Scripting Mac Applications with Ruby

For those whoid like to explore alternatives to AppleScript, the OiReilly Mac devcenter has posted an article Tuesday by Matt Neuburg on how to script Mac applications with Ruby. Often, programmers with Unix experience in Perl, Python or Ruby come to the Mac, are unaccustomed to AppleScript and looking for familar ground.

It all started when Hamish Sanderson developed an interface to AppleScript with Python, called Appscript. Then, work continued to develop the same kind of interface to Ruby, called rb-appscript.

The author explained, "It would be a waste of space for me to describe the Ruby language or to argue its virtues. Letis just stipulate, once again, that many people find Rubyis linguistic and conceptual world a powerful and satisfying place for programming."

For those who already know Ruby, the key details of getting it installed and the classic "Hello World" program were explained.

Mr. Neuburgis conclusion was, "Finding an alternative way of sending Apple events is not merely a matter of petulant impatience with the AppleScript language, it may very well be the path to the future."