Placeholders (AS Language)

Inside Macintosh: AppleScript Language Guide / Part 3 - Appendixes: Appendix A - The Language at a Glance

Placeholders
Table A-11 explains the placeholders used in the syntax descriptions in
this appendix.
Placeholders used in syntax descriptions
Placeholder Explanation
applicationName A string containing the name of the application as it would be listed in the Application menu, or a string of the form "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:ApplicationName" that specifies where the application is stored. For more information, see page 145.
attribute An attribute, identified by a constant, that can be considered
or ignored in a Considering or Ignoring control statement.
The constants for attributes are case, white space, diacriticals, hyphens, expansion, punctuation, and application responses.
Boolean An expression that evaluates to true or false. (Boolean is an AppleScript value class. For more information about Boolean values, see page 38.)
className A class identifier or an expression that evaluates to an object
class identifier.
commandName An identifier (name) for a command.
commandStatement A statement, consisting of a command with either parameter values or formal parameters, to be passed to a parent script object.
compoundValue An expression that evaluates to a compound value (a list, record,
or string).
containerReference A reference that specifies a container for another object.
dataValue An expression that evaluates to a value of the appropriate class for the object being created.
date An expression that evaluates to a date. (Date is an AppleScript value class. For more information about dates, see page 42.)
directParameter The direct parameter of a subroutine definition.
directParameterVariable A parameter variable used as a placeholder for the value of the direct parameter in a subroutine definition.
errorMessage An expression, usually a string, that describes an error.
errorMessageVariable A parameter variable for the expression that describes the error.
errorNumber The error number for the error.

errorNumberVariable A parameter variable for the error number.
expectedType A class identifier for the value class to which AppleScript was attempting to coerce a value when an error occurred.
expectedTypeVariable A parameter variable for the value class to which AppleScript was attempting to coerce a value when an error occurred.
expression A series of AppleScript words whose value is a Boolean, class identifier, constant, data, date, integer, list, real, record, reference,
or string.
handlerDefinition A command or subroutine handler definition.
IDvalue An expression that evaluates to an object's ID property. For most objects, the ID property is an integer.
integer An expression that evaluates to an integer. (Integer is an AppleScript value class. For more information about integers,
see page 46.)
label An identifier for a parameter.
labelForFalseParam An identifier for a Boolean parameter whose value is false.
labelForTrueParam An identifier for a Boolean parameter whose value is true.
list An expression that evaluates to a list.
listOfFiles A list of references, each of which has the form file "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename" or alias "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename" and specifies a file.
For more information , see page 143.
nameString A string of the form "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:FileName" that specifies where a file is stored. For more information, see page 143.
number An expression that evaluates to an integer or real number.
offendingObject A reference to an object that caused an error.
offendingObjectVariable A parameter variable for the reference to the object that caused
an error.
parameterValue An expression that evaluates to a value of a parameter.

paramVariable A parameter variable (also known as a formal parameter) used as a placeholder for the value of a parameter in a handler definition.
pluralClassName A plural class identifier or an expression that evaluates to a plural class identifier.
propertyLabel The identifier for a property of an object, or an expression that evaluates to the identifier for a property of an object.
propertyValue An expression that evaluates to a value of the appropriate class for the property being defined.
real An expression that evaluates to a real number. (Real is an AppleScript value class. For more information about real numbers, see page 52.)
record An expression that evaluates to a record. (Record is an AppleScript value class. For more information about records, see page 53.)
reference A reference that specifies an object or location. (For more information about references, see Chapter 5, "Objects and References.")
referencePattern A reference, a list of reference patterns, or a record of
reference patterns.
referenceToApplication A reference of the form application "Disk:Folder1:Folder2: ...:ApplicationName" that specifies an application. For more information, see page 145.
referenceToFile A reference of the form file "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...: Filename" or alias "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename" that specifies a file. For more information , see page 143.
referenceToLocation A reference that specifies a location. (For more information about locations, see "Parameters That Specify Locations" on page 80.)
referenceToObject A reference that specifies an object or objects. (For more information about references, see Chapter 5, "Objects and References.")
resultList List of results for objects that were handled before an error occurred.

resultListVariable A parameter variable for a list of results for objects that were handled before an error occurred.
saveOption A constant (yes, no, or ask) that specifies whether to save an object that has been modified before closing it.
scriptObjectVariable A variable whose value is a script object. (For more information about script objects, see Chapter 9, "Script Objects.")
session An object that specifies a specific session.
statement An AppleScript statement.
string An expression that evaluates to a string. (String is an AppleScript value class. For more information about strings, see page 59.)
subroutineName An identifier (name) for a subroutine.
subroutineParamLabel Any of the following labels: above, against, apart from, around, aside from, at, below, beneath, beside, between, by, for, from, instead of, into, on, onto, out of, over, thru (or through), under.
timeDifference An integer specifying a time difference in seconds.
variable A variable (a user-defined identifier that represents a value).
variablePattern A variable, a list of variable patterns, or a record of
variable patterns.

Placeholder	Explanation
applicationName	A string containing the name of the application as it would be listed in the Application menu, or a string of the form `"Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:ApplicationName"` that specifies where the application is stored. For more information, see page 145.
attribute	An attribute, identified by a constant, that can be considered or ignored in a Considering or Ignoring control statement. The constants for attributes are `case`, `white space`, `diacriticals`, `hyphens`, `expansion,` `punctuation`, and `application responses`.
Boolean	An expression that evaluates to `true` or `false`. (Boolean is an AppleScript value class. For more information about Boolean values, see page 38.)
className	A class identifier or an expression that evaluates to an object class identifier.
commandName	An identifier (name) for a command.
commandStatement	A statement, consisting of a command with either parameter values or formal parameters, to be passed to a parent script object.
compoundValue	An expression that evaluates to a compound value (a list, record, or string).
containerReference	A reference that specifies a container for another object.
dataValue	An expression that evaluates to a value of the appropriate class for the object being created.
date	An expression that evaluates to a date. (Date is an AppleScript value class. For more information about dates, see page 42.)
directParameter	The direct parameter of a subroutine definition.
directParameterVariable	A parameter variable used as a placeholder for the value of the direct parameter in a subroutine definition.
errorMessage	An expression, usually a string, that describes an error.
errorMessageVariable	A parameter variable for the expression that describes the error.
errorNumber	The error number for the error.

errorNumberVariable	A parameter variable for the error number.
expectedType	A class identifier for the value class to which AppleScript was attempting to coerce a value when an error occurred.
expectedTypeVariable	A parameter variable for the value class to which AppleScript was attempting to coerce a value when an error occurred.
expression	A series of AppleScript words whose value is a Boolean, class identifier, constant, data, date, integer, list, real, record, reference, or string.
handlerDefinition	A command or subroutine handler definition.
IDvalue	An expression that evaluates to an object's ID property. For most objects, the ID property is an integer.
integer	An expression that evaluates to an integer. (Integer is an AppleScript value class. For more information about integers, see page 46.)
label	An identifier for a parameter.
labelForFalseParam	An identifier for a Boolean parameter whose value is `false`.
labelForTrueParam	An identifier for a Boolean parameter whose value is `true`.
list	An expression that evaluates to a list.
listOfFiles	A list of references, each of which has the form `file` `"Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename"` or `alias "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename"` and specifies a file. For more information , see page 143.
nameString	A string of the form `"Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:FileName"` that specifies where a file is stored. For more information, see page 143.
number	An expression that evaluates to an integer or real number.
offendingObject	A reference to an object that caused an error.
offendingObjectVariable	A parameter variable for the reference to the object that caused an error.
parameterValue	An expression that evaluates to a value of a parameter.

paramVariable	A parameter variable (also known as a formal parameter) used as a placeholder for the value of a parameter in a handler definition.
pluralClassName	A plural class identifier or an expression that evaluates to a plural class identifier.
propertyLabel	The identifier for a property of an object, or an expression that evaluates to the identifier for a property of an object.
propertyValue	An expression that evaluates to a value of the appropriate class for the property being defined.
real	An expression that evaluates to a real number. (Real is an AppleScript value class. For more information about real numbers, see page 52.)
record	An expression that evaluates to a record. (Record is an AppleScript value class. For more information about records, see page 53.)
reference	A reference that specifies an object or location. (For more information about references, see Chapter 5, "Objects and References.")
referencePattern	A reference, a list of reference patterns, or a record of reference patterns.
referenceToApplication	A reference of the form `application "Disk:Folder1:Folder2: ...:ApplicationName"` that specifies an application. For more information, see page 145.
referenceToFile	A reference of the form `file "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...: Filename"` or `alias "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:Filename"` that specifies a file. For more information , see page 143.
referenceToLocation	A reference that specifies a location. (For more information about locations, see "Parameters That Specify Locations" on page 80.)
referenceToObject	A reference that specifies an object or objects. (For more information about references, see Chapter 5, "Objects and References.")
resultList	List of results for objects that were handled before an error occurred.

resultListVariable	A parameter variable for a list of results for objects that were handled before an error occurred.
saveOption	A constant (`yes`, `no`, or `ask`) that specifies whether to save an object that has been modified before closing it.
scriptObjectVariable	A variable whose value is a script object. (For more information about script objects, see Chapter 9, "Script Objects.")
session	An object that specifies a specific session.
statement	An AppleScript statement.
string	An expression that evaluates to a string. (String is an AppleScript value class. For more information about strings, see page 59.)
subroutineName	An identifier (name) for a subroutine.
subroutineParamLabel	Any of the following labels: `above`, `against`, `apart from,` `around`, `aside from`, `at`, `below`, `beneath`, `beside`, `between`, `by`, `for`, `from`, `instead of`, `into`, `on`, `onto`, `out of`, `over`, `thru` (or `through)`, `under`.
timeDifference	An integer specifying a time difference in seconds.
variable	A variable (a user-defined identifier that represents a value).
variablePattern	A variable, a list of variable patterns, or a record of variable patterns.