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AppleScript Language Guide

   

Conventions Used in This Guide

Script samples and script fragments in this guide are accurate as they appear, but you should freely experiment with them and modify them to perform similar tasks or work with different applications.

Glossary terms are shown in boldface where they are first defined.

The following conventions are used in syntax descriptions:

language element Plain computer font indicates an element that you type exactly as shown. If there are special symbols (for example, + or &), you also type them exactly as shown.
placeholder Italic text indicates a placeholder that you replace with an appropriate value. (In some programming languages, placeholders are called nonterminals.)
[ optional ] Brackets indicate that the enclosed language element or elements are optional.
( a group ) Parentheses group elements together. If parentheses are part of the syntax, they are shown in bold.
[ optional ]... Three ellipsis points (...) after a group defined by brackets indicate that you can repeat the group of elements within brackets 0 or more times.
( a group ) ... Three ellipsis points (...) after a group defined by parentheses indicate that you can repeat the group of elements within parentheses one or more times.
a|b|c Vertical bars separate elements in a group from which you must choose a single element. The elements are often grouped within parentheses or brackets.


© 1999 Apple Computer, Inc. – (Last Updated 21 May 99)