Re: upgrade issues: 8.1 --> X
Re: upgrade issues: 8.1 --> X
- Subject: Re: upgrade issues: 8.1 --> X
- From: Chris Nebel <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 15:45:39 -0800
- Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Michael Turner wrote:
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March 24th is about to roll around. And I am about to buy a new mac to run
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my scripts.
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What I need to understand better are the 'upgrade issues'. I am currently
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running AS 1.1.2 (?) that came with MacOS 8.1. I use several OSAXen (list
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included below). My primary need is QuarkXPress scripting.
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Apple's website left me wondering if the OSAXen would function properly. We
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have noted that security components must be enabled when scripting in AS 1.4
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(if you want display dialog). What other issues are there?
The business with needing the security components is a bug specific to
AppleScript 1.5.5 -- it's fixed in 1.6.
Migrating scripting additions to Mac OS X is a little interesting. Similar to
the native and Classic applications, you have native and classic scripting
additions: classic ones go in your Mac OS 9 system folder, native ones go in
one of the native scripting additions folders. (Yes, there's more than one.
It has to do with multiple users.) Classic additions won't work as native
ones, and vice versa. Native applications can see native additions, and
classic applications can see classic additions.
The interesting bit is that what matters isn't where the script is being run
(e.g. is it a Mac OS X applet or a classic applet?), but rather who the event
is sent ("told") to. For example, say you run the following in the Mac OS X
Script Editor:
tell me
choose application -- brings up the Mac OS X "choose application"
end
tell application "Quark Xpress" -- or some other classic app
choose application -- brings up the Mac OS 9 PPC Browser "choose
application"
end
If you run Quark Xpress in Classic (in fact, I think you'll have to, since they
don't have a native version yet?), then all your classic scripting additions
will be fine as long as you put them inside a "tell Quark" block. On the other
hand, if you're running all your applications in Classic, then why are you
bothering with Mac OS X? You might want to consider upgrading to Mac OS 9.1
instead, or even staying put until more X-native applications are available.
Assuming you buy your new Mac before summer rolls around, it should come with
9.1 -- Mac OS X won't be pre-installed on systems until then.
--Chris Nebel
AppleScript Engineering
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Postscript:
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I reserve the right to pronounce "X" as "Ex".
And Apple reps reserve the right to correct you when you do. ;) Just to raise
the level of confusion, consider this marvelous bit from a Tenon product sheet:
'Xtools is an X Window server (pronounced "ex") for Mac OS X (pronounced
"ten").'