For the Finder:

Select Glob: Select files and folders using glob patterns. (Similar to Dan’s “Select Regular Expression” script.)
Open As: Open an explicitly-named duplicated of the selected file or folder.

For Yojimbo:

Bookmark in Yojimbo: One of many ways to enter bookmarks.
Backdate Yojimbo Items: Hack to change item creation/modification dates.
Export Comment Tags: Use tags as Spotlight comments for exported items.

For Pages:

Resize Graphics by Percent: I’m not entirely certain this isn’t already possible, but I couldn’t figure out how.

For GraphicConverter + Growl:

Global Info Window: Consult basic image information from other applications.

Basically I use FastScripts and AppleScript as a good cop/bad cop team to get that extra 10% out of my applications. If you’re curious about how you could use FastScripts, consider your own workflow. Are there any particularly cumbersome steps? You may be able to find (or write) a script that simplifies those steps, and FastScripts is a great way to run those scripts.

At first it’s easy to use it as an application launcher. Just create a folder called something like “open” in the Scripts folder and throw in a 2 line file like this:

#!/bin/sh
open /Applications/NetNewsWire.app

You don’t even have to make it executable. Or use Applescript. Or make an alias to NetNewsWire.app and throw that in there — no scripting required. Give it a shortcut and you’re good to go. You’ve got a launcher.

Then go out and find some scripts that you can use and throw them in there. Get used to using them, and maybe even try to figure out how they sort of work.

One day you’ll think of something you want to do. Maybe it’ll be real mundane, like a timer to remind you when that cup of tea is ready. You’ll think, “I can do that”, and you’ll write your first script. Other things you want to do will come to mind, and you slowly start learning how to create and modify existing scripts. Maybe one day that tea timer becomes a general purpose timer, and then later becomes an alarm clock to wake you up in the morning with iTunes.

Why? Because FastScripts is so simple. It’s magic lies in the scripts you throw in that folder, not in the complexity of the application. Those scripts are not hidden away, but are right out there in plain sight for you to diddle with and learn from, and you will.

Of particular note:
http://www.fromconcentratesoftware.com/Applescripts/#ExpandSnippet

It uses FastScripts to add basic snippet support a la TextMate to applications.

I replaced the standard scripts menu with FastScripts and I’ve loved it ever since.

N

User stories of real scripts give us (or me) a good start of learning scripting (by modifying what someone else wrote).

Or write a book on AppleScript and publish it, Daniel!

To further elaborate on how it differs from QuickSilver - basically it is dedicated to handling single gesture keyboard shortcuts. There is no modal UI. I believe you can also do this with QuickSilver but it’s not as straight-forward. With FastScripts you just plop items into your scripts folder and they’re “runnable” from the script menu. Cmd-select them to attach a keystroke, and you’re in business.

Working on the understanding that it “opens/runs things elegantly by keystroke” I would suggest installing it and trying it with a few scripts. There are some examples on my site:

http://www.red-sweater.com/AppleScript/

But you can also drop in documents (or an alias to a document) and attach a keyboard shortcut to them, etc.

System Level
* iTunes control - Prev (F9), Play/Stop (F10), Next (F11)
* Ping GrowlTunes (Cmd-F10) - Ping GrowlTunes to re-show the current playing track.

Finder
* New Named Folder (Cmd-Shift-N) - Will suggest a name for a new folder (based on the selection), then move all of the files to that new folder
* Rename Files (Cmd-Shift-R) - Open the selected files with R-name
* Move Files Up (Cmd-Shift-U) - Move the selected files to the parent folder.
* Move to Filename Folders - Move the selected files to folders based on a portion of the name.
* New Document (Cmd-Opt-N) - Create a new document of a type selected from a dialog. (Like a right click in windows.)
* View as Preview (Cmd-Shift-J) - Change to view by icon w/ large icons & show preview.
* Slideshow in GraphicConverter (Cmd-Shift-D) - View the current folder as a slideshow in GraphicConverter

Mail
* My Junk Command (Cmd-Shift-J) - Call my own junk mail command instead of the mail default

iTunes
* Rename Files (Cmd-Shift-R) - Rename the currently selected files (based on the tag data)
* Organize Files (Cmd-Shift-O) - Move the currently selected files (based on the tag data)

This is all I can come up with off the top of my head…and these are just ones with keyboard shortcuts. There are plenty of others that are just in the menu.

I have no idea how to use this app, even though I know it can do cool stuff.

I’ll be paying for Marsedit in a few days, so I guess I don’t mind spending a little extra for Fastscripts. I guess what I would like to see is a list of all the stuff you can do with fastscripts to compare to what I’m already doing. Doesn’t have to be a screencast for me (though that’s always cool), more of a list.