Re: OS X: AS 1.8.2b1: ask System Events for a running process
Re: OS X: AS 1.8.2b1: ask System Events for a running process
- Subject: Re: OS X: AS 1.8.2b1: ask System Events for a running process
- From: Paul Berkowitz <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2002 13:00:10 -0800
On 2/2/02 12:14 PM, "Bill Cheeseman" <email@hidden> wrote:
>
My understanding of the "System Events" application is that it is intended
>
(among other things, I assume) to provide a service to the Finder's
>
AppleScript implementation. Namely, to handle this and certain other
>
Finder-related Apple events invisibly, behind the scenes, without the
>
scripter's having to know that the Wizard of Oz is lurking behind the screen
>
and pulling the levers.
>
>
To provide consistency among scripts that might run in Mac OS 9 and Mac OS
>
X, or just to maintain traditional scripting style in accordance with the
>
Finder's dictionary, I believe one should normally 'tell application
>
"Finder"' to do this sort of thing. Nothing is gained by 'tell application
>
"System Events"', instead, so I don't.
>
>
I say I assume the System Events application serves some other purpose, too,
>
because I can't think why it would be there at all, otherwise. Since I don't
>
understand it, I worry that it might go away in some future release, which
>
is another reason to continue telling the Finder to do this sort of thing.
>
>
Maybe one of the Chrises can fill us in on why System Events is there.
Hmmm. My understanding is that it's actually "System Events" that does these
things (processes) in OS X, and that it's just in the Finder dictionary,
listed under "Legacy Suite" _only_ to provide consistency with OS 7/8/9
scripts. _My_ fear is this (the Finder's Legacy Suite) is what might one day
disappear, not System Events, the new app.
My guess is that this change was made because a) processes are really a
system-wide thing, not related to the UI and the user's desktop - which is
really what the OS X Finder mostly handles - and b) as such, it is best off
under the control of the AppleScript team and not the Finder team.
--
Paul Berkowitz