Often overlooked in Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") are the dramatic updates to AppleScript, specifically the new AppleScript/Objective-C support for the creation of AppleScript applications and applets.

Starting with Snow Leopard, AppleScript can now call any of the Cocoa routines and methods directly in application scripts, providing access to the full of the power of the Cocoa frameworks. In addition, AppleScript applications now fully integrate all Cocoa interface elements using outlets and actions, or Cocoa bindings, that link directly to AppleScript properties and handlers.

Adoption of ASOC (AppleScript/Objective-C) has been constrained by the lack of good documentation -- until now. AppleScript expert Shane Stanley, has written AppleScriptObjC Explored, an in-depth guide to creating AppleScript Objective-C applications. The guide includes both thorough documentation (in PDF format) and numerous example Xcode projects. For more info go to http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript/apps .