This appendix discusses ways to automate your QuickTime work flow using AppleScript. On Macintosh computers, AppleScript can be used to automate many routine operations that use QuickTime Player, such as adding your logo or copyright information to movies. Starting with QuickTime 5, you can use AppleScript do things that formerly required Plug-in Helper, such as adding an HREF to a movie. You can even do some things that formerly required third-party software, such as setting a movie to play back in full-screen mode. Over 100 useful example scripts are provided on the CD (in the AppleScript folder). This appendix includes a brief description of some of the scripts provided. Additional documentation can be found on the CD itself.

New useful scripts are constantly being added. To get the latest and greatest, go to www.apple.com/applescript/ and click the QuickTime 5 link.

What's AppleScript?

AppleScript is a scripting language with English-like syntax, used to write script files that can control your computer. AppleScript is part of the Mac OS and is included on every Macintosh.

More than a macro-language that simply repeats your recorded actions, AppleScript can make decisions based on user input or by parsing and analyzing data, documents, or situations. AppleScript can automate much of what you do.

Applications and the Mac OS talk to each other and receive user input using a messaging protocol called Apple events. AppleScript provides a method for scripting Apple events, so you can control the Mac OS and many of the applications that run...