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New Automator Book – Discovering Automator
Hanaan Rosenthal, author of [*Applescript: A comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on OS X*](http://www.applescriptbook.com/) has released a new book, [*Discovering Automator*](http://www.hanaan.com/automatorbook.htm).
*Discovering Automator* is also comprehensive, detailing the ins-and-outs of Automator: basic workflow construction, deployment, debugging and advanced topics such as creating shell scripts, Applescripts and plug-ins. The tone is direct and humorous, with screenshots and illustrations making for an easy and informative read.
*Discovering Automator* is available for $14.99 at [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2&path=ASIN/1419632051&tag=automatorworl-20&camp=1789&creative=9325). Your purchase allows you to download over 80 free actions for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, being the largest independent collection of Automator actions ever released (many readers of Automator World have asked for MS Office actions, and these alone are worth the purchase price).
New York Region AppleScript Pro Sessions
AppleScript Pro Sessions have announced three special guest speakers for the
May 8-12 event in Secaucus, New Jersey. Late Night Software
developer Mark Alldritt will be joining the group remotely for a
demonstration of new features in Script
Debugger 4. Gary Cosimini of Adobe Systems will be doing a presentation on InDesign Server (a fully scriptable product). And
AppleScript author Matt Neuburg will be returning to cover Automator, and
creation applications and Automator actions in AppleScript Studio. Fewer
than five seats are still available for the conference, so prompt
registration is encouraged. For more details, e-mail Ray Robertson at aspro@scriptingmatters.com, or visit the AppleScript Pro
Sessions website at http://www.scriptingmatters.com/aspro.
Griffin Technology’s Proxi
[Griffin Technology](http://www.griffintechnology.com/) has released a public beta of [Proxi](http://proxi.griffintechnology.com/), an application that "simplifies complicated tasks by acting as an intermediary between various parts of your system, even your network." Sound familiar? More »
Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 Automates
[Apple](http://www.apple.com) has released [Apple Remote Desktop](http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/) (ARD) 3.0. This major update features a slew of [improvements](http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/newfeatures.html#automation), including remote spotlight search, file drag-drop and copy/paste (finally!) and of course Universal Binary for Macintel goodness. Oh, and it also sports "more than 30 Automator actions."
**Update**: Apple posted a [page](http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/automation.html) detailing the Automator actions in ARD 3.0. There are also supplements at [Automator.us](http://www.automator.us/ard/).
OS X 10.4.6 Update
Apple has released [OS X 10.4.6](http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303411). This update *"resolves potential issues with several iPhoto Automator actions, such as Import Photos into iPhoto,"* and *"EXIF data is now exported with TIFF images in Aperture."*
Automator Adopts New Mascot
Internal builds of [OS X 10.5](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_v10.5) indicate Apple is quietly rolling out a new "mascot" for Automator. Automator 2.0 is dropping the beloved [*Otto*](http://www.thisisjeffwong.com/blog/?p=5) robot icon for that of [*The Terminator*](/wordpress/wp-images/terminator.png).
According to seed notes, this change is "to help Automator appeal to a broader audience," based on market research which indicates that "hardcore Mac scripters are more receptive to 'totalitarian futuristic [robot assassins](http://members.aol.com/wormpix/term.html) than cutesy little [Twiki-looking](http://www.buck-rogers.com/film_and_series/gallery/images/cast/buck_twiki01.jpg) things.'" OS X 10.5 is due by the end of 2006.
Interarchy 8.0 Apes Automator
[Interarchy](http://www.interarchy.com), a long-time favorite Mac FTP/SFTP client, has just been updated to [version 8.0](http://www.interarchy.com/main/features), sporting [three](http://www.interarchy.com/documentation/8/reference.html#ref_automator) Automator actions: *List URLs, Download URLs* and *Upload Files*. It also appears to hold the honor of being the first 3rd party application to [mimic](http://www.interarchy.com/documentation/8/tour) the Automator interface (with less bugginess, one hopes.) (Via [Daring Fireball](http://daringfireball.net/).)
Sound Studio 3.0.3 Released
Freeverse has released Sound Studio 3.0.3, which includes nine Automator actions: Amplify, Compress Dynamics, Expand Dynamics, Get Sound Studio Document, Normalize, Open Files With Sound Studio, Save Sound Studio Documents, Sound Studio and Split By Markers. Sound Studio was one of the first really good audio apps for OS X, considered by many the spiritual successor to the great Sound Edit 16.
Set a Course for Adventure…
[Geek Cruises](http://www.GeekCruises.com/) has announced that [MacMania V](http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/index/macmania_5_to_set_sale_oct_28) is set to sail on October 28th through November 4th. Along with a host of other [seminars](http://www.geekcruises.com/seminar_b/mm05_seminar.html), Rob Griffiths will be presenting ["Working with Automator"](http://www.geekcruises.com/seminar_b/mm05_seminar.html#07). So if you're looking to justify an exotic South American cruise to your boss, [reserve a berth](http://www.geekcruises.com/booking_b/mm05_booking.html) today.
Automator at the Olympics
A [number](http://fuzzmartin.com/2006/02/24/851/) of blogs have [reported](http://www.dvguru.com/2006/03/04/apple-pro-stories-the-olympics/) on the use of Apple technology at the recently completed 2006 Torino Winter Olympics. New York Times photographer [Vincent Laforet](http://www.vincentlaforet.com/) is featured in a Pro/Photo [profile](http://www.apple.com/pro/photo/laforet/index2.html), which details how Automator played a part:
More »
iMagine Photo Turns Universal
[Yarra Valley Software](http://www.yvs.eu.com/imagine.html) has released [iMagine Photo 2.1.4](http://www.yvs.eu.com/imagine.html), a Universal Binary update to their Applescript imaging environment. This update bundles the previously separately available Automator actions, and sports a number of bug fixes. iMagine Photo is a [free download](http://www.yvs.eu.com/downloading.html).
Applescript Pro Sessions Take Manhattan (well, nearby anyway)
For the first time ever, The [Applescript Pro Sessions](http://www.scriptingmatters.com/aspro) are coming to the New York Metro region, running May 8-12 in Secaucus, New Jersey at the Meadowlands Marriot Courtyard. As someone who spent years taking the bus from the Port Authority to the Meadowlands (Go [Devils](http://www.newjerseydevils.com/2005/html/home/site2005.html)!), I can tell you it's an easy and fast trip from Manhattan.
More »
Fetch is Universal
[Fetch Softworks](http://fetchsoftworks.com/) has released Fetch 5.1b1 ([download](http://getfetch.com/Fetch_5.1b1.dmg)), a public beta of their popular S/FTP software. Fetch 5.1b1 is compiled as [Universal Binary](http://developer.apple.com/transition/index.html) to support the [awkwardly named](http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/) Intel-based Macs. It also includes an extensive group of Automator Actions, including *Convert Fetch Item to URL, Delete Fetch Items, Download Fetch Items, Get Fetch Folder Contents* and *Upload Files*.
Macworld Automator Sessions
Ben Waldie, president of [Automated Workflows, LLC](http://www.automatedworkflows.com), and author of the [Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator](http://www.spiderworks.com/books/automator.php), will moderate several Automator-related sessions at [Macworld Conference and Expo 2006](http://www.macworldexpo.com/live/20) in San Francisco. More »
Automator Wins Eddy Award
For its annual [Eddy Awards](http://www.macworld.com/2005/12/features/2005eddysmain/index.php), Macworld has selected Automator as a [winner](http://www.macworld.com/2005/12/features/06eddy3/index.php?lsrc=mwrss) in its [Top Productivity Boosters](http://www.macworld.com/products/eddy05/Automator.php) category:
>"Apple’s Automator, built into OS X 10.4, puts AppleScripting power into the hands of users who feel weak-kneed at the thought of script-writing. A few relatively simple click-and-drag operations let you build your own commands; even better, you can turn these commands into programs that you can easily reuse or put on a pop-up menu in the Finder."