If in AppleScript, I use the command:
"choose application"
I'll get a result of the form:
application "Finder" of machine "Barclay"

what I'd like to do is take this result and convert it to a reference to the Apple Video Player, but in order to do that I need to extract the machine name. How do I do this? Taking the result "as string" just returns "Finder"

[Paul Crawford]

Hi,

This is an interesting problem... Unfortunately, if even string coercion doesn't work, then there may not be a general way to parse the machine name from an application reference. If you haven't already done so, you could probably get a more definitive answer by posting this question at the MacScripter.net web site (which includes a BBS/Forum), or to one of the AppleScript mailing lists mentioned on the AppleScript Sourcebook's AppleScript Mailing Lists, News Groups, Etc. links page (e.g., Apple's own AppleScript-Users and AppleScript-Implementors, or via Dartmouth's MACSCRPT Hub).

An alternative method might be to use the ubiquitous Akua Sweets OSAX instead. This OSAX provides an extended 'the server processes' command that replaces the 'choose application' command; it can be configured to return a special 'Server Process' record instead of an application reference. Then, you could retrieve the machine name via the 'proc mac' property of the Server Process record. For example:-

Code:
set theApp to (item 1 of (the server processes with prompt "Please choose an application:" as Server Process))
get proc mac of theApp

Do let us know how things turn out.

Regards,

--Paul

[This message has been edited by Paul Crawford (edited 06-17-2000).]