Fetch Help > What's New > AppleScript Changes
The AppleScript dictionary in Fetch 5.3 has been updated to accommodate new features and changes in the user interface. Where possible, Fetch 5.3 supports both the old and new terminology so that old scripts will still work with Fetch 5.3, but your scripts may need updating. To assist you, below is a summary of the changes.
See the Scripting help topic for more general information about using AppleScript with Fetch, and see the AppleScript dictionary for more details on the syntax for these terms.
Changes in Fetch 5.3
Changes in Fetch 5.2
Changes in Fetch 5.1
Changes in Fetch 5
New properties
allow automatic decoding (of class Application) - When true, Fetch will try to decode or expand files automatically on download, as specified by that kind of file's Automatically decode files like this checkbox in the info window. When false, downloaded files will never be automatically decoded or expanded by Fetch.
New constants
FTPS - A new constant for the protocol property of many classes. Specifies the FTP with TLS/SSL connection type. See the FTP with TLS/SSL help topic for more information.
TLS - A new constant for the authentication property of many classes and commands. Specifies the FTP with TLS/SSL connection type. See the FTP with TLS/SSL help topic for more information.
New commands
drop on - Handle the dropping of files on a droplet shortcut.
New properties
web url (of class remote item, class remote file, class remote folder, class url) - The web address (URL) that corresponds to the referenced item, if WebView has been set up for the server where the item resides. If WebView has not been set up for the server, you will get an error when trying to access this property.
New classes
recent connection - A class for referring to recent connections as listed in the Recent Connections menu; similar to the shortcut class.
transfer - A class for referring to a transfer, either an upload or a download of one or more items. Separate from the transfer window class, which refers to the window a transfer is taking place in. While the transfer window and transfer classes have some of the same properties, they also have properties unique to each class.
New commands
stop - Stop the transfer referred to by a transfer window or transfer.
New properties
The remote item, remote file, and remote folder classes gained many new properties. They are not all listed here; consult the AppleScript dictionary to see the complete list of properties now supported by these classes.
connected (of class transfer window) - Indicates whether a transfer window is currently connected.
home folder (of class transfer window) - The home folder of the account on the server a transfer window is connected to.
id (of class shortcut, class recent connection, and class transfer) - A unique ID that can be used to refer to the shortcut, recent connection, or transfer.
immediate return (of the open command and put into command) - Have the event immediately return a reference to an object of class transfer instead of waiting for a reply.
name extension (of class url, class remote item, class remote file, and class remote folder) - The file name extension of the item referenced.
properties (of class url, class shortcut, class remote item, class remote file, and class remote folder) - A record containing all the properties of the item.
port (of class transfer window, class shortcut, class remote item, class remote file, and class remote folder) - The port number of: the server a transfer window is connected to; the server referenced by a shortcut; or the server where an item resides.
protocol (of class transfer window, class shortcut, class remote item, class remote file, and class remote folder) - The protocol being used for a transfer window's connection; the protocol specified by a shortcut; or the protocol being used to access an item. In 5.1, the possible values for protocol are FTP or SFTP.
to file (of download command) - file specifies the folder where the downloaded items will be saved.
transfer percent done (of class transfer window and class transfer) - Percentage of the current item that has been transferred so far.
transfer rate (of class transfer window and class transfer) - The transfer rate for the transfer of the current item, in bytes per second.
transfer time remaining (of class transfer window and class transfer) - The estimated amount of time, in seconds, that remains until the transfer of the current item completes.
New results returned
The download command now returns a list of download files.
The put into command now returns a list of records, containing a list of the properties of the uploaded files.
New Automator actions
Fetch now includes a variety of Automator actions that may be of interest to AppleScript users. For more information, see the introduction to using Automator with Fetch and Automator actions help topics.
Renamed commands
Fetch 5 Fetch 5.1 list (in Interarchy Suite) interarchy list Changes to properties
elapsed transfer time (of class transfer window and class transfer) - Now returns the time in seconds, instead of 60ths of a second.
name (of class remote item, class remote file, class remote folder) - In these classes, the name property is now writable; previously it was read-only. In most other classes, the name property remains read-only.
Changes to results returned
The get information about command now returns a list of records. There is a record for each file or folder referred to by command, and each record contains many properties about that item. It used to return just a simple list containing the folder count, file count, byte count of the items you were getting information about.
New classes
media window - A class for referring to media windows that display images, movies, and sounds. This class has no properties beyond those inherited from the window class.
New commands
edit - Open a remote file (text or image) in a helper application for editing. See the Edit command help topic for more information.
view - Open a remote file (text or media) for viewing in Fetch. See the View command help topic for more information.
New properties
ask about unknown hosts (of class Application) - Ask whether Fetch should continue to connect (via SSH) to a host whose host key Fetch has not seen before. See SFTP: Ask before accepting unknown host keys in the Security Preferences help topic for more information.
automatically check for updates (of class Application) - When true, Fetch will periodically check to see if any updates for Fetch are available. See Automatically check for updates in the Miscellaneous Preferences help topic for more information.
permissions (of classes remote file, remote folder, remote item) - The octal UNIX-style permission code for a file or folder (such as 755).
preferred encoding (of class Application) - The preferred encoding and character set for displaying non-ASCII file and folder names. See the Character Encoding & Translation help topic for more information.
url (of class transfer window) - The URL that refers to the server and remote folder currently displayed in a transfer window.
New constants
by security - A new constant for the view order property of class fetch shortcuts window and class shortcut list window. Specifies that the shortcut list window is sorted by the type of security the connection uses.
SFTP - A new constant for the authentication property of many classes and commands. Specifies the SFTP connection type. See the SFTP help topic for more information.
Renamed classes
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 remote directory remote folder shortcut window fetch shortcuts window Renamed commands
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 edit (in Interarchy Suite) interarchy edit view file list view verbose file list Renamed properties
Of class Application :
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 add IC suffix add other suffix blink icon bounce icon in dock default upload binary format default upload format proxy userid proxy username text mode edit with transfers use text mode transfers for editing warn on cleartext to secure server warn on insecure password to Kerberos server Of class transfer window :
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 bytes transfered (sic) bytes transferred current directory current folder initial directory initial folder parent directory parent folder userid username Of class shortcut :
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 userid username Renamed constants
Constants for view order properties:
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 byName by name byDate by date bySize by size byNameWithCase by case sensitive name byHost by host byUserid by username byPath by path byKind by kind Constants for text line ending style property of class Application:
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 Mac style Mac Classic style UNIX style Mac OS X style Constants for background notification property of class Application:
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 Beep Notification Alert Sound Notification Sound Notification Custom Sound Notification Speak Notificaton (sic) Speak Notification Constant for various format properties:
Fetch 4 Fetch 5 Raw Data Binary Changes to properties
version (of class Application) - Now returns plain text instead of integer.
Removed classes
help window - The help window no longer exists in Fetch 5, having been superseded by the Apple Help-based help.
Removed properties
automatic defaults to text (of class Application) - Fetch 5's handling of download modes has changed significantly, making this property obsolete. See the Transfer Options help topic for more information.
default binary file type (of class Application) - Fetch 5's handing of file types has changed significantly, making this property obsolete. See the Transfer Options help topic for more information.
default binary file creator (of class Application) - Fetch 5's handing of file types has changed significantly, making this property obsolete. See the Transfer Options help topic for more information.
dont use navigation services (of class Application) - Fetch 5 (and Mac OS X) always use Navigation Services dialogs.
text files creator (of class Application) - Fetch 5's handing of file types has changed significantly, making this property obsolete. See the Transfer Options help topic for more information.
translate iso (of class Application) - The Translate ISO characters preference of Fetch 4 has been replaced by a more comprehensive character encoding preference in Fetch 5, which can be referenced using the preferred encoding property instead. See the Character Encoding & Translation help topic for more information.
use internet config (of class Application) - Since there is no longer an Internet Config control panel on Mac OS X, Fetch now reads settings from Internet Config but doesn't save changes back to it.
including text files (of class transfer window) - Fetch 5's handing of upload formats has changed and this property is obsolete. See the upload formats help topic for more information.
modification date (of class shortcut) - Fetch 5 no longer tracks the modification date of a shortcut.
size (of class shortcut) - Fetch 5 no longer explicitly tracks the size of a shortcut, although you can get the size of the objects referenced by a shortcut by using the get information about command.