Windows Exec file, what is the Mavericks equivalent ?

Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
Hi all, before I went over to MacBookPro I had spent many many years with Windows XP and upwards, I remember I could create an executable text file that could press keys on the keyboard all on it's own with no user intervention at all. I think a command similar to *OPT etc. made the text file executable !

Can I do this with my MacBookPro and Mavericks ???

I will be very pleased if someone DOES have an answer, thanks.

Tim
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
Hi Tim - not sure that I can help much (new to OS X after 30+ yrs on Windows) but are you referring to a scripting language that will automate keystrokes (kind of like the old DOS batch files which I used a lot way back!)?

If so, then take a look at this discussion on AppleScript to see if this is what interests you? On my Mavericks computers, the app is located in the 'Other' folder.

Hopefully, other more experienced members w/ this Apple scripting language will comment - Dave :)
 
OP
T
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
Hi Tim
If so, then take a look at this discussion on AppleScript to see if this is what interests you? On my Mavericks computers, the app is located in the 'Other' folder.
Dave :)

Dave thank you very much for that, that is definitely the sort of thing I had in mind, yeah the idea was used in DOS for doing mundane routine tasks, I shall have to try and find out much more about this Apple Script stuff now, Thanks.

Tim
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
Applescript is definitely your best bet here especially if coding is foreign to you. Depending on the task, a shell script may also be of great use.
 
OP
T
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
Applescript is definitely your best bet here especially if coding is foreign to you. Depending on the task, a shell script may also be of great use.

Thank you Vansmith (admin) I shall give it a GO :)

Tim
 
C

chas_m

Guest
This may be off the mark, but I was reminded reading this thread that OS X has a built-in capability for what Windows users would call "macros." Frequently-used expressions can be stored and triggered with short abbreviations (for example, I use "imhere" without quotes when I want to fill in my complete, properly-formatted address). The OS X macros work across all supported Cocoa apps (which means just about every text-oriented app these days).
 
OP
T
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
This may be off the mark, but I was reminded reading this thread that OS X has a built-in capability for what Windows users would call "macros." Frequently-used expressions can be stored and triggered with short abbreviations (for example, I use "imhere" without quotes when I want to fill in my complete, properly-formatted address). The OS X macros work across all supported Cocoa apps (which means just about every text-oriented app these days).

CHAS_M hi that sounds as if it could be the answer to my question, could please post an example or point me in the direction of finding out a little bit more.

I have only just started to look into this Apple Script stuff that was mentioned by "van smith" and "RadDave" :) thanks lads.

And I must admit it is FAST beginning to look that it is ALL a bit too complicated for me with my limited programming knowledge and oldish age !, my brain aint up to it :)

Tim
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
Maybe I am being a bit dense but can you give an example of the kind of thing you want to do? I think I am missing something.

In addition to chas_m's suggestion there are programs such as TypeIt4Me which can
Type a short abbreviation and have it expand to a word, a phrase, even several pages worth of text in...
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
CHAS_M hi that sounds as if it could be the answer to my question, could please post an example or point me in the direction of finding out a little bit more.

I have only just started to look into this Apple Script stuff that was mentioned by "van smith" and "RadDave" :) thanks lads.

And I must admit it is FAST beginning to look that it is ALL a bit too complicated for me with my limited programming knowledge and oldish age !, my brain aint up to it :)

Hi again Tim - for CHAS_M suggestion, go to Preferences > Keyboard > Text - there you can enter a phrase (such as 2-3 letters) that if typed will be replaced by the matching statement in the table - simple to use and may meet your needs. Good luck - Dave
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
I think the thing to clarify here is what you're looking to "type." Are you looking for string substitution (so, writing short hand and having that automatically expanded) or are you looking to trigger something like a keyboard shortcut?
 
OP
T
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
Maybe I am being a bit dense but can you give an example of the kind of thing you want to do?

Slydude, I am fast beginning to think/know I am trying to Bite OFF more than I can chew.

A very long time friend of mine has been using Windows for a lot longer than I, he has made a file that executes when he shuts Windows Down, which then backups any new or changed files to an external hard drive, it does this every time he shuts his PC down.

So I thought, maybe I could do something similar on my Mac Book Pro ....
here is an example of what I have dreamed of doing, it probably isn't possible anyway.
you might think I am a very sad character after reading this :- there is a website where I can report road vehicles for not displaying a Tax Disc, I have been reporting the same vehicles every few weeks and it doesn't seem to be making any dammed difference at all, because they are still driving around UN-TAXED.
So I figured that I need to report these vehicles every dammed day, and maybe, just maybe the folk at the other end of the Phone line (so to speak) might just take notice ????
So I then thought that it would be easier for me, if, I could automate the input of the registration number and vehicle make, into this website page ?.
OK I know it IS SAD !, and it probably isn't possible anyway, me thinks, I probably need to get a life AND SO SAY ALL OF US eh

Tim
 
C

chas_m

Guest
A very long time friend of mine has been using Windows for a lot longer than I, he has made a file that executes when he shuts Windows Down, which then backups any new or changed files to an external hard drive, it does this every time he shuts his PC down.

So I thought, maybe I could do something similar on my Mac Book Pro ....

No need. Time Machine (which I would hope you've already set up) takes care of this for you all the time (well, every hour). All you need to get Time Machine going is to plug in an external drive, and the MBP will ask you if you want to use it for Time Machine. If yes, that's it. From then on, every new or changed file is backed up to said drive ever hour if the drive is connected, otherwise it waits until the drive IS connected and backs it up then.


So I then thought that it would be easier for me, if, I could automate the input of the registration number and vehicle make, into this website page ?

For this, you could use the afore-mentioned text shortcuts. While there is a built-in facility for this, I'd suggest you'd be better off using a third-party program so that you can limit the macros to just the web browser. You'd create a "trigger" for the most common vehicle types (say "frx" for Ferrari for example) and registration numbers (if there's a common prefix or group of numbers in your area) to save time typing out the longer combinations, which can still be customized after the macro has been written. You'd know better than I what areas of the report are the most similar and could lend themselves to a macro.
 
OP
T
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Flitwick, Beds, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 15" + iPhone 5S
Wowee thanks CHAS_M I couldn't ask for more, I should NOW, most sincerely be able to sort something out for myself, despite the steep learning curve :)

Yeah, I knew about Time Machine doing automatic back ups :)

I was merely using my friends example of a self executing text file in Windows, as a way of trying to describe what I was trying to accomplish.

I do believe I now have the AMMUNITION (so to speak) to get off my my butt and do IT

Thanks again, ALL OF YOU, for your ideas.

Tim
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top