Commands

A command is a request for action. In AppleScript, you can use application commands, which are defined in each application's dictionary; AppleScript commands, which are defined and handled by AppleScript; or scripting addition commands, which are defined and handled by AppleScript extensions called scripting additions.

Table A-4 lists standard application commands and AppleScript commands. For information about scripting addition commands, see Scripting Additions and Scripting Addition Commands. You can also refer to the AppleScript section of the Mac OS Help Center, or visit the AppleScript website at

The syntax shown for standard application commands is the syntax supported by most applications. Individual applications can extend or change the way the standard application commands work.

For information about how a specific application handles a particular application command, see the application's dictionary. For more detailed descriptions of the commands listed here, see Commands

IMPORTANT

Some syntax statements use the continuation character (¬) to identify text that, if included, must appear on the same line. The ¬ character is not a required part of the syntax, although you can use it to extend a statement beyond one line.

Table A-4 Command syntax

Command	Syntax	Result
`close` (application command)	`close referenceToObject`	None
	`close referenceToObject saving in referenceToFile`
	`close referenceToObject saving saveOption`
	`close referenceToObject saving in referenceToFile saving saveOption`
`copy` (AppleScript command)	`( copy \| put ) expression ( to \| into) variablePattern`	Value copied
`count` (AppleScript command)	`count compositeValue` `count [ each \| every ] className ( in \| of ) ¬ compositeValue`	Integer
`count` (AppleScript command)	`number of compositeValue` `number of pluralClassName ( in \| of ) compositeValue`	Integer
`count` (application command)	`count [ each \| every ] className` `count [ each \| every ] className ( in \| of ) referenceToObject ]`	Integer or list of integers
`count` (application command)	`number of className` `number of className [ ( in \| of ) referenceToObject ]`	Integer or list of integers
`delete` (application command)	`delete referenceToObject`	None
`duplicate` (application command)	`duplicate referenceToObject`	Reference
`duplicate` (application command)	`duplicate referenceToObject to referenceToLocation`	Reference
`error` (AppleScript command)	`error ¬ [ errorMessage ] ¬ [ number errorNumber ] ¬ [ from offendingObject ] ¬ [ partial result resultList ] ¬ [ to expectedType ]`
`exists` (application command)	`exists referenceToObject`	Boolean
`exists` (application command)	`referenceToObject exists`	Boolean
`get` (AppleScript command)	`get expression` `get expression as className`	Value of expression
`get` (application command)	`get referenceToObject` `get referenceToObject as className`	Value of reference
`launch` (application command)	`launch` `launch referenceToApplication`	None
`make` (application command)	`make [new] className at referenceToLocation [with properties { propertyLabel : propertyValue [, propertyLabel : propertyValue ]...} ] [with data dataValue ]`	Reference to the new object
`move` (application command)	`move referenceToObject to referenceToLocation`	Reference to the moved object
`open` (application command)	`open referenceToFile`	None
`open` (application command)	`open listOfFiles`
`print` (application command)	`print referenceToObject`	None
`quit` (application command)	`quit referenceToApplication`	None
`quit` (application command)	`quit referenceToApplication saving saveOption`	None
`reopen` (application command)	`reopen` `reopen referenceToApplication`	None
`run` (AppleScript command)	`run` `run scriptObjectVariable`	The value, if any, returned by the script object
`run` (application command)	`run` `run referenceToApplication`	None
`save` (application command)	`save referenceToObject`	None
`save` (application command)	`save referenceToObject in referenceToFile`	None
`set` (AppleScript command)	`set variablePattern to expression` `expression returning variablePattern`	Value assigned
`set` (application command)	`set referencePattern to expression` `expression returning referencePattern`	Value assigned