[typoon]

I'm not sure what to call it. I created a little script/workflow/application in Automator. I saved it as a application. It is designed to help Mac users for my company setup setup their mail settings easier. I was wondering this "app" that I created in Automator will only work in Tiger or will I be able to use it on Earlier versions like 10.3 as well? Does anyone know?

[ManOfSteal]

Good question, I assume the process will only work with Tiger; however, I'm sure the code of the script can be edited to work with previous versions possibly. Are you able to view the script code?

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Automator workflows (whether saved as a run-time application or not) will only work with Tiger.

[Millennium]

It's been my understanding that Automator uses AppleScript, and if that's the case then the scripts themselves should work in previous versions unless they use some other new Tiger feature. That said, it's possible that instead of using AppleScript, Automator might hook directly into OSA (Open Scripting Architecture; the set of hooks into the OS which AppleScript and other scripting languages use). If this is the case, then it's unlikely that such scripts would work in Tiger unless an interpreter were written.

Gorn, you mentioned workflows. I'm not familiar with Automator myself, so I'm a little confused; are these the files you actually run (what Automator outputs), or are they just files that you use to assemble the script (what Automator reads)? Is there even a difference between the two?

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Millennium-
Automator lingo is a bit confusing (thanks, Apple..) so let me try and clear it up a bit. Your first guess was correct.

Automator consists of two elements: Actions and Workflows. Actions are individual build blocks. They generally do just one thing; rename a file, print a file, scale an images, whatever. Actions can be comprised of Applescripts, but they can also be straight up Objective-C.

A Workflow is a series of Actions you link together to perform your task. Workflows can be saved three ways:
1) As an Automator document (a .workflow file)
2) A Plug-in (also .workflow), which makes them available as contextual menu items and
3) An Application

A Workflow .app is really just an executable version of a .workflow file; it can be used as a droplet, or double-clicked, or reopened in Automator to edit. In any case, everything is compiled, so getting back to the original question, there is no way an Automator workflow or action can be used pre 10.4.

This dev page explains this all a bit more clearly than I:
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/tiger/automator.html