iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual

AppleScripting iDVD

As any power user can tell you, AppleScript is one of the best features of the Mac operating system. It’s a built-in, relatively easy programming language that lets you control your programs by writing little software recipes known as scripts—and lets your programs control each other by issuing invisible commands. (Not all programs respond to AppleScript commands, but, happily, iDVD does.)

As it turns out, you don’t have to compose your own AppleScript programs to capitalize on iDVD’s AppleScript-friendliness. Apple has created a series of useful scripts that you can download and install right now, for free, and use without having to type up a single line of code.

You’ll find them on Apple’s iDVD scripting page. Visit http://www.apple.com/applescript/idvd to read about them and download them.

Tip

Once you’ve downloaded these AppleScripts, you’ll want to drag them into your Home → Library → Scripts folder, so you can trigger them by choosing their names from the Script menu. (If there isn’t already a tiny black scroll icon on your menu bar—the Script menu—here’s how to put it there. In Mac OS X 10.3, open your Applications → AppleScript folder and double-click Install Script Menu. In Mac OS X 10.4, use the AppleScript Utility program to add the menulet instead.)

In any case, choosing an AppleScript’s name from this menu is a very convenient and quick way to run it.

In the following list, only the items identified as droplets or applications don’t belong in your Scripts ...