Applescript+Bash: Script works in the Applescript editor but not using osascript

Question

I have this bash function that runs some Applescript. If I run the Applescript part in the Applescript Editor or in Textmate, it works fine, but on the command line, the function fails...

wtf() {
  osascript - <<EOF
  tell application "iTerm"
      tell current terminal
          launch session "Railscasts"
          tell the last session
              write text 'echo -ne "\\e]1;$account\\a"'
          end tell
      end tell
  end tell
EOF
}

And the error is:

190:191: syntax error: Expected expression but found unknown token. (-2741)

I know (think) that the problem is with the first bash escape sequence on this line:

write text 'echo -ne "\\e]1;$account\\a"'
                      ^

But I don't know why it fails... Any ideas on why this doesn't work please?

EDIT 1: I also tried this and it failed:

wtf() {
  osascript - <<EOF
  tell application "iTerm"
      tell current terminal
          launch session "Railscasts"
          tell the last session
              write text "echo -ne \\\"\\e]1;$account\\a\\\""
          end tell
      end tell
  end tell
EOF
}

Error message:

163:164: syntax error: Expected end of line but found unknown token. (-2741)

Peter Hosey · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-18 18:19:23Z

3

AppleScript doesn't support '…' for a string literal. You must use "…", and escape the inner pair of "…" with \.

Also, it looks like shells reduce backslash sequences in heredocs (!!!), so you need to add more backslashes on the existing backslashes:

"echo -ne \"\\\\e]1;$account\\\\a\""

edited Jul 18, 2013 at 18:19

answered Jul 18, 2013 at 17:39

Peter Hosey

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4 Comments

Robert Audi Over a year ago

I tried your solution, it failed with a different error message...Please see my edit.

chepner Over a year ago

I think "echo -ne \"\\e]1;$account\\a\"" is what you want.

Robert Audi Over a year ago

@chepner I also tried that, but I get yet again a different error: 163:164: syntax error: Expected “"” but found unknown token. (-2741)

Peter Hosey Over a year ago

@AzizLight: chepner's version is what I'd intended. There's some non-obvious behavior at work here (thanks, shells!), so I've posted the finished string literal in my answer.

Lri · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-19 05:47:53Z

1

You could also replace <<EOF with <<'EOF':

<<'END'
\$` are not interpreted
END

<<END
\$` are interpreted
END

Or just use single quotes:

osascript -e 'tell application "iTerm"
    --
end tell'

X=999 osascript -e 'on run argv
    item 1 of argv + system attribute "X"
end run' 888

answered Jul 19, 2013 at 5:47

Lri

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3 Comments

Peter Hosey Over a year ago

What's the significance of 888 at the end of the second example?

Lri Over a year ago

I just used 888 and 999 as examples on how to pass values to the script by adding an explicit run handler or by using environment variables.

Peter Hosey Over a year ago

Oh, I see—so when that script runs, argv will be {888} (or maybe {"888"}).

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