Customer Reviews

Learn AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X (Learn Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On only about the 5th chapter, and I just thought I'd report that so far this book has only had one complete exercise in I think chapter 3.

Most of the book seems descriptive. He explains all aspects of AppleScript, but you read for pages and pages and he never really seems to connect what he's describing to creating actual practical scripts. He could have put exercises at the end of chapters so that readers could merge theory with practice. It's clear the author knows his subject, but I think the First Head writers would do a better job at making a book like this one of practical use. I really find it annoying when authors explain complex definitions and then sum by saying, "now that you understand so and so." It's like why do you think that just because you have explained something, your readers are supposed to understand it? That's not how learning works. Learning comes through practice, and trail and error. When for example he defines and talks about class and properties, he should have readers do an exercise that helps them understand what he just spent five pages talking about.

Anyway, I'm going to keep reading; if it gets any better, I'll come back and update my review.

If you don't have an prior experience with AppleScript and you're ready to jump into actually doing so, this book is not the best one to begin with. If you do have experience, this might make good reference book.

Wow! Leonard Rosenthal and Hamish Sanderson have written what has to be the definitive book on AppleScript. I almost do not where to begin with this review; The book covers literally everything about AppleScript in an easy to understand manner, with a plethora of examples. It does not get bogged down in theory, although it covers theory more than adequately.

I've been writing applescripts since the language first came out, and if I could have only one reference and tutorial for the language, this would be it.

would've saved me a lot of trial&error;-) exactly the kind of example-laden text i was looking for, excellently written.

Without any doubt, this is the most up-to-date and complete guide to AppleScript. Covering AppleScript 2 and the Mac OSX, the text is complete without being too lenthy and boring. The explanations are complete, and yet succinct, a rarety in programming texts, and well suited to both the beginner and the experienced user of earlier versions of AppleScript. Loaded with many easy to follow, yet highly informative examples of useable scripts, as well as the most complete covering of controlling AppleScript unfriendly applications via GUI scripting I have seen to date. The primary focus is in AppleScripting OS X v6, with relevant info about v5.
All that, with the incredibly low prices available, this is a terrific value to anyone interested in programming the Mac OSX.