"no\\\", and the following error occurred:\" & return & return & tab & \"(\" & n & \") \" & m
                       else
                           set m to \"The script was not saved for the following reason:\" & return & return & tab & \"(\" & n & \") \" & m
                       end if
                       error m
                   end if
               end try
           end considering
       end storeScriptTemp"
   set tempPath to do shell script "" & ¬
       "f=\"/tmp/$(uuidgen).scpt\"" & linefeed & ¬
       "osacompile -o $f <<<" & tempScript's quoted form & linefeed & ¬
       "{ sleep 60 ; rm -f $f ; } &>/dev/null &" & linefeed & ¬
       "echo $f"
   return (load script tempPath)'s storeScriptTemp(compiledScript, destinationFilePath, replaceExisting)
end storeScript

Here is a demonstration of the inline usage of this handler:

Applescript:

use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

-- This is the sample compiled script object created within code to be saved to disk
script FooBar
   property foo : "bar"
end script

-- This is the destination file where the script object is to be saved
set destinationFilePath to (path to desktop)'s POSIX path & "MyFooBarScript.scpt"

-- The following command would fail to save the compiled script object to disk because the <store script> command is in the scope of a <use framework "Foundation"> command
-- store script FooBar in destinationFilePath replacing yes

-- The following handler call succeeds in saving the compiled script object to disk because the handler's <store script> command is outside the scope of a <use framework "Foundation"> command
my storeScript({compiledScript:FooBar, destinationFilePath:destinationFilePath, replaceExisting:"yes"})

-- This shows that the saved script object can be successfully retrieved and used
set savedScriptObject to (load script destinationFilePath)
display dialog savedScriptObject's foo --> displays "bar" in a dialog window

on storeScript({compiledScript:compiledScript, destinationFilePath:destinationFilePath, replaceExisting:replaceExisting})
   set tempScript to "
       on storeScriptTemp(compiledScript, destinationFilePath, replaceExisting)
           considering diacriticals, hyphens, punctuation and white space but ignoring case and numeric strings
               try
                   set {scriptSaved, savedFilePath} to {false, missing value}
                   if destinationFilePath = missing value then
                       store script compiledScript -- the user will be prompted for a destination file
                   else
                       if replaceExisting = \"yes\" then
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing yes
                           set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       else if replaceExisting = \"no\" then
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing no
                           set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       else if replaceExisting = \"ask\" then
                           try
                               set preexistingFileFound to false
                               destinationFilePath as POSIX file as alias
                               set preexistingFileFound to true
                           end try
                           store script compiledScript in destinationFilePath replacing ask
                           if not preexistingFileFound then set savedFilePath to destinationFilePath
                       end if
                   end if
                   set scriptSaved to true
                   return {scriptSaved:scriptSaved, savedFilePath:savedFilePath}
               on error m number n
                   if n ≠ -128 then
                       if replaceExisting = \"no\" then
                           set m to \"The script was not saved because the input argument replaceExisting = \\\"no\\\", and the following error occurred:\" & return & return & tab & \"(\" & n & \") \" & m
                       else
                           set m to \"The script was not saved for the following reason:\" & return & return & tab & \"(\" & n & \") \" & m
                       end if
                       error m
                   end if
               end try
           end considering
       end storeScriptTemp"
   set tempPath to do shell script "" & ¬
       "f=\"/tmp/$(uuidgen).scpt\"" & linefeed & ¬
       "osacompile -o $f <<<" & tempScript's quoted form & linefeed & ¬
       "{ sleep 60 ; rm -f $f ; } &>/dev/null &" & linefeed & ¬
       "echo $f"
   return (load script tempPath)'s storeScriptTemp(compiledScript, destinationFilePath, replaceExisting)
end storeScript

Edit note: Minor edits were made to the script and comments from the original posting.

Last edited by bmose (2019-12-05 09:12:01 am)