OSA(3)

NAME
Mac::OSA - Provide interface to Open Scripting Architecture

SYNOPSIS
    use Mac::OSA;

    use Mac::OSA qw(OSALoad OSAStore OSAExecute);

DESCRIPTION
Access to Inside Macintosh is essential for proper use of these functions. Explanations of terms, processes and procedures are provided there. Any attempt to use these functions without guidance can cause severe errors in your machine, including corruption of data. You have been warned.

  Constants

kOSAComponentType
kOSAGenericScriptingComponentSubtype
kOSAFileType
kOSASuite
kOSARecordedText
kOSAScriptIsModified
kOSAScriptIsTypeCompiledScript
kOSAScriptIsTypeScriptValue
kOSAScriptIsTypeScriptContext
kOSAScriptBestType
kOSACanGetSource
typeOSADialectInfo
keyOSADialectName
keyOSADialectCode
keyOSADialectLangCode
keyOSADialectScriptCode
kOSAScriptResourceType
typeOSAGenericStorage
    Types and keywords.

kOSANullScript
kOSANullMode
kOSAModeNull
    Default values.

kOSASupportsCompiling
kOSASupportsGetSource
kOSASupportsAECoercion
kOSASupportsAESending
kOSASupportsRecording
kOSASupportsConvenience
kOSASupportsDialects
kOSASupportsEventHandling
    Feature flags.

kOSAModePreventGetSource
kOSAModeNeverInteract
kOSAModeCanInteract
kOSAModeAlwaysInteract
kOSAModeDontReconnect
kOSAModeCantSwitchLayer
kOSAModeDoRecord
kOSAModeCompileIntoContext
kOSAModeAugmentContext
kOSAModeDisplayForHumans
kOSAModeDontStoreParent
kOSAModeDispatchToDirectObject
kOSAModeDontGetDataForArguments
kOSAModeDontDefine
    Mode flags.

kOSAErrorNumber
kOSAErrorMessage
kOSAErrorBriefMessage
kOSAErrorApp
kOSAErrorPartialResult
kOSAErrorOffendingObject
kOSAErrorExpectedType
kOSAErrorRange
typeOSAErrorRange
keyOSASourceStart
keyOSASourceEnd
    Error handling.

kOSAUseStandardDispatch
kOSANoDispatch
kOSADontUsePhac
kGenericComponentVersion
    Dispatching flags

  Functions

OSALoad SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTDATA, MODEFLAGS
    The OSALoad function loads script data and returns a script ID. The generic scripting component uses the descriptor record in the SCRIPTDATA parameter to determine which scripting component should load the script. If the descriptor record is of type typeOSAGenericStorage, the generic scripting component uses the trailer at the end of the SCRIPTDATA to identify the scripting component. If the descriptor record's type is the subtype value for another scripting component, the generic scripting component uses the descriptor type to identify the scripting component. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAStore SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID, DESIREDTYPE, MODEFLAGS
    The OSAStore function returns script data in a descriptor record so that the data can later be saved in a resource or written to the data fork of a document. You can then reload the data for the descriptor record as a compiled script (although possibly with a different script ID) by passing the descriptor record to OSALoad(). Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAExecute SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, COMPILEDSCRIPTID, CONTEXTID, MODEFLAGS
    The OSAExecute function executes the compiled script identified by the COMPILEDSCRIPTID parameter, using the script context identified by the CONTEXTID parameter to maintain state information, such as the binding of variables, for the compiled script. After successfully executing a script, OSAExecute returns the script ID for a resulting script value, or, if execution does not result in a value, "undef".

OSADisplay SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTVALUEID, DESIREDTYPE, MODEFLAGS
    The OSADisplay function coerces the script value identified by SCRIPTVALUEID to a descriptor record of the text type specified by the DESIREDTYPE parameter, if possible. Valid types include all the standard text descriptor types defined in the Apple Event Registry: Standard Suites, plus any special types supported by the scripting component. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAScriptError SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SELECTOR, DESIREDTYPE
    Whenever the OSAExecute() function returns the error errOSAScriptError, you can use the OSAScriptError function to get more specific information about the error from the scripting component that encountered it. (This information remains available only until the next call to the same scripting component.) The information returned by OSAScriptError depends on the value passed in the SELECTOR parameter, which also determines the descriptor type you should specify in the DESIREDTYPE parameter.

    Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSADispose SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID
    The OSADispose function releases the memory assigned to the script data identified by the SCRIPTID parameter. The SCRIPTID passed to the OSADispose function is no longer valid if the function returns successfully. A scripting component can then reuse that SCRIPTID for other script data. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSASetScriptInfo SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID, SELECTOR, VALUE
    The OSASetScriptInfo function sets script information according to the value you pass in the selector parameter. If you use the kOSAScriptIsModified constant, OSASetScriptInfo sets a value that indicates how many times the script data has been modified since it was created or passed to OSALoad. Some scripting components may provide additional constants. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSAGetScriptInfo SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID, SELECTOR
    The OSAGetScriptInfo function returns various results according to the value you pass in the SELECTOR parameter. Returns an integer value which may need to be recast as the desired type.

OSASetProperty SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, MODEFLAGS, SCRIPTID, VARIABLENAME, SCRIPTVALUEID
    The OSASetProperty function sets the value of a script property in a specified script. VARIABLENAME is an AEDesc.

OSAGetProperty SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, MODEFLAGS, SCRIPTID, VARIABLENAME
    The OSAGetProperty function gets the value of a script property in a specified script. VARIABLENAME is an AEDesc. Returns an AEDesc.

OSAGetAppTerminology SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, MODEFLAGS, FILE, TERMINOLOGYID
    OSAGetAppTerminology gets one or more scripting terminology resources from the specified file. Returns an AEDesc.

OSAScriptingComponentName SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT
    The OSAScriptingComponentName function returns a descriptor record that you can coerce to a text descriptor type such as typeChar. This can be useful if you want to display the name of the scripting language in which the user should write a new script. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSACompile SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SOURCEDATA, MODEFLAGS, [PREVIOUSSCRIPTID]
    You can pass a descriptor record containing source data suitable for a specific scripting component (usually text) to the OSACompile function to obtain a script ID for the equivalent compiled script or script context. To compile the source data as a script context for use with OSAExecuteEvent() or OSADoEvent(), you must set the kOSAModeCompileIntoContext flag, and the source data should include appropriate handlers. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSACopyID SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, FROMID, [TOID]
    The OSACopyID function replaces the script data identified by the script ID in the TOID parameter with the script data identified by the script ID in the FROMID parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAGetSource SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID, [DESIREDTYPE]
    The OSAGetSource function decompiles the script data identified by the specified script ID and returns a descriptor record containing the equivalent source data. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSACoerceFromDesc SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTDATA, MODEFLAGS
    The OSACoerceFromDesc function coerces the descriptor record in the SCRIPTDATA parameter to the equivalent script value and returns a script ID for that value. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSACoerceToDesc SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTID, DESIREDTYPE, MODEFLAGS
    The OSACoerceToDesc function coerces the script value identified by SCRIPTID to a descriptor record of the type specified by the DESIREDTYPE parameter, if possible. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSASetDefaultTarget SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, TARGET
    The OSASetDefaultTarget function establishes the default target application for Apple event sending and the default application from which the scripting component should obtain terminology information. For example, AppleScript statements that refer to the default application do not need to be enclosed in "tell/end tell" statements. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSAStartRecording SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, [COMPILEDSCRIPTTOMODIFYID]
    The OSAStartRecording routine turns on Apple event recording. Subsequent Apple events are recorded (that is, appended to any existing statements) in the compiled script specified by the COMPILEDSCRIPTTOMODIFYID parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAStopRecording SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, COMPILEDSCRIPTID
    The OSAStopRecording function turns off recording. If the script is not currently open in a script editor window, the COMPILEDSCRIPTTOMODIFYID parameter supplied to OSAStartRecording() is then augmented to contain the newly recorded statements. If the script is currently open in a script editor window, the script data that corresponds to the compiledScriptToModifyID parameter supplied to OSAStartRecording() is updated continuously until the client application calls OSAStopRecording. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSALoadExecute SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTDATA, CONTEXTID, MODEFLAGS
    The OSALoadExecute function loads script data and executes the resulting compiled script, using the script context identified by the CONTEXTID parameter to maintain state information such as the binding of variables. After successfully executing the script, OSALoadExecute disposes of the compiled script and returns either the script ID for the resulting script value or, if execution does not result in a value, the constant kOSANullScript. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSACompileExecute SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SOURCEDATA, CONTEXTID, MODEFLAGS
    The OSACompileExecute function compiles source data and executes the resulting compiled script, using the script context identified by the CONTEXTID parameter to maintain state information such as the binding of variables. After successfully executing the script, OSACompileExecute disposes of the compiled script and returns either the script ID for the resulting script value or, if execution does not result in a value, the constant kOSANullScript. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSADoScript SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SOURCEDATA, CONTEXTID, DESIREDTYPE, MODEFLAGS
    Calling the OSADoScript function is equivalent to calling OSACompile() followed by OSAExecute() and OSADisplay(). After compiling the source data, executing the compiled script using the script context identified by the CONTEXTID parameter, and returning the text equivalent of the resulting script value, OSADoScript disposes of both the compiled script and the resulting script value. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSASetCurrentDialect SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, DIALECTCODE
    Set the current dialect for a scripting component. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSAGetCurrentDialect SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT
    Get the dialect code for the dialect currently being used by a scripting component. Returns the code for the current dialect of the specified scripting component.

OSAAvailableDialects SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT
    Obtain a descriptor list containing information about each of the currently available dialects for a scripting component. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAGetDialectInfo SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, DIALECTCODE, SELECTOR
    After you obtain a list of dialect codes by calling OSAAvailableDialectCodeList(), you can pass any of those codes to OSAGetDialectInfo to get information about the corresponding dialect. The descriptor type of the descriptor record returned by OSAGetDialectInfo depends on the constant specified in the SELECTOR parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAAvailableDialectCodeList SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT
    Obtain a descriptor list containing dialect codes for each of a scripting component's currently available dialects. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAExecuteEvent SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, THEAPPLEEVENT, CONTEXTID, MODEFLAGS
    The OSAExecuteEvent function attempts to use the script context specified by the contextID parameter to handle the Apple event specified by the THEAPPLEEVENT parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSADoEvent SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, THEAPPLEEVENT, CONTEXTID, MODEFLAGS
    The OSADoEvent function resembles both OSADoScript() and OSAExecuteEvent(). However, unlike OSADoScript(), the script OSADoEvent executes must be in the form of a script context, and execution is initiated by an Apple event. Unlike OSAExecuteEvent(), OSADoEvent returns a reply Apple event rather than the script ID of the resulting script value. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAMakeContext SCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, CONTEXTNAME, [PARENTCONTEXT]
    The OSAMakeContext function creates a new script context that you may pass to OSAExecute() or OSAExecuteEvent(). The new script context inherits the bindings of the script context specified in the PARENTCONTEXT parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAGetDefaultScriptingComponent GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT
    The OSAGetDefaultScriptingComponent function returns the subtype code for the default scripting component. This is the scripting component that will be used by OSAStartRecording(), OSACompile(), or OSACompileExecute() if no existing script ID is specified. From the user's point of view, the default scripting component corresponds to the scripting language selected in the Script Editor application when the user first creates a new script. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSASetDefaultScriptingComponent GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTINGSUBTYPE
    The OSASetDefaultScriptingComponent function sets the default scripting component for the specified instance of the generic scripting component to the scripting component identified by the SCRIPTINGSUBTYPE parameter. Return zero if no error was detected.

OSAGetScriptingComponent GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTINGSUBTYPE
    The OSAGetScriptingComponent function returns an instance of the scripting component identified by the SCRIPTINGSUBTYPE parameter. Each instance of the generic scripting component keeps track of a single instance of each component subtype, so OSAGetScriptingComponent always returns the same instance of a specified scripting component that the generic scripting component uses for standard scripting component routines. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAGetScriptingComponentFromStored GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, SCRIPTDATA
    The OSAGetScriptingComponentFromStored function returns the subtype code for the scripting component that created the script data specified by the SCRIPTDATA parameter. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

OSAGenericToRealID GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, GENERICSCRIPTID
    Given a GENERICSCRIPTID (that is, a script ID returned by a call to a standard component routine via the generic scripting component), the OSAGenericToRealID function returns the equivalent component-specific script ID and the component instance that created that script ID as an array.

OSARealToGenericID GENERICSCRIPTINGCOMPONENT, THESCRIPTID, THEEXACTCOMPONENT
    The OSARealToGenericID function performs the reverse of the task performed by OSAGenericToRealID(). Given a component-specific SCRIPTID and an exact scripting component instance (that is, the component instance that created the component-specific script ID), the OSARealToGenericID function returns the corresponding generic script ID. Return "undef" if an error was detected.

AUTHOR
Written by Matthias Ulrich Neeracher <neeracher@mac.com>, documentation by Bob Dalgleish <bob.dalgleish@sasknet.sk.ca>. Currently maintained by Chris Nandor <pudge@pobox.com>.