Database from AppleScript (was: EndNote Reference Manager + Skim PDF)
Database from AppleScript (was: EndNote Reference Manager + Skim PDF)
- Subject: Database from AppleScript (was: EndNote Reference Manager + Skim PDF)
- From: T&B <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:34:32 +1100
Hi Gary,
I'd be interested in knowing what any of you are doing with all, or a
subset of, those applications (or others, too, perhaps, as related
to basic
research management. FileMaker, for instance, could be useful in the
mix,
although the university has pretty much abandoned FM for SQL.)
I can't speak for most of the other apps you mention, but I too have
moved away from FileMaker towards SQL. Specifically I'm using SQLite
but the same principles apply. It's great to be able to script a
database without having to launch a GUI app to do so, and I find
FileMaker too closed and unreliable to connect with other processes
such as a web server. Forget the "Database Events" suite that Apple
provides since it kind of tries to build a very limited database
system by using and ignoring a sophisticated database engine (SQLite
to drive it). It's best to use one of the SQL scripting additions or
even via do shell script.
As a general workflow (which I think you're after), I can do things
like:
1. User drags document onto script.
2. Script grabs meta info, eg file name, path, date, author info (via
opening creator app or by asking user).
3. Script stores meta info in SQL database (without opening a GUI).
Database resides on a server computer.
4. Server computer has web server (apache) and PHP accessing database,
so new info is instantly visible on PHP driven web pages.
or something like:
1. User opens PayPal order email in Mail.app.
2. User runs import script that parses email, taking customer details,
order item info etc.
3. Script inserts new order and customer detail into SQL database (and
perhaps in Address Book).
4. Script initiates SQL procedure that cross references prices, stock
levels etc and initiates order fulfillment, creating new email to
customer with receipt, etc.
I hope this helps,
Tom
T&B
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