Script Debugger 3.0.1

AppleScript Development Environment Adds Features, OS X Capabilities

by Dori Smith, Macworld.com

Before AppleScript Studio appeared on the scene in early December 2001, Late Night Software's Script Debugger was the only AppleScript development environment for Mac OS X. Script Debugger 2 led the pack with a powerful Explorer view and the ability to handle scripts larger than 32K, and version 3.0.1 sports many improvements, including the ability to break on exceptions (to stop a script's execution) and enhanced Script Error dialog boxes. The handy Script Manifest tool allows you to identify every scripting addition and application a given script references.

Also new are the Expressions window and Console palette, which allow you to execute code against a currently running script. Using these two features, you can check and modify a script's progress. AppleScript can be difficult to learn, and Script Debugger 3.0.1 includes a JavaScript OSA, which allows you to use that language instead of AppleScript.

The new version doesn't bridge every gap, though. Late Night confirms that, due to a bug, you still can't script Microsoft Word or Excel in OS 9 and earlier. However, this bug has been fixed for Office v. X apps.

Macworld's Buying Advice

With its helpful new features and ability to script OS X, Script Debugger 3.0.1 is an improvement on a great development environment.