65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, intimidating size, February 10, 2005
This review is from: AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X (Paperback)
I think I have read just about every book there is
on AppleScript.
At 850 pages and $59.99, this book could easily
scare away potential AppleScript book buyers.
That would be a mistake.
This book, unlike many of the existing AppleScript
books, is based solely on Mac OS X. The target
audience is the whole range of AppleScripting
experience. The author provides from the ground
up introductory chapters for beginners, detailed
chapters on under interaction and file and error
handling for intermediate scripters, and advanced
subjects for professional scripters.
These later topics include debugging, script
objects, and automation.
Needless to say, trying to be all things to all
people is a goal of considerable complexity. I
think Mr. Rosenthal pulls it off rather well.
I do not easily recall any technical book I have
read that flows so easily. The chapters are well
organized with reasonable goals for each. At the
end of each chapter is a Power Wrap-up.
Unlike the often-anemic chapter summaries found
in many books, these Power Wrap-ups
encapsulate all the important knowledge imparted
in each chapter. They make excellent reference
sections, requiring revisiting the full text of the
chapter only if some point needs further
clarification or example.
How well does Mr. Rosenthal meets his goal of
addressing AppleScripters of all skill levels?
Well, I am a professional software developer and
an occasional AppleScripter. I muddle through
AppleScript when needed and somehow manage
to get the task at hand done. Most other books I
have on AppleScript have examples that deal
with, for instance, FileMaker Pro, but do little to
get one to the point where he can attack the
AppleScript dictionary of other applications or to
develop the script architecture to properly
complete the desired task.
Mr. Rosenthal, more clearly and thoroughly than
any other AppleScript author I have read, has
given me the knowledge, skill and courage to dig
into more complex AppleScript projects.
This book is a good match for my skill level.
I cannot address how professional AppleScripters
might find this book, but it appears to me there is
a lot of good, advanced, information here.
I think the serious AppleScript beginner would
find everything he needs right here, although the
book's size might be slightly intimidating.
Is the book Comprehensive as touted in the title?
I think so.
I feel this book fills a serious void that has existed
in the AppleScript realm. The crystal clear writing
is marred only by a few poorly reproduced screen
captures (at least in my copy.) Most graphics are
fine.
For those concerned about buying an expensive
book from an unknown publisher, I can state that
I have read a few computer books from Friends of
Ed and have found each to be well worth the
reading effort. Friends of Ed is now part of
Apress, another publisher that may not be
familiar to the Macintosh community. However,
Apress is well known in the PC community for
their wide range of technical, primarily
programming, books. Any pre-purchase concern
about the publishing house should be swept away.
In summary, this is a big book, a bit more
expensive than most AppleScript books, a bit
intimidating in its size, but very well written and
organized.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's True, This is THEE Book on AppleScript..., July 27, 2005
This review is from: AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X (Paperback)
Prior to getting this book as a gift I read every printed book and pdf on AppleScript written in the last 10 years, and still my progress hit a wall that I couldn't get past. Seeing as I've only been scripting for a year, that's part of the problem. Most AppleScript books are either severely outdated, poorly written, or both. This book breathed new life into a subject that really needed a fresh perspective. This book is an extremely thorough reference, a challenging and inspiring workbook and a treasure trove of ready-to-use scripts and tools that you can take and make your own in the real world.
Don't expect:
"This is a subroutine, here is what it does. This is a variable, this is what it does."
Instead, expect stuff like this:
"Here is a common problem, here are four ways to solve it. Here is why the first three work. Here is why the last one might not be a great idea. Here is how you can put this to use in the real world."
This book is low on fluff and useless graphics and high on useful tools. It is important to maintain a rhythm and mood when trying to get an audience to make it through 800 pages and Hanaan succeeds in keeping the content fresh and throws in just the right amount of humor. And unlike just about every other technical book I've read, the jokes are actually funny.
And you'll find that the approach to solving a problem doesn't focus on right or wrong, or the good or bad way of doing things. Rather, it shows the better or best way of doing something and backs it up with real world scenarios and in plain english. I could go on and on about this book and how much it has helped me and my business. Bottom line, if you use AppleScript then by this book now and keep it close by.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Applescript Book great for beginners to expirienced, February 5, 2005
This review is from: AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X (Paperback)
Here is a book that is clear, concise, and gets you to think about Applescript, in the right way. Hanaan gets into the way Applescript works with exemplary thoroughness and accuracy. The right choices were made in the priority of a "Contents at a Glance" whereby just reading the titles of the chapter one can flip ahead and get to apple-scripting. One can always spend the time to get familiar again with the basic syntax of Applescript as a review or get to understand the use of Applescript and a Media Workflow or Integrated Production Environment.
There are real world examples of workflow's and practical tips on how to get back to healthy scriptwriting. Hanaan does teach you how to do many specific things with AppleScript, and gives you the proper foundation to solve new problems on your own.
The book also supplies plenty of examples of that won't work, what can go wrong and how to deal with them. There are a good amount of screen shots, a few illustrations. Unlike many "Thinking" books, this could also be used as a cookbook for Applescript. You will find lots of examples, from simple one-liners, to those hard to place Labeled Parameters. There are many examples to try in your choice of script editor and even downloads of the examples given to try your own skills with Applescript. There is confidence and approachable personality, throughout the book, with a bit of wit, too.
There are some intensive references on the styles of scripting that helps all scripters decide how to approach a solution. There is no "lightly touching" on a subject that can include Applescript. Hanaan gets into what it can do for you, giving the right amount of information for an informed decision.
Those new to Applescript will be find the candor of the text to be easy to follow along with and the advanced scripter will learn some new tricks or relearn some old techniques to improve their scripting foundation.
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