Reference > Script steps reference > Miscellaneous script steps > Perform AppleScript (macOS)
 

Perform AppleScript (macOS)

Sends AppleScript commands to another application.

See also 

Options 

Calculated AppleScript specifies a calculation to use as the AppleScript text.

Native AppleScript is the text of an AppleScript (up to 30000 characters). Indenting of repeat loops and conditional statements is not supported.

Compatibility 

 

Product 

Supported 

FileMaker Pro Advanced 

Yes 

FileMaker Go 

No 

FileMaker WebDirect 

No 

FileMaker Server 

No 

FileMaker Cloud 

No 

FileMaker Data API 

No 

Custom Web Publishing 

No 

Runtime solution 

Yes 

Originated in 

FileMaker Pro 6.0 or earlier

Description 

You can create a calculation to generate the AppleScript commands to be sent, or you can type the commands directly into the Native AppleScript text area.

For calculated scripts and scripts stored in FileMaker Pro Advanced fields, the AppleScript commands are compiled each time the script is performed. If you type the script into the Native AppleScript text area, then FileMaker Pro Advanced compiles the script and detects any scripting or system errors. (The script is recompiled whenever it's edited.)

Notes 

Because AppleScript is a macOS feature, if you run a script containing a Perform AppleScript script step on a Windows computer, the script step is ignored. (An error code is generated, which can be captured with the Get(LastError) function.)

Tips on usage

FileMaker Pro Advanced can use the Perform AppleScript script step to send Apple events to itself or to FileMaker Pro Advanced software running on other machines. For FileMaker Pro Advanced to receive Apple events, the user’s account must have the fmextscriptaccess extended privilege enabled. See Editing extended privileges for a privilege set.

Use Perform AppleScript to pass image data between FileMaker Pro Advanced and other applications. With AppleScript, you can pass images stored in container fields to other applications or pass images into FileMaker Pro Advanced container fields.

Use Perform AppleScript to communicate with applets and other scriptable applications. For example, if you have created an AppleScript applet with sub-routines, you can call the handlers using the Perform AppleScript command, like this:

Perform AppleScript ["tell application "My Applet" to doMyRoutine()"]

Example 1 

Opens the Documents folder of the current macOS user.

Perform AppleScript ["tell application "Finder" (*enter line break*) activate (*enter line break*) set x to path to documents folder (*enter line break*) open x (*enter line break*) end tell"]

Example 2 

Sets the bounds of the Documents window to the specified size. The Documents folder must be open before this script runs.

Perform AppleScript ["tell application "Finder" to set bounds of window "Documents" to {170, 70, 1000, 600}"]

Example 3 

Calculates and performs the AppleScript to install a network printer. "\" tells FileMaker Pro Advanced to recognize the symbol that follows as a character and not as a calculation operator.

Perform AppleScript ["do shell script \"lpadmin -p " & Printers::Name & " -E -v lpd://" & Printers::IP Address & " -P /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/" & Substitute ( Printers::Driver Name ; " " ; "\\\ " ) & ".gz -D \\\"" & Printers::Description & "\\\"\""]

Related topics 

Script steps reference (alphabetical list)

Script steps reference (category list)