automating
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ArenaNet ceases Guild Wars 1 live development, automates game
Guild Wars 1 has seen the end of an era of live development today, as ArenaNet stated that it is switching the game over to automation. The studio said that players should not expect any further content other than the systems being put into place to keep the game running on auto-pilot for the foreseeable future. "Over time, our focus has shifted to updates that not only help maintain Guild Wars but help the game maintain itself," ArenaNet posted. "With this focus in mind, we'll no longer be releasing any new content for the live game except in support of automation. Our goal is to get the game to a place where it can continue to run and be available to all of our fans. We have a lot of love for Guild Wars -- it's the game that made us what we are today -- and we want to continue sharing it with everyone!" Tournaments, events, and birthday prizes will be moved over to automation during this transition. The studio said that automating the game will keep it running longer and that it will keep a live team on Guild Wars to handle critical fixes and troubleshooting.
NetworkLocation - change settings based on your network
NetworkLocation is a handy utility that allows you to create templates of actions and settings based on (you guessed it) your network location. Like WiLMa and Location X before it, NetworkLocation can set up batches of settings to apply, apps to open and scripts to run, and keep them all accessible at the click of a mouse. It comes with preset actions, such as loading a specific iTunes playlist, setting system volume and connecting to a server, but it can also run AppleScripts, leaving the possibilities wide open. NetworkLocation does all this with a very slick and flashy UI; in fact, it might be too over-the-top for those who just want to get at the meat of automating their system. In fact, the UI is so glammed up that John Gruber had a hard time figuring out how to quit the app. Here's a tip if you're in the same boat, as there are two ways to do it: click on its menubar item, then click on the timer in the window that pops up, and then click the power button that slides out. You can also simply use cmd-q when that timer window comes in to focus. See what I mean about a funky UI?Getting back to this concept of automating all forms of system settings - it's a great one, and I was first turned on to it by Location X (recently Universal-ized), which is still my favorite primarily because it handles all these tasks automatically in the background, based on which network(s) you connect to. There's no need to pop up a window and chose a location - you simply set up your batches of settings, and it gracefully performs your tasks automatically as you move between your home, work and favorite coffee shop's network.But I digress (again) - this is a post about NetworkLocation, as it looks like a capable (though flashy) approach to network-based Mac automation. A demo is available, and a license costs $15.
Script to start iSync, sync devices, then quit
This Synchronize with iSync, Then Quit script is yet another one of those handy utilities that is so obvious it makes me say "geeze, Apple really should have done this themselves." Then I realize I'm talking to myself out loud, but I don't have enough money for therapy.Moving along, this script is another great one-trick pony for all you iSync users with phones and PDAs that you keep in tune with OS X. When run, the script automatically starts iSync and then quits it once all the magic is finished.One word of caution: Fraser Speirs, who created this and other goodies like the Flickr Export iPhoto plugin, has a couple of specific build instructions to follow to make this script work properly. As a final tip: Fraser also recommends (and I agree) that if you're a Quicksilver user, this is a great script to tie to a trigger for hotkey-enabled goodness.
Getting started with Folder Actions
I'm finding myself spending more and more time at Apple.com/pro, as there are some truly useful tips for getting things done in OS X. Take this tip for example, that C.K. just sent my way: Adding Automation Through Folder Actions. Y'know those Enable/Configure Folder Actions options that show up any time you right-click (ctrl-click) a folder? Well, this tutorial will help explain what those are about by getting you started with setting up a simple action that notifies you when a file has been placed in a folder. Handy for a workplace environment where coworkers are placing items in your shared Drop Box. If I remember right, you can also attach applescripts and even Automator Actions you create or download as folder actions as well, which can really open up the doors for simple folder-based automation. Check out the brief tutorial to get your feet wet with the (geeky) goodness of automating OS X.
