AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X

Rating:
Summary: Hardly a Bible
Review: A book on AppleScript, written in 2004, that completely ignores topics "data sources" and "data representations" can hardly call itself a bible.

The problem with such books, that write from real-life experience, is just that. They miss the real-life experiences of the rest of us. This book asks use to shun the label that "it is just another book on AppleScript," but that is all it is. Even 800-plus pages of oversized print cannot justify the $60 price tag.

Rating:
Summary: Welcome addition to the bookshelf of "missing manuals"
Review: Everybody who appreciates AppleScripting needs two books, a short one to remind you about the basics and a long one for reference. The former category is a tough one, but Rosenthal's comprehensive guide is the best reference I've read so far, especially if you've just started on OS X or have begun to discover the power of scripting InDesign. Everything I wanted to know about AppleScript is covered clearly with succinct examples. The author offers plenty of advice, including a short but excellent chapter on how to make a business out of automation, yet manages to stay out of the way of the reader. This would make an excellent textbook.


Rating:
Summary: Applescript Book great for beginners to expirienced
Review: Here is a book that is clear, concise, and gets you to think about Applescript, in the right way. Hanaan gets into the way Applescript works with exemplary thoroughness and accuracy. The right choices were made in the priority of a "Contents at a Glance" whereby just reading the titles of the chapter one can flip ahead and get to apple-scripting. One can always spend the time to get familiar again with the basic syntax of Applescript as a review or get to understand the use of Applescript and a Media Workflow or Integrated Production Environment.

There are real world examples of workflow's and practical tips on how to get back to healthy scriptwriting. Hanaan does teach you how to do many specific things with AppleScript, and gives you the proper foundation to solve new problems on your own.

The book also supplies plenty of examples of that won't work, what can go wrong and how to deal with them. There are a good amount of screen shots, a few illustrations. Unlike many "Thinking" books, this could also be used as a cookbook for Applescript. You will find lots of examples, from simple one-liners, to those hard to place Labeled Parameters. There are many examples to try in your choice of script editor and even downloads of the examples given to try your own skills with Applescript. There is confidence and approachable personality, throughout the book, with a bit of wit, too.

There are some intensive references on the styles of scripting that helps all scripters decide how to approach a solution. There is no "lightly touching" on a subject that can include Applescript. Hanaan gets into what it can do for you, giving the right amount of information for an informed decision.

Those new to Applescript will be find the candor of the text to be easy to follow along with and the advanced scripter will learn some new tricks or relearn some old techniques to improve their scripting foundation.

Rating:
Summary: Thank you for a great AppleScript book!
Review: I bought this book and have been working my way through the content. It would be fair/accurate to note that I am not a 'technical geek' in any sense of the word. I have been using Macs for 20 years and make a living doing photo retouching and restoration.

This AppleScript book is, quite frankly, one of the best 'computer' books I've ever read. And while it is not my intention to switch careers I am pleased that I can finally get a handle on AppleScript for things like file management, general work flows, etc.

The author deserves a huge 'thank you' for the great effort and time that he put into this book as well as the contributions he makes on the various AppleScript venues around the web. He's always helpful to us newbies trying to learn this scripting language for real world work solutions.

Definitely a 'highly recommended' from my end.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, intimidating size
Review: I think I have read just about every book there is
on AppleScript.

At 850 pages and $59.99, this book could easily
scare away potential AppleScript book buyers.

That would be a mistake.

This book, unlike many of the existing AppleScript
books, is based solely on Mac OS X. The target
audience is the whole range of AppleScripting
experience. The author provides from the ground
up introductory chapters for beginners, detailed
chapters on under interaction and file and error
handling for intermediate scripters, and advanced
subjects for professional scripters.

These later topics include debugging, script
objects, and automation.

Needless to say, trying to be all things to all
people is a goal of considerable complexity. I
think Mr. Rosenthal pulls it off rather well.
I do not easily recall any technical book I have
read that flows so easily. The chapters are well
organized with reasonable goals for each. At the
end of each chapter is a Power Wrap-up.

Unlike the often-anemic chapter summaries found
in many books, these Power Wrap-ups
encapsulate all the important knowledge imparted
in each chapter. They make excellent reference
sections, requiring revisiting the full text of the
chapter only if some point needs further
clarification or example.

How well does Mr. Rosenthal meets his goal of
addressing AppleScripters of all skill levels?

Well, I am a professional software developer and
an occasional AppleScripter. I muddle through
AppleScript when needed and somehow manage
to get the task at hand done. Most other books I
have on AppleScript have examples that deal
with, for instance, FileMaker Pro, but do little to
get one to the point where he can attack the
AppleScript dictionary of other applications or to
develop the script architecture to properly
complete the desired task.

Mr. Rosenthal, more clearly and thoroughly than
any other AppleScript author I have read, has
given me the knowledge, skill and courage to dig
into more complex AppleScript projects.

This book is a good match for my skill level.

I cannot address how professional AppleScripters
might find this book, but it appears to me there is
a lot of good, advanced, information here.
I think the serious AppleScript beginner would
find everything he needs right here, although the
book's size might be slightly intimidating.

Is the book Comprehensive as touted in the title?

I think so.

I feel this book fills a serious void that has existed
in the AppleScript realm. The crystal clear writing
is marred only by a few poorly reproduced screen
captures (at least in my copy.) Most graphics are
fine.

For those concerned about buying an expensive
book from an unknown publisher, I can state that
I have read a few computer books from Friends of
Ed and have found each to be well worth the
reading effort. Friends of Ed is now part of
Apress, another publisher that may not be
familiar to the Macintosh community. However,
Apress is well known in the PC community for
their wide range of technical, primarily
programming, books. Any pre-purchase concern
about the publishing house should be swept away.
In summary, this is a big book, a bit more
expensive than most AppleScript books, a bit
intimidating in its size, but very well written and
organized.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe next version
Review: This book is poorly written and even more poorly edited. The back cover states ... "every subject is given background and basic exercises to allow beginners to figure it out." It is a great statement, but it is unfortunately not true.

Page 6: "So what formats can a script be saved as? There are three main kinds of script files: regular compiled script, which is the native AppleScript file format, and scripts saved as plain text or as applications. On top of that, OS X added a new option for saving compiled scripts and script applications called "bundle." Bundles are folders that appear and behave as files. You can read about them in Chapter 23." - I guess bundle is not a "main" format? Why is there a distinction between main formats and, for lack of a better term, minor formats? I have no idea.

Page 35: "Every class has a super class."
Page 40: "We saw that objects belong to classes, and classes may have subclasses and super classes." - Which sentence is correct?

Page 43: "When you work with an application that doesn't support the whose clause, you have to settle for slower, clumsier repeat loops." - Repeat loops are not explained earlier in the book. There is no reference on this page to the repeat loops that are explained extensively in Chapter 11, pages 321-343.

I wanted to like this book, but I do not. I look forward to a revised first edition or new second edition of this book, because it does have potential to be great. However the next edition needs more polished writing and meticulous editing.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent AppleScript How-To and Reference All-in-One Book
Review: This is one of the few AppleScript books completely ineffective against insomnia. It is exhaustive and fun, expansive and concise, and an excellent how-to and reference guide all in one.

The author not only knows his subject cold, but knows it from real-world experience, which shows, and for which their is no substitute. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn AppleScript or polish their existing understanding.