AppleScript: The Missing Manual | 
 enlarge | Author: Adam Goldstein
Publisher: Pogue Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $5.95
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Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 194711
Format: Illustrated
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 350
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7 x 1.1
ISBN: 0596008503
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.43
EAN: 9780596008505
ASIN: 0596008503
Publication Date: January 31, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Softcover. -ML (C01)
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Product Description
From newspapers to NASA, Mac users around the world use AppleScript to automate their daily computing routines. Famed for its similarity to English and its ease of integration with other programs, AppleScript is the perfect programming language for time-squeezed Mac fans. As beginners quickly realize, however, AppleScript has one major shortcoming: it comes without a manual. No more. You don't need a degree in computer science, a fancy system administrator title, or even a pocket protector and pair of nerdy glasses to learn the Mac's most popular scripting language; you just need the proper guide at your side. AppleScript: The Missing Manual is that guide. Brilliantly compiled by author Adam Goldstein, AppleScript: The Missing Manual is brimming with useful examples. You'll learn how to clean up your Desktop with a single click, for example, and how to automatically optimize pictures for a website. Along the way, you ll learn the overall grammar of AppleScript, so you can write your own customized scripts when you feel the need. Naturally, AppleScript: The Missing Manual isn't merely for the uninitiated scripter. While its hands-on approach certainly keeps novices from feeling intimidated, this comprehensive guide is also suited for system administrators, web and graphics professionals, musicians, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and others who need to learn the ins and outs of AppleScript for their daily work. Thanks to AppleScript: The Missing Manual, the path from consumer to seasoned script has never been clearer. Now you, too, can automate your Macintosh in no time.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Great introduction June 3, 2008
I have not programming background, but I do like automating as many tasks on my computer as possibly can. So for the last year or so I've been playing around with AppleScript, mainly copying the scripts I found from different sources, but along the way I'm slowly beginning to understand how to put together scripts almost from scratch. This book has been very resourceful because it has the familiar Missing Manual style of breaking the essential features of a program so that almost anyone can understand. Some of the examples in this book are not very practical, but for those who want to learn AppleScript, you won't waste your money and time getting and reading this book.
 Great beginner reference April 29, 2008
Once again, the Missing Manual series comes to the rescue. Anyone wanting a comprehendible primer on Applescript should look no further. This book is well organized, advancing logically chapter by chapter. Like all Missing Manual books, it explains technical concepts in plain english.
 Hard to follow December 27, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"AppleScript: The missing manual" is complete and will teach you the basic of AppleScript to the point where you can write your own script to accomplish all kinds of tasks.
The book is pleasently only 325 pages and can be assimilated rather quickly.
The book provides automation examples for a lot of standard Mac fonctionalities and also some third party applications.
I only gave it 3 stars for two reasons.
First I am not a big fan of the style of the author. When I want to learn something I favor an academic style, I find it easier to assimilate things that way. "AppleScript: The missing manual" is written like if it was an everyday conversation however with opinion and jokes.
Second and this is my main complaint, this is a book written mainly by example. There is no real description of syntax of the language at all not even the basic basics. So in order to get a feel for the language you need to read plenty of samples and try to undestand what the author is doing.
I would not recommend this book for any professional or advanced developper who are looking to learn what AppleScript is or how to use AppleScript. This book could however be a good addition for those that want to see example of how AppleScript can be use.
Thorough and Good for the programmer as well as the novice.... August 24, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is loaded with information from A-Z in AppleScript. I am a programmer. I read the other reviews by programmers who said the book "wasn't enough". This book is the best on the market for AppleScript and if you are starting out writing applications in AppleScript Studio. I couldn't hail it enough.
 Okay for beginners, not for programmers. June 4, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is very basic and doesn't really get into any depth. Rather than teaching the fundamentals of AppleScript, it's more of a guided tour to what you can accomplish with AppleScript in various common applications. For the average computer user, this may be helpful, but if you're a programmer and want to learn how to write your own scripts, other resources would be a better bet.
I also wasn't impressed with the writing style or organization - while I *am* impressed that a high school student could write a book like this, for most technically inclined people, I'd look elsewhere.
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