endicia postage

blog/_posts/2013-01-28-scripting-endicia-to-purchase-postage.md

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+---
+title: Scripting Endicia to Purchase Postage
+layout: post
+tags: applescript endicia loopy
+description: Automating user interactions with AppleScript.
+code: https://gist.github.com/4660132
+---
+
+We currently use [Endicia for Mac][1] for postage processing at Loopy. We rarely use the UI since I've scripted most of
+it, but one annoyance had been to regularly open it up and add postage since it doesn't reload automatically. If we
+happen to forget, it ends up blocking things until we notice. I finally got around to scripting that, too.
+
+
+### Scripted
+
+In real life, whenever the balance gets too low it throws up an alert and you need to click through a few menus, select
+a purchase amount, and confirm the selection before the application will continue. Using [System Events][2], it can all
+be conveniently automated. Using [the script][4] I wrote, $500 can be purchased by running:
+
+{% highlight console %}
+$ osascript endicia-postage-purchase.applescript 500
+ok
+{% endhighlight %}
+
+With that step automated, it can be tied in with the `endiciatool` output -- whenever `<Balance />` drops below $30,
+automatically kick off the script to buy more postage.
+
+
+### Summary
+
+So now that's one less manual step everybody has to worry about, saving some time and hassle. If you happen to be new to
+[Endicia][3], you should check them out (and use the promotional code <code>599888</code>). Their software has been a
+valuable timesaver for us.
+
+
+ [1]: http://www.dymoendicia.com/segments/all-products/endicia-for-mac
+ [2]: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/applescript/conceptual/applescriptx/Concepts/as_related_apps.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40001570-1149074-BAJEIHJA
+ [3]: http://www.dymoendicia.com/
+ [4]: https://gist.github.com/4660132#file-endicia-purchase-postage-applescript