Dr. Mac's OS X Tip-of-the-Day  

Here's a great tip submitted by a patient named Tom, who calls it the world's simplest useful AppleScript. It's easy enough for anyone to do, and is quite useful if you use Classic.

Here's how it goes:

Unless you have a Classic application running, you cannot access the OS 9 menu bar or Apple Menu easily from OS X. You have to launch some OS 9 app just to get the menu bar and Apple Menu to become visible.

I've created a very simple AppleScript that allows me access to the Mac OS 9 menu bar with just a click on the Dock. This allows me to use all those useful OS 9 only utilities that park in the menu bar and allows me to use the old Apple Menu to access OS 9 utilities, just as if I was running in OS 9.

I've named the script, Classic Menu Bar, but you can save it with whatever name you like. When launched, it just sits in the menu bar waiting for me to click on it to access all the old OS 9 goodies.

I use the *OS 9* Script Editor to save the script as an Application with the Stay Open and Never Show Startup Screen options checked. That ensures the script is an OS 9 script, runs with the minimum fuss and is always available in the Dock as long as Classic is running. Or put the script in the Dock and it will launch Classic as needed.

So what's the source code for this very useful script. Nothing! Just save an empty script. Click on the Classic Menu Bar item in the Dock any time you want access to the OS 9 menu bar and Apple Menu.

So, is that the simplest AppleScript that still does a very useful function?

Yup. It sure is. I don't use Classic much anymore so I rarely think of good Classic tips myself. So thanks for this one, Tom. It's cool.

To discuss this tip (or anything you like) in Dr. Mac's OSXFAQ Forum, click here:

Bob LeVitus is a leading authority on Mac OS and the author of 38 books, including Mac OS X For Dummies and The Little iTunes Book