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User profile for user: Stvylife
Stvylife Author
User level: Level 1
11 points

Converting script editor to Automator (actually transferring)

I’m trying to turn a working script into a service to avoid going back and forth, allowing me to run it directly from within Numbers.

However, it generates various errors. I initially thought it would be a straightforward copy-paste, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

What are the tricks to make it work? Are there aspects of the script editor that do not carry over to Automator? How do I finally turn the scripts into a service after several successful executions?

MacBook Air, macOS 14.5

Posted on Aug 8, 2024 4:56 PM

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User profile for user: Badunit
Badunit
User level: Level 7
28,324 points

Posted on Aug 9, 2024 6:57 AM

For me it has always been a 1:1 transfer and it all works the same in the end. I don't usually run/test mine in Automator, though. I figure it ran in Script Editor so no need to test it again. Next time I run it will be from the Services menu or with a keyboard shortcut I assign to it.


  1. New Quick Action for application Numbers with no input
  2. Drag the Run AppleScript action to the window
  3. Delete the default text
  4. Paste in the script
  5. Save


The only thing I can think of offhand is maybe you need an "activate" in your script to make sure Numbers is the active app. Most of my scripts don't require that unless I am doing GUI scripting or scripting keypresses. I'd think it would have been a problem for you in Script Editor, too, but I don't know.


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User profile for user: Badunit
Badunit
User level: Level 7
28,324 points

Aug 9, 2024 6:57 AM in response to Stvylife

For me it has always been a 1:1 transfer and it all works the same in the end. I don't usually run/test mine in Automator, though. I figure it ran in Script Editor so no need to test it again. Next time I run it will be from the Services menu or with a keyboard shortcut I assign to it.


  1. New Quick Action for application Numbers with no input
  2. Drag the Run AppleScript action to the window
  3. Delete the default text
  4. Paste in the script
  5. Save


The only thing I can think of offhand is maybe you need an "activate" in your script to make sure Numbers is the active app. Most of my scripts don't require that unless I am doing GUI scripting or scripting keypresses. I'd think it would have been a problem for you in Script Editor, too, but I don't know.


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User profile for user: Stvylife
Stvylife Author
User level: Level 1
11 points

Aug 9, 2024 1:49 PM in response to Badunit

I see what you’re saying, but I don’t. I am not running Automator to test either; I am only using it to create a service, and of course one should run it once at least to make sure it works right? However, my error was not deleting the entire default text. I only inserted it between the default text, thinking it needed a shell of some sort. I fought it for days, making various adjustments to no avail.


Anyway, I replaced and ran it, and it worked this time.


Thanks for the pointers.


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Converting script editor to Automator (actually transferring)

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