Automatically Mac ~ teknologi

Posted on Fri - January 6, 2006

Automatically Mac

One of the things that I used to have Domo iMac and Kvasir Powerbook do was SETI@Home. This was a project using distributed computing to analyze radio telescope signals to look for intelligent life "out there." Well, the SETI@Home project has long since run out of funding and is being folded into a distributed computing project called Berkley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing. It's still a good idea, but I hate their Mac client. So until I get things working to my satisfaction again, I need to automate my computer so it is not on all the time.

I understand that this is actually fairly easy with Mac OS 10.4, but I haven't installed that yet (long story dealing with open revolt by my sinuses).

First I had installed the latest version of iDo Script Scheduler. This is a handy little program I had used for years, it lets you monitor system events and run Applescripts either at certain times or in response to something like the system being idle or a hot key being pressed. One caveat with this program, since I sign out and sign back in to my "working account" after my file transfer, it keeps wanting to reinstall part of itself every time I use it. I'm going to try to reinstall the entire program, but I haven't done it yet.

Here are some Applescripts I use with iDo Script Scheduler.

tell application "Finder"

if process "iChat" exists then

tell application "iChat"

quit

end tell

end if

end tell

I use a similar one for Mail, and then set each to go off after so many minutes of inactivity.

This one I use shortly after I get up.

tell application "Finder"

open file "Applications:Mail"

open file "Applications:Safari"

tell application "Safari"

open location "http://www.weather.com/weather/local/94118?lswe=94118&lwsa=WeatherLocalUndeclared"

open location "http://my.yahoo.com/"

open location "http://www.excite.com/"

end tell

open file "Applications:iChat"

end tell

In case you are wondering, that is not my ZIP code there, that is San Francisco. Otherwise this script is identical to mine. I have Safari set to tabs, so this gives me my home page, weather, cable television schedule, and satellite television schedule. I also use Shift-F13 to execute this script.

I use this script to put MaCei to sleep after so many minutes of inactivity,

tell application "Finder" to sleep

Sleeping was the easy part, waking up is the hard one. Applescripts don't run while the computer is asleep. For that I turned to Power Manager from Dragon Systems Software. I only need an automated wake up five days a week (although I may start one with an automated backup proceedure later). I may be able to automate this in 10.4, so I am going to hold off buying it for a bit

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