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AppleScript Keywords

This appendix lists AppleScript keywords (or reserved words), provides a brief description for each, and points to related information, where available. (See also “Keywords” in “AppleScript Lexical Conventions.”)

The keywords in Table A-1 are part of the AppleScript language. You should not attempt to reuse them in your scripts for variable names or other purposes. Developers should not re-define keywords in the terminology for their scriptable applications. You can view many additional scripting terms defined by Apple, but not part of the AppleScript language, in AppleScript Terminology and Apple Event Codes.

Table A-1  AppleScript reserved words, with descriptions

about

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

above

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

after

used to describe position in the “Relative” reference form; used as part of operator (comes after, does not come after) with classes such as date, integer, and text

against

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

and

logical and operator—see Table 9-1

apart from

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

around

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

as

coercion operator—see Table 9-1

aside from

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

at

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

back

used with “Index” and “Relative” reference forms; in back of is synonymous with after and behind

before

used to describe position in the “Relative” reference form; used as an operator (comes before, does not come before) with classes such as date, integer, and text; synonymous with in front of

beginning

specifies an insertion location at the beginning of a container—see the boundary specifier descriptions for the “Range” reference form

behind

synonymous with after and in back of

below

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

beneath

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

beside

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

between

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

but

used in “considering and ignoring Statements”

by

used with binary containment operator contains, is contained by; also used as handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

considering

a control statement—see “considering and ignoring Statements”

contain, contains

binary containment operator—see contains, is contained by

continue

changes the flow of execution—see “continue”

copy

an AppleScript command—see copy

div

division operator—see Table 9-1

does

used with operators such as does not equal, does not come before, and does not contain—see Table 9-1

eighth

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

else

used with if control statement—see “if Statements ”

end

marks the end of a script or handler definition, or of a compound statement, such as a tell or repeat statement; also specifies an insertion location at the end of a container—see the boundary specifier descriptions for the “Range” reference form

equal, equals

binary comparison operator—see equal, is not equal to

error

error control statement; also used withtry statement

every

specifies every object in a container—see “Every” reference form

exit

terminates a repeat loop—see exit

false

a Boolean literal—see “Boolean”

fifth

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

first

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

for

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

fourth

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

from

used in specifying a range of objects in a container—see “Range” reference form; also used as handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

front

in front of is used to describe position in the “Relative” reference form; synonymous with before

get

an AppleScript command—see get

given

a special handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

global

specifies the scope for a variable (see also local)—see “Global Variables”

if

a control statement—see “if Statements ”

ignoring

a control statement—see “considering and ignoring Statements”

in

used in construction object specifiers—see “Containers”; also used with the “Relative” reference form—for example in front of and in back of

instead of

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

into

put into is a deprecated synonym for the copy command; also used as handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

is

used with various comparison operators—see Table 9-1

it

refers to the current target (of it)—see “The it and me Keywords”

its

synonym for of it—see “The it and me Keywords”

last

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

local

specifies the scope for a variable (see also global)—see “Local Variables”

me

refers to the current script (of me)—see “The it and me Keywords”

middle

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

mod

remainder operator—see Table 9-1

my

synonym for of me—see “The it and me Keywords”

ninth

specifies a position in a container—see “Middle” reference form

not

logical negation operator—see Table 9-1

of

used in construction object specifiers—see “Containers”; used with or as part of many other terms, including of me , in front of , and so on

on

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

onto

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

or

logical or operator—see Table 9-1

out of

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

over

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

prop, property

prop is an abbreviation for property—see “The it and me Keywords”

put

put into is a deprecated synonym for the copy command

ref/reference

ref is an abbreviation for reference—see reference

repeat

a control statement—see “repeat Statements”

return

exits from a handler—see “return”

returning

deprecated

script

used to declare a script object; also the class of a script object—see the script class and “Script Objects”

second

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

set

an AppleScript command—see set

seventh

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

since

handler parameter label—see “Handler Syntax (Labeled Parameters)”

sixth

specifies an index position in a container—see “Index” reference form

some

specifies an object in a container—see “Arbitrary” reference form

tell

a control statement—see “tell Statements”

tenth

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

that

synonym for whose

the

syntactic no-op, used to make script statements look more like natural language

then

used with if control statement—see “if Statements ”

third

specifies a position in a container—see “Index” reference form

through, thru

used in specifying a range of objects in a container—see “Range” reference form

timeout

used with with timeout control statement—see with timeout

times

used with repeat control statement—see repeat (number) times

to

used in many places, including copy and set commands; in the “Range” reference form; by operators such as is equal to and a reference to; with the control statement repeat with loopVariable (from startValue to stopValue); with the partial result parameter in “try Statements”

transaction

used with with transaction control statement—see with transaction

true

a Boolean literal—see “Boolean”

try

an error-handling statement—see “try Statements”

until

used with repeat control statement—see repeat until

where

used with the “Filter” reference form to specify a Boolean test expression (synonymous with whose)

while

used with repeat control statement—see repeat while

whose

used with the “Filter” reference form to specify a Boolean test expression (synonymous with where)

with

used in commands to specify various kinds of parameters, including true for some Boolean for parameters—see, for example, the with prompt and multiple selections allowed parameters to the choose from list command; also used with application make commands to specify properties (with properties)

without

used in commands to specify false for a Boolean for a parameter—see, for example, the multiple selections allowed parameter to the choose from list command




Last updated: 2008-03-11

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