Script for Numbers

Question

Hi,
Struggling with Numbers.  I believe the solution lies in an applescript.  Unfortunately I'm not really familiar with applescript.  So, for me, it's like inventing the wheel.
What I would like is this : a table in which I enter a row of data (dates, names, codes, text, etc).  Then via a button or (preferably) a code I want this row to be copied, in another (secured) table an additional row opened and to be filled with this data.  Would be nice if the data in the first table could be cleared after that.  Not essential.  Is this possible with applescript?  If so, can someone give me something to get me started?
Thanks
Marcel

Answer 1

Hello
Here's the requested script.
Specify the destination folder's POSIX path in variable dst in _main(). Currently it is set to ~/Desktop/test. Note that ~ (tilde) notation for home directory is NOT supported in AppleScript. The pdf name is obtained from sheet 6's table 1's cell "C5". Note that : (colon) cannot be used in HFS file name and so it is replaced with . (period) here.
Tested with Numbers v2.0.5 under OSX 10.6.8.
Hope this may help,
H
PS. If you're using 10.9, it appears very complicated to enbale GUI scripting for applets or services due to its demanding kindergarten requirements.
cf.
http://macosxautomation.com/mavericks/guiscripting/index.html
_main()
on _main()
    set dst to (path to home folder)'s POSIX path & "Desktop/test" -- # POSIX path of destination directory (predefined)
    --set dst to (choose folder with prompt "Choose destination folder")'s POSIX path -- # or choose destination directory at run-time
    set p2d to (path to desktop)'s POSIX path -- POSIX path of desktop
    -- (1) save table as pdf on desktop
    tell application "Numbers"
        tell document 1
            tell sheet 6
                tell table 1
                    --set pdfname to (cell "C5"'s value as Unicode text) & ".pdf" -- [1]
                    set pdfname to my copy_as_text(cell "C5") & ".pdf" -- to get displayed value; # see [1]
                    set pdfname to my _gsub(pdfname, ":", ".") -- [2]
                    my select_table(it)
                    set pdfname_used to my save_selection_as_pdf(pdfname, {_replace:true})
                end tell
            end tell
        end tell
    end tell
    -- (2) move saved pdf to destination directory (replacing existing file)
    set pdfname_used_posix to _gsub(pdfname_used, "/", ":") -- [3]
    do shell script "mv -f " & (p2d & pdfname_used_posix)'s quoted form & " " & dst's quoted form
        [1] (cell's value) property can be different than displayed value and there's no (cell's displayed value) property;
            thus the only way to get cell's displayed value is to select the cell, perform copy, and get value from clipboard.
        [2] : (colon) is reserved in HFS path; here it is replaced with . (period).
        [3] / (solidus) is reserved in POSIX path; / in HFS path is to be represented by : (colon) in POSIX path.
end _main
on save_selection_as_pdf(pdfname, {_replace:_replace})
        string pdfname : output pdf file name (pdfname = "" denotes default name, e.g., "Untitled.pdf")
        boolean _replace : true to replace existing pdfname, false otherwise
        return string or boolean : pdf name actually saved in if operation is not canceled, false otherwise
        * pdf file is saved in ~/Desktop
        * pdf name actually saved in may be different than the given pdfname, e.g., : is replaced with - by Preview.app
        * return value is false iff _replace = false and pdfname already exists
    script o
        property _canceled : false
        property _preview_was_running : application "Preview" is running
        -- (1) copy current selection
        tell application "Numbers"
            my _keystroke(it, "c", {command down}, 0.2) -- copy current selection
        end tell
        -- (2) make new pdf document from clipboard in Preview.app
        tell application "Preview"
            my _keystroke(it, "n", {command down}, 0.2) -- new pdf document from clipboard
            my _keystroke(it, "s", {command down}, 0.2) -- save
        end tell
        -- (3) save front pdf document in Preview.app
        tell application "System Events"
            tell process "Preview"
                keystroke "d" using {command down} -- desktop
                tell (window 1 whose subrole = "AXStandardWindow")
                    tell sheet 1 -- save sheet
                        if pdfname ≠ "" then set text field 1's value to pdfname
                        set pdfname_used to text field 1's value
                        click button 1 -- Save
                        delay 0.1
                        repeat while exists
                            delay 0.2
                            tell sheet 1 -- alert sheet (already exists)
                                if exists then
                                    if _replace then
                                        click button 1 -- Replace
                                    else
                                        click button 2 -- Cancel
                                        set _canceled to true
                                    end if
                                end if
                            end tell
                            if _canceled then click button 2 -- Cancel
                        end repeat
                    end tell
                end tell
            end tell
        end tell
        -- (4) close or quit Preview.app
        tell application "Preview"
            if _preview_was_running then
                my _keystroke(it, "w", {command down}, 0.2) -- close
            else
                my _keystroke(it, "q", {command down}, 0.2) -- quit
            end if
            if _canceled then my _keystroke(it, space, {}, 0.2) -- don't save changes; # see [1]
        end tell
        -- (5) activate Numbers.app
        tell application "Numbers" to activate
        if not _canceled then
            return pdfname_used
        else
            return false
        end if
    end script
    tell o to run
        [1] this may not work as expected or even fail under 10.7 or later due to its auto-save behaviour.
end save_selection_as_pdf
on copy_as_text(_range)
        reference _range : target range
        return string : copied value of the range
        * this handler destroys the current contents of clipboard
        * this handler will change the current selection range to _range
    tell application "Numbers"
        set _table to (_range as record)'s every reference's item 1
        set _sheet to (_table as record)'s every reference's item 1
        my select_sheet(_sheet) -- [1]
        tell _table
            set selection range to _range
        end tell
        my _keystroke(it, "c", {command down}, 0.2)
    end tell
    the clipboard as Unicode text
        [1] this is required to swtich current sheet
end copy_as_text
on select_table(_table)
        reference _table : table object of Numbers
    tell application "Numbers"
        set _sheet to (_table as record)'s every reference's item 1
        my select_sheet(_sheet) -- [1]
        tell _table
            set selection range to cell 1
        end tell
        my _keystroke(it, return, {command down, control down}, 0.2)
    end tell
        [1] this is required to swtich current sheet
end select_table
on select_sheet(_sheet)
        reference _sheet : sheet object of Numbers
    set _name to _sheet's name
    tell application "System Events"
        tell process "Numbers"
            set frontmost to true
            tell (window 1 whose subrole = "AXStandardWindow")
                tell splitter group 1
                    tell splitter group 1
                        tell scroll area 1
                            tell outline 1
                                tell (row 1 whose group 1's static text 1's value = _name)
                                    set selected to true
                                end tell
                            end tell
                        end tell
                    end tell
                end tell
            end tell
        end tell
    end tell
end select_sheet
on _keystroke(_app, _key, _modifiers, _delay)
        reference _app : application reference
        string _key : character(s) to be keystroked [1]
        list _modifiers : list of modifier key to be pressed; enumerations are
                command down
                option down
                shift down
                control down
        number _delay : post-delay amount [sec]
        [1] Character must be present on the current keyboard layout. Otherwise, it is replaced by 'a'.
    tell _app to activate
    tell application "System Events"
        tell (process 1 whose bundle identifier = (_app's id))
            keystroke _key using _modifiers
        end tell
    end tell
    if _delay > 0 then delay _delay
end _keystroke
on _gsub(t, s, r)
        string t, s, r : source string, search string, replace string
        return string : every occurence of s being replaced by r in t
    return _join(r, _split(s, t))
end _gsub
on _split(d, t)
        string or list d : separator(s)
        string t : source string
        return list : t splitted by d
    local astid0, tt
    try
        set {astid0, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, {} & d}
        set tt to t's text items
        set AppleScript's text item delimiters to astid0
    on error errs number errn
        set AppleScript's text item delimiters to astid0
        error errs number errn
    end try
    return tt
end _split
on _join(d, tt)
        string d : separator
        list tt : source list
        return string : tt joined with d
    local astid0, t
    try
        set {astid0, AppleScript's text item delimiters} to {AppleScript's text item delimiters, {} & d}
        set t to "" & tt
        set AppleScript's text item delimiters to astid0
    on error errs number errn
        set AppleScript's text item delimiters to astid0
        error errs number errn
    end try
    return t
end _join