PAST MEETINGS

January 5, 2015 - Hammondsport Mac Users Group

ATTENDING : Tom B, Gene N, Jerry L, Bob S, John M, Al J, Larry T, Andrea R, Susan W, Lucy W, Phil W, Nancy D, Ella D, Terry D, Carl H, Donna M and Don M.

 

TOPIC : AUTOMATION

Click to blow up Otto

 

Our first meeting of 2015 began with the announcement that the library's Internet connection was not working. So we had to revert to plan B which meant talking to each other and looking at books made of paper. Tom mentioned that the first medieval IT Help Desk may have faced similar challenges (see video - 2m37s).

After brief introductions of our group of 16, discussion and short demos of built-in Mac automation features followed.

AppleScript - short quick demo of how to write a simple script using AppleScript Editor (found in the Utilities) - follow this simple beginners guide to produce an automated message box

1

2

3

4

Services - automated scripts found under 'Services' in the right-click menu of any file - Apple has already supplied many possible tasks but you can add more if you wish - see some tutorials here.

Automator - uses a simple drag-and-drop process to create and run “automation recipes” that perform simple or complex tasks for you, when and where you need them - read more at Apple

Watch video tutorial from Gary at MacMost - how to create a Workflow to batch rename multiple files

Watch video tutorial from Gary at MacMost - how create an Application to duplicate, rename and scale images

Watch video tutorial from Gary at MacMost - how to use Automator in Yosemite to create commands that your Mac will react to using only your voice

Mac OSX Automation - hundreds of great Automation tutorials (not an Apple site) - very helpful step-by-step tutorials for specific tasks using AppleScript, Services and Automator - Example video tutorial: How to dictate/send message using Automator (30 secs)

 

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

COM - OPT - ESC - - - force-quit any application that is unresponsive
COM - CTRL - POWER (the famous 3-finger salute) - - - forces computer to re-start

TIME SAVER - renaming a file

1 Original file 2 Select file
3 Push 'Enter' Key 4 Type new name

 

WEATHER CHANGER

Don't like the forecast in your weather widget? Hold OPT-COM then click on icon for changes.



STARTUP KEY COMBOS (for Intel Macs) - helpful bootup key options for fixing, testing, troubleshooting

  • Press C during startup - - - Start up from a bootable CD, DVD, or USB thumb drive (such as OS X install media).
  • Press D during startup - - - Start up in Apple Hardware Test (AHT).
  • Press Option-Command-P-R until you hear startup sound a second time - - - Reset NVRAM (PRAM)
  • Press Option during startup - - - Start up in Startup Manager, where you can select an OS X volume or network volume to start from.
  • Press Eject, F12, or hold the mouse or trackpad button - - - Ejects any removable media, such as an optical disc.
  • Press N during startup - - - Attempt to start up from a compatible network server (NetBoot).
  • Press T during startup - - - Start up in Target Disk Mode.
  • Press Shift during startup - - - Start up in Safe Boot mode and temporarily disable login items.
  • Press Command-V during startup - - - Start up in Verbose mode.
  • Press Command-S during startup - - - Start up in Single-User mode.
  • Press Option-N during startup - - - Start from a NetBoot server using the default boot image.
  • Press Command-R during startup - - - Start from the OS X Recovery System1

 

IN THE NEWS

Japan bets revival on humanoid robots - read article

 

FREE APPS

Adblock Plus - free Add-on for Firefox or Safari to block annoying ads, flash, etc.

 

MONEY SAVER

iPhone 4s (with Verizon SIM card) - can now be set up for transfer of Tracfone cell phone number and unused minutes via Tracfone's BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) option - read good article here

 

Hammondsport Mac Users Group - Hammondsport, NY 14840 - www.hportmug.com