macOS AppleScript: Return a value to the Terminal?

[RachitGupta]

Hi Guys,

I'm starting to learn AppleScript after moving from Windows.

How do I return a string back to the terminal after executing an AppleScript?

Thanks!

-Rachit

 

[kainjow]

Use return:

return "hello world"

 

[RachitGupta]

Hey,

I tried that, I saved it as an executable and then I went in terminal and typed "open test.app" and it opened and closed without outputting anything.

Am I supposed to include anything else in the program code other than that one line?

 

[kainjow]

I think you want osascript instead. In Terminal type "man osascript" for more info.

AppleScript is more suited for working with applications, not running as a command-line tool. You might be better off using another language, such as Python or Ruby. What are you trying to do?

Edit: found this (new in Snow Leopard)

osascript now supports the log command; the output will be sent to stderr.

 

[xStep]

How do I return a string back to the terminal after executing an AppleScript?

Are you wanting to use the string in a variable or just have it immediately print out?

 

[RachitGupta]

Oh, I see.

What I'm trying to do is make an app (cross platform) that has to be able to tell what song you're listening to on iTunes. I don't know C, so I chose to go with Adobe Air because i'm a web developer and can basically write the adobe air app in javascript/html. Adobe Air on mac will call on an applescript via command line to find out what song is currently being played, because I don't see any other way to do it. When on Windows, it'll open a different program that works on Windows via command line.

The reason I chose AppleScript to work with Adobe Air is because finding what the name of the current track being played is very simple in AppleScript, and I couldn't find a simple example in C that I would be able to compile!

-Rachit

 

[kainjow]

Yea, AppleScript is the right choice for what you want.

This may do what you need 🙂

osascript -e "tell application \"iTunes\" to return name of current track"

 

[RachitGupta]

Thanks, I'm getting an error when I run this, though:

Rachit-Guptas-MacBook😀esktop silver$ osascript -e "tell application \"iTunes\" to return name of current track"
2009-12-16 11:56:58.538 osascript[2894:903] Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: dlopen(/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types, 262): no suitable image found. Did find:
/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: no matching architecture in universal wrapper
osascript: OpenScripting.framework - scripting addition "/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax" declares no loadable handlers.
Young Forever [Ft. Mr. Hudson]

The last line, however, is the song that I'm listening to.

 

[chown33]

Google it. Search terms: ScriptingAdditions Adobe Unit Types

From the first page of results:

http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2009/09/a_few_problems_found_with_ps_sl.html

http://www.davidchinphoto.com/snow-leopard-and-adobe-unit-types-osax/

 

[RachitGupta]

Ah, thank you very much!