resources
Aperture Assistant
May 01, 2008 @ 12:20 PM - Filed in:
News
Earlier today I randomly decided to
look at the activity of this web site by using Google's Analytics
service. One thing I noticed was someone had visited this site due
to a link from a domain named, aperture-assistant.com.
Well, it turns out aperture-assistant.com is the home of Aperture Assistant, a very visual based flow chart like application that basically runs applescripts for you but without having to write a line of code. Eh, imagine that. Programming turned visual. I'm sure many people will find this application far more useful than Automator (this is probably what Automator should be) and I'm also sure this application will be far more attractive to those users of Aperture that don't have time to learn Applescript or have a difficult time using it. I'm willing to bet that once I become decent at using Aperture Assistant I could beat a decent scripter in a race at writing up the same script.
After looking at the screen shots for Aperture Assistant, I suddenly realized that this is exactly how programming should be done. Why it has remained that way it has for so long is beyond me. This is very similar to the command line interface turned GUI. Once the GUI based operating systems came out, there were far more computer users. When I was in college I took a few programming classes. Each one forced students to create flow charts before even writing a single line of code. So currently a person has to convert what is in his/her head into a flow chart and then convert the chart into several lines of code. Then the person spends hours trying to figure what exactly went wrong during the conversion, assuming the flow chart was correct in the first place. But what if the person just created the flow chart in the computer and then the computer does the rest for you? I know I know, its a crazy idea having the computer working for you instead of you doing the work manually but hear me out. Imagine how many more programmers there would be and how quickly they could do their job. Oh wait....maybe that's why this kind of an application isn't too common.
Well, it turns out aperture-assistant.com is the home of Aperture Assistant, a very visual based flow chart like application that basically runs applescripts for you but without having to write a line of code. Eh, imagine that. Programming turned visual. I'm sure many people will find this application far more useful than Automator (this is probably what Automator should be) and I'm also sure this application will be far more attractive to those users of Aperture that don't have time to learn Applescript or have a difficult time using it. I'm willing to bet that once I become decent at using Aperture Assistant I could beat a decent scripter in a race at writing up the same script.
After looking at the screen shots for Aperture Assistant, I suddenly realized that this is exactly how programming should be done. Why it has remained that way it has for so long is beyond me. This is very similar to the command line interface turned GUI. Once the GUI based operating systems came out, there were far more computer users. When I was in college I took a few programming classes. Each one forced students to create flow charts before even writing a single line of code. So currently a person has to convert what is in his/her head into a flow chart and then convert the chart into several lines of code. Then the person spends hours trying to figure what exactly went wrong during the conversion, assuming the flow chart was correct in the first place. But what if the person just created the flow chart in the computer and then the computer does the rest for you? I know I know, its a crazy idea having the computer working for you instead of you doing the work manually but hear me out. Imagine how many more programmers there would be and how quickly they could do their job. Oh wait....maybe that's why this kind of an application isn't too common.
Scripting Resources
Apr 10, 2008 @ 04:12 PM - Filed in:
Other
I thought I would provide some
scripting resources that may provide some useful information on
using Applescript to automate. These resources should help writing
scripts with Aperture as well as other applications.
Applescript Language Guide
This was finally updated last month. Always a great place to start. HTML and PDF available.
MacScripter
Samples, hints, tricks, etc etc.
Brett Gross Photography
Although not strictly Applescript, Brett does provide some useful Applescripts that automate Aperture in someway. Who knows maybe he has the very script you want already written.
Apple's Aperture / Applescript Page
This has some very nice demos that show off some very nice things you can do with Aperture and Applescript. My favorite is the InDesign integration. I would love to hear from users that actually use this or something similar in their work.
Applescript Language Guide
This was finally updated last month. Always a great place to start. HTML and PDF available.
MacScripter
Samples, hints, tricks, etc etc.
Brett Gross Photography
Although not strictly Applescript, Brett does provide some useful Applescripts that automate Aperture in someway. Who knows maybe he has the very script you want already written.
Apple's Aperture / Applescript Page
This has some very nice demos that show off some very nice things you can do with Aperture and Applescript. My favorite is the InDesign integration. I would love to hear from users that actually use this or something similar in their work.