Re: iWork Pages
Re: iWork Pages
- Subject: Re: iWork Pages
- From: Emile Schwarz <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 10:43:27 +0100
> I've used AppleWorks for years and have rarely felt the need to write a
> script for it
When I start to have time to check AppleWorks scriptability, I saw how miserable
it was. Then I decided to scrap the use of AppleWorks for the large project I
had at this time and istead of automatizing a hundred of Graphic screens using
AppleScript to drive AppleWorks, I spend weeks to do it by hand. *
A real pleasure :(
People on those early days (mostly at Apple) were asking why AppleScript is so
few times used (answer: to few or no support from the applications, remember
first years Script Editor...)
Also, since there is no SQL support in the DB module, the ability to use
AppleScript to drive AppleWorks is a real good thing even with its current
limitations. I have seen a true living AppleWorks DB with AppleScript
(AppleWorks Macros ?) implementation... it amazes me. I didn't have the use at
these time (and I have another development tool that makes me do that), so I
just get a look at the work, but my friend was happy (proud is a better word)
with its tool and that means a lot.
Now there is a question:
what is the number of people (% of potential user base) who use iWork Pages (who
will use...) who needs AppleScript, who is capable of using AppleScript and at
last, is it worth the price / time spent to implement AppleScript in iWork Pages ?
Yes, I know, I want to use it so, _it_ have to be included. Also, this is an
Apple software and _it_ have to be there. And so on. (_it_: AppleScript).
> I can see some arguments for Apple releasing Pages 1.0 (the public beta? :-))
> without scripting support. Perhaps they're concentrating on getting the
> basics done well enough to be useful to its intended audience, and hoping to
> introduce scripting when the application has settled down and the users have
> identified what they want it to do.
Apple Engineers told me (long time ago) that you'd better design your
application with AppleScript support in mind if you want to add it. Adding
AppleScript support later is a real mess. But, time can change that (I do not know).
> Or perhaps it's all a conspiracy after all.
After the alien visits, it is the "modial conspiracy" fashion... What will be
the next one ?
> Yvan Koenig wrote:
And GUIscripting is not asking for a dictionnary.
We may hope than dialogs are written using "new" schemes allowing us to
drive them thru GUIscripting.
So, automate repetitive operations would be avaiable.
Yeah ! That is one good reason to use AppleScript: let a machine doing the
'automate repetitive operations' !
HTH,
Emile
PS: no pun intended, but if we get better AppleEvents / AppleScript support, I
will be happy and give more smiles... :)
email@hidden wrote:
From: peter boardman <email@hidden>
> Subject: Re: iWork Pages
To: email@hidden Message-ID:
<r02010400-1036-BEAB65546C5A11D98518000A95D0F804@[10.0.1.2]> Content-Type:
text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Johnny AppleScript <email@hidden> said on 2005-01-21, 23:38
(-0700 GMT):
30 Supported 6 limited or unsupported 2 unknown support
------------------------- = ~79% supported = ~11% chance of non-support
or limited support ****
A good theoretical score.
Of course, there's no point in an app being scriptable just for the sake of
it. Some apps might be so feature-challenged they cry out to be scriptable,
just to be usable. Some are usable enough without being scriptable (eg I use
NoteBook and occasionally wish it was scriptable, but it's still very
useful as it is). Others lend themselves to extensive customization and
automation through their script interface.
I haven't seen Pages, so I don't know which category it falls into.
I've used AppleWorks for years and have rarely felt the need to write a
script for it - even though I'm the sort of person that sometimes spends an
hour writing a script to automate a 10 minute job.
I can see some arguments for Apple releasing Pages 1.0 (the public beta? :-))
without scripting support. Perhaps they're concentrating on getting the
basics done well enough to be useful to its intended audience, and hoping to
introduce scripting when the application has settled down and the users have
identified what they want it to do. Or perhaps it's all a conspiracy after
all.
All I wanted to do was to build screen with some text, square, line, import some
bitmap and so on. Very basic - automative stuff - things to do. Really boring.
The kind of things a computer can do by its own, with a bit of orders, the
things AppleScript is capable of ;)... now :(
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