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Just wondering if I can convert a "watch me do" event in Automator to applescript and then edit the resulting code? I've got a recording of entering a query (i.e. Apple1) into Google, but I'd like the query to increase ++ for each loop of the recording, so the result is Apple1, then the next loop would be Apple2, Apple3, etc. I know increments are elementary in programming, but I'm just not sure how to do it using Automator and/or applescript. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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You can run AppleScript in Automator, but you can't edit an Automator action in AppleScript (unless that action was originally written in AppleScript and hasn't been saved as a compiled programme). – Mark Mar 21 at 9:40
Actually you can. After you run a "watch me do." you can select all the commands and paste them into a Applescript Doc. But in my opinion it is a waste of time in most cases because the code is normal GUI commands. I.e click this or that. – markhunte Mar 25 at 23:05

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote accepted

It may be simpler just doing it all in Applescript.

Example:

   set counter to 0
set theTerm to "apple"
repeat 4 times
    set counter to counter + 1
    open location "http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=" & theTerm & counter
end repeat

Running this code will have your browser open a new search for apple1 through 4

Update: Response to Comment request:

This example shows you how to search google images and randomise the search using different terms and numbers.

set theTerms to {"apple", "orange", "banana", "pear"}
set termCount to count of theTerms

set searchLoc to "http://images.google.com/search?hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=2171&bih=1062&q="

repeat 4 times
    set termRandNumber to random number from 1 to termCount
    set randomSuffixNumber to random number from 1 to 7000
    open location searchLoc & item termRandNumber of theTerms & randomSuffixNumber
end repeat
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wow that's brilliant and works perfectly. the only problem is that i've tried changing the address "google.co.uk"; to "images.google.com"; but it seems to want to load the former anyway. any idea how to get it to open the images section? thanks again amazingly helpful – Peter Mar 25 at 19:34
also, not to push it, but any way to randomize the prefix and number suffix? in other words, scroll through a variety of words, such as apple, orange, banana and choose one and pair it with a randomly generated number such as 0013, 6593, 45, 2, etc. etc. thanks again and sorry to ask so much – Peter Mar 25 at 19:36
Updated per your request. – markhunte Mar 25 at 23:27

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