Language Guide

CHAPTER 4
Commands
Command Definitions 103
Launch application command4
If an application is not already running, sending it a Launch command
launches it without sending a Run command. (If the application is already
running, the Launch command has no effect.) This allows an application
to open without performing its usual startup procedures, such as opening a
new window or, in the case of a script application, running the script.
SYNTAX
launch [ referenceToApplication ]
PARAMETER
referenceToApplication
A reference of the form application nameString (see “Notes”).
This parameter is optional if the Launch command is used
within an appropriate Tell statement.
Class: Reference
RESULT
None
EXAMPLES
launch application "Scriptable Text Editor"
tell application "Scriptable Text Editor"
launch
end tell
NOTES
To specify the name (nameString) of an application to launch, use a string of the
form "Disk:Folder1:Folder2:...:ApplicationName"; for details, see “References
to Applications,” which begins on page 146. You can also specify a string with
only an application name ("ApplicationName"). In this case, AppleScript attempts
to find the application in the current directory.