Bespoke Skill

There are times when a macro scripting language can dramatically increase the range of any application by using system-level calls to make applications talk to each other or to automate routine processes.

This Apple Macintosh coding utility - which works with OSX as well as OS9+ allows advanced programming at system level - allowing applications to be called and, though it depends on their structure, for many of their functions to called by an applecripted and compiled 'Applet'.

The operating system and the applications on a Mac talk to each other using Apple events. These transfer information, commands, and requests between applications, networks, and the Mac OSand they happen very quickly, behind the scenes, and are invisible to the user.

• Control and automation of Mac OS applications, Finder, networking, and printing.
• Advanced automation workflows via control of applications over networks.
• Supported by hundreds of Mac OS applications, including applications from Microsoft, Adobe, Quark, Media 100, and other leading vendors.

Applescript can do all this and more...

• Batch processing
• File conversion and manipulation
• Perform tasks at specified times
• Transfer information between databases and other applications
• Create automated workflows by linking the actions of multiple applications to perform a series of related tasks

WinBatch, remarkably for an application that compliles and runs Windows OS sub-routines, is not a Microsoft application, but a third party application by Wilson WindowWare. Though it lacks some of the simplicity of Applescript, it can be very useful for extending the functionality of some Windows programs.

• Traditional batch-language file management capabilities such as copying files, changing the directory or launching applications

• Structured programming, including GOSUB, SELECT CASE, FOR...NEXT, WHILE...ENDWHILE, IF...ELSE...ENDIF
• Complete support for user interaction, including standard Windows dialog boxes, check boxes, radio buttons and file list selectors
• Time and date functions for scheduling operations
• Send keystrokes and menu commands directly to applications
• Network support: extenders included for Novell 3.x, Novell 4.x, Windows for Workgroups, and a generic network module for other networks
• Link to Windows DLLs, third party MAPI and TAPI DLLs, or your own C or C++ DLLs
• Extensive string manipulation, integer and floating point arithmetic, including trig and log functions
• System control -- read and change system values like the current wallpaper, keyboard repeat rate, etc.
• Manipulate windows (change their size or location)
• Control multimedia hardware (sound cards, CD-ROM drives, etc.)
• Manipulate the DOS environment (e.g., PATH)
• Launch a script via clicking an icon in the Program Manager
• Complete binary access to any fileWinbatch

BabelFix have high level expert AppleScript programming available in-house, whilst for specially advanced WinBatch needs we retain third party services.