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Example AppleScript and CocoaScript Scripts

Below you'll find examples on controlling Acorn from AppleScript and JavaScript.

How to Send JavaScript to Acorn

To tell Acorn to run JavaScript files you've got a couple of different options.

Automator

The first is via Automator, with the "Do JavaScript" action. Acorn will parse the JavaScript and then call your main() function, so it should be in the format as follows:

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function main() {
    acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
}

Acorn executable

You can call the Acorn executable directly using the full path to it. For instance, if Acorn lives in your /Applications folder, you can call it like so:

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/Applications/Acorn.app/Contents/MacOS/Acorn -js /path/to/MySampleOpenFile.js

Acorn will use the -js argument for the JavaScript file (-javascript is also acceptable, as is -jsa if you want Acorn to activate when opening the file);

Terminal

Next is with /usr/bin/osascript via the Terminal app and passing along JavaScript code via AppleScript:

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/usr/bin/osascript -e \
'tell app "Acorn" to do JavaScript "acorn.open(\"/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn\");"'

Or you can also pass in an absolute path to a JavaScript file:

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/usr/bin/osascript -e \
'tell app "Acorn" to do JavaScript "/path/to/MySampleOpenFile.js"'

For bonus points, you can create a simple shell script, which we've got at the bottom of this page.

Acorn's JavaScript Console

Acorn includes a JavaScript console you can open up from the Command Bar. Output to console.log() shows up here and you can also type in random JavaScript commands into it:

Open an image

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
end tell

JavaScript: 

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acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");

Open and save an image as another type

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn" to save as PNG in "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.png"
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.dataOfType("public.png").writeToFile("/tmp/MyImage.png")

Making a new image

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.makeDocumentWithSize(NSMakeSize(200, 100));

Resize the canvas

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    tell document 1
        resize canvas width 1000 height 1000 anchor position middle left
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.setCanvasSize_usingAnchor(NSMakeSize(1000, 1000), "top left");

Crop an image

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    **open** "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        -- crop to a rectangle, located at 100,100
        -- and with a width and height of 400
        **crop** rect {100, 100, 400, 400}
    end tell
end tell
JavaScript: 
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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.cropToRect(NSMakeRect(100, 100, 400, 400));

Resize an image, and then undo

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        resize image width 200
        activate
        undo
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.scaleImageToWidth(200);
acorn.activate();
doc.undo();

Change the resolution of an image

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        resize image resolution 144
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.setDpi(NSMakeSize(144, 144));

Find the name of the first layer

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        name of layer 1
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var name = doc.layers()[0].layerName();

Find the width and height of the image

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    set w to width of document 1
    set h to height of document 1
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var size = doc.canvasSize()
print("The size is: " + size.width + " x " + size.height);

Duplicating a document, resize it, and save it as a PNG

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    duplicate document 1 with properties {name:"New Document"}

    tell document "New Document"
        resize image width 200
        save as PNG in "tmp:foo.png"
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var newDoc = doc.duplicate()
newDoc.scaleImageToWidth(200)
newDoc.dataOfType("public.png").writeToFile("/tmp/foo.png")

Get all the names of the top level layers

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    set layerNames to ""
    repeat with l in layers in document 1
        set layerNames to (layerNames & name of l & ", ")
    end repeat
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
for (i = 0; i < doc.layers().count(); i++) {
    var layer = doc.layers()[i];
    print(layer.layerName());
}

Trim a document

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    trim document 1
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.trim();

Set the blend modes for a layer

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        set l to {pass through, color blend, color burn, color dodge, darken, destination atop, destination out, destination over, destination in, exclusion, hard light, hue, lighten, luminosity, multiply, normal, overlay, plus darker, plus lighter, saturation, screen, soft light, source atop, source in, source out, xor}
        repeat with loopVar in l
            set blend mode of layer 4 to loopVar
            delay 1
        end repeat
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.orderedDocuments()[0];
var layer = doc.layers()[1];

var blendModes = ["clear", "color blend", "color burn", "color dodge", "copy", "darken", "destination atop", "destination out", "destination over", "difference", "exclusion", "hard light", "hue", "lighten", "luminosity", "multiply", "normal", "overlay", "pass through", "plus darker", "plus lighter", "saturation", "screen", "soft light", "source atop", "source in", "source out", "xor"];

for (var idx in blendModes) {
    print(blendModes[idx]);
    layer.setBlendMode(blendModes[idx]);
}

Duplicating a layer

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        duplicate layer 1
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var layer = doc.layers()[0];
var newLayer = layer.duplicate();
// then do something with it.
newLayer.callFilterNamed("CIColorInvert");

Web Export

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        trim -- cut down on any extra whitespace
        web export in "tmp:foo.png" as PNG
        web export in "tmp:foo.jpeg" as JPEG quality 25
        web export in "tmp:foo.jp2" as JPEG 2000 quality 25
        web export in "tmp:foo.gif" as GIF
        undo -- undo our trim. Or we could just close the doc
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");

doc.trim() // cut down on any extra whitespace

doc.webExportWithOptions({'uti': 'public.png', 'file': '/tmp/foo.png'});
doc.webExportWithOptions({'uti': 'public.jpeg', 'quality': 25, 'file': '/tmp/foo.jpeg'});
doc.webExportWithOptions({'uti': 'public.jpeg-2000', 'quality': 25, 'progressive': true, 'file': '/tmp/foo.jp2'});
doc.webExportWithOptions({'uti': 'com.compuserve.gif', 'file': '/tmp/foo.gif'});
doc.undo(); // undo our trim. Or we could just close the doc

Copy Merged

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document "MyImage.acorn"
        copy merged
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.copyMerged()

How to tell if a document is already open or not

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    if exists document 1 then
        -- do whatever
    end if
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var docs = acorn.orderedDocuments();
if (docs.length() > 0) {
    // do whatever
}

Filling a layer

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-- choose a color
set aColor to choose color

tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1

        -- fill the current layer with our selected color
        fill with color aColor

        delay 1
        undo

        -- let's do it again, but by adding a 50% alpha to the color list, so it'll be transparent
        set aColor to aColor & (65535 * 0.5)

        fill with color aColor

    end tell
end tell

Flipping the canvas

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1

        flip canvas direction horizontal
        -- we could also say "vertical" here.
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.flipCanvasWithDirection("vertical");

Having fun with selections

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1
        select all
        delay 1
        deselect
        select rect {100, 100, 400, 400}
        invert selection
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.selectAll();
doc.deselect();
doc.selectFrame(NSMakeRect(100, 100, 400, 400));
doc.invertSelection();

Merge visible layers

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1
        merge visible layers
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.mergeVisibleLayers()

Setting a preference

In this example, we show how to set the registration name and number for our copy of Acorn.

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    set preference key "registrationName" value "August Mueller"
    set preference key "registrationNumber" value "FMAC20-XXXXXXXXX"
    quit
end tell

JavaScript: 

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acorn.setPreference_forKey("1", "drawMarchingAntsSelection");

Calling a filter

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1 to do filter name "CIColorInvert"
    tell document 1 to do filter name "New Image With Curved Drop Shadow"
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.orderedDocuments()[0];
var layer = doc.layers()[0];
doc.callFilterNamed("CIColorInvert");
doc.callFilterNamed("New Image With Curved Drop Shadow");

Selecting a layer

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var layer = doc.layers()[0];
doc.setSelectedLayer(layer);

Calling Auto Levels

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    tell document 1
        auto levels
    end tell
end tell

Target a specific layer with AppleScript:

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tell application "Acorn"
    tell document 1
        tell layer 2
            auto **levels**
        end tell
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.orderedDocuments()[0];
doc.autoLevels();

// or target a specific layer:
doc.undo();
var layer = doc.layers()[1];
layer.autoLevels()

Making an Oval Selection

AppleScript: 

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tell application "Acorn"
    open "srv:Users:gus:Pictures:MyImage.acorn"
    tell document 1
        deselect
        select oval rect {100, 100, 400, 600}
        --close without saving
    end tell
end tell

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
doc.deselect();
doc.selectOval(NSMakeRect(100, 100, 400, 400));

Add an image as a layer

JavaScript: 

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var doc = acorn.open("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/MyImage.acorn");
var layer = doc.layers()[0];
doc.setSelectedLayer(layer);

// 0 puts it at the bottom. 1 or higher would put it on top..
var newLayer = doc.baseGroup().insertLayerWithImagePath_atIndex("/Volumes/srv/Users/gus/Pictures/AnotherImage.png", 3)

Note For App Store Users.

If you've purchased Acorn from the Mac App Store, certain AppleScripts, Automator Actions, and JavaScript scripts may not work for you because of sandboxing restrictions required by Apple. The direct version of Acorn does not have these issues.

Sample Shell Script to Send JavaScript to Acorn

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#!/bin/bash

get_abs_filename() {
  # $1 : relative filename
  echo "$(cd "$(dirname "$1")" && pwd)/$(basename "$1")"
}

for var in "$@"
do
    myabsfile=$(get_abs_filename "$var")
    echo tell application \"Acorn\" to do JavaScript \"$myabsfile\" | osascript
done