UGN InfoManager

Ben Waldie, president of Automated Workflows, and author of the Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator, will moderate several Automator-related sessions at Macworld Conference and Expo 2006 in San Francisco. Sessions to be held include the following:

Putting Automator to Work

This session will be held on Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 from 4:15 PM - 5:30 PM. This session will be part of the User Conference track.

With the release of Mac OS X Tiger, users have more reason than ever before to begin automating time consuming and repetitive tasks. There are amazing possibilities with the introduction of Automator, the unique new technology that brings the power of automation to the user level, with no programming required.

This session will provide an introduction to the Automator application, and discuss its features and benefits. In addition, we will walk through the process of constructing Automator workflows that interact with popular applications such as iPhoto, Mail, Photoshop, and more! Any user looking to reduce time consuming and repetitive tasks, leaving more time for creativity will not want to miss this session.

Automator Birds-of-a-Feather Gathering

This session will be held on Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. Birds-of-a-Feather gatherings are informal discussion groups open to all conference and expo attendees.

The release of Mac OS X Tiger has introduced the world to Automator, the latest and greatest personal automation assistant on the Mac. Its slick interface and ease of use allow Automator to bring the true power of workflow automation to the user level. With hundreds of default actions, and more available from third-party developers, Automator is quickly becoming the tool of choice for automating time consuming and repetitive daily tasks. Join Ben Waldie, author of the Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator, for this Automator birds-of-a- feather gathering. Attendees are encouraged to bring along their questions, tips, tricks, and techniques for using Automator and/or developing for Automator.

Pointers for Presenting AppleScript and Automator to Macintosh User Groups

This session will be held in the User Group Lounge on Tuesday, January 10th, 2006 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM. This session will be opened to all Macintosh User Group members and leaders.

Many Macintosh users have heard of AppleScript and Automator, however, few are actually using these important automation tools. By putting these technologies to work, users can spend less time performing time consuming and repetitive tasks, leaving them more time to enjoy their Mac. This session will provide Macintosh user group members with an opportunity to ask questions about AppleScript and Automator, and to see how both of these technologies can be put into action in the everyday workflows of virtually every Macintosh user. This session will also provide pointers for how to present these topics at user group meetings.

Ben Waldie is president of Automated Workflows, LLC, a company offering AppleScript, Automator, and workflow automation consulting to Mac-based businesses. Ben has developed custom automated solutions for businesses across the globe, including Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, NASA, PC World, and TV Guide Magazine.

Ben is a regular AppleScript columnist for MacTech Magazine and X-Ray Magazine, and is the author of "AppleScripting the Finder" and "Mac OS X Technology Guide to Automator", which are both available from SpiderWorks, LLC. Ben is a frequent presenter at Macworld Expo and other events, and presents to many Mac user groups on topics including AppleScript and Automator. He is a contributing editor on MacScripter.net, and president of The Philadelphia Area AppleScript Users Group. Ben has also taught custom AppleScript training classes, and has authored an introductory AppleScript training CD for The Virtual Training Company.

For additional information, please visit the Automated Workflows, LLC's website (www.automatedworkflows.com ).

READING LIST:
AppleScript: A Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X; by Hanaan Rosenthal
Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Tiger Ed; by David Pogue
Automator for Mac OS X Tiger: Visual QuickStart Guide; by Ethan Wilde
Apple Training Series : Mac OS X Server Essentials; by Schoun Regan
Hacking Mac OS X Tiger : Serious Hacks, Mods and Customizations; by Scott Knaster