JavaScript OSA, (originally JavaScript for OSA, abbreviated as JSOSA), is a freeware inter-process communication scripting language for the Macintosh computer.

JavaScript OSA uses the "core language" of the Mozilla implementation of the JavaScript programming language, (see SpiderMonkey). The language is used as an alternative to the AppleScript language. Its use is unrelated to web browser-based scripting. It can be seen as having a similar function to Microsoft's JScript .NET language on Windows machines, although there is no interoperability between the two languages' system-level scripting.

Description

The language is identical to Mozilla's core language, with extensions added via a "Core" object and a "MacOS" object. The MacOS object has methods for obtaining objects that are bound to applications. This is done via the AppleEvent messaging system, a part of the Macintosh's Open Scripting Architecture.

The language was first released in 2001, and was bundled with Late Night Software's flagship product, Script Debugger. In May 2005, a new "alpha" version of the language was made available for testing. This improved second version of the language was bundled with version 4 of Script Debugger.

Apple has essentially abandoned its Open Scripting Architecture initiative, and never really gave much support to JavaScript OSA in the first place. This change is made apparent by Apple's having changed the name of their bundled Script Editor (necessary to compile OSA languages) back to its original name, "AppleScript Editor." The current version also makes it significantly more difficult to work with any language other than AppleScript.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• Late Night Software
• Current release version of JavaScript OSA
• An "alpha" release of JSOSA, version 2.0
• Hough, Richard (05/11/2001). "JavaScript and Mac OS". O'Reilly. http://oreilly.com/pub/a/javascript/2001/05/11/js_for_mac.html. Retrieved 2010-01-10.