One of the lesser known little features in OS X Yosemite is the new ability to use JavaScript for automating tasks with AppleScript. This is an awesome way to extend your AppleScript automation, but it's not super-easy to learn. MacStories has a starter guide to get you going.

AppleScript is an easy way to automate just about anything on your Mac -- and that includes Apple's own productivity suite, iWork. iWork Automation is a site that shows you how to make the most of that AppleScript support.

Mac: If you ever want to pull your location data off your Mac and drop it into an iMessage, note or journal entry, it will be a pain to find. However, with a little AppleScript magic, you can grab your location and instantly turn it into a TextExpander snippet.

Mac: Mountain Lion's new "Do Not Disturb" feature for Notification Center is lets you shut down notifications for a specified amount of time, but you can't set it to a schedule. Apple blog TUAW shows how to use Automator to tie Do Not Disturb to your calendar.

Mac: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a great way to browse the web securely, and Mac OS X has a VPN option built in. The problem is that it doesn't always automatically connect when you boot up your computer or after it disconnects. A simple Applescript over on Stack Exchange solves this problem.

In Mac OS X Lion, Apple decided to hide the Library folder where most of your configuration and cache files are located. This is fine for most people, but for those of us who like to tinker, it's a bit annoying. Developer Daniel Jalkut wanted an automated way to automatically show the Library folder at login, so he put together a simple Applescript.

Mac: Apple's Photo Stream service for iCloud is a great way to keep your photos on your iPhone in sync with your computer, but it requires you use the newest version of iPhoto. Macworld forum member DJF3 came up with a script to automate the process and skip over iPhoto.

Macs have some great built-in keyboard shortcuts, but if you want to create custom or global shortcuts that perform more complicated tasks, you'll need to do a little extra legwork. Here's how to turn virtually any action into a keyboard shortcut.

If you're a dual booter and you want a quick and easy way to reboot from OS X into Windows, this AppleScript coupled with the magic of Quicksilver will do so with just a few keystrokes.

File syncing tool Dropbox is one of our favourite tools for sharing files over the internet. Instead of opening your browser to find the public link to a file, though, you can copy it to your clipboard instantaneously with a Quicksilver action.

Mac OS X only: Reader Talha writes in with an update to yesterday's productivity script—now Mac users also have a reminder that asks every so often whether you are spending your time wisely.

All things Mac web site Macworld details how to set your instant message privacy status on a schedule to help you stay productive during your busy times. Unfortunately there are no IM clients that allow for privacy scheduling, so the article details how to adjust your privacy settings on a schedule using AppleScript. The script, which works with the popular Adium instant messaging client, focuses on the privacy settings, but you could just as easily tweak the script to change your status on a schedule as well. Whatever your preference, scheduling your visibility and status in your IM client could make a huge difference in your productivity and help cut down significantly on interruptions.

AppleScript and chat privacy

Blogger Jeff Kelley prefers his windows take up specific areas of his screen, regardless of the monitor he's plugged his MacBook Pro into. His solution? An AppleScript that determines his screen size and arranges his windows appropriately. Whenever he wants to rearrange his desktop to those specifications, he just runs the script. Geek factor aside, the script can be easily modified to maximise your screen real estate to fit your tastes. Windows users have apps like WinSplit Revolution and Sizer, but if you've been looking for similar functionality for your Mac, Jeff's script is a good starting point. Resize Your Windows Automatically for Different Resolutions

The Murphy Mac weblog steps through how to retrieve any file on your Mac using a simple AppleScript in conjunction with Mail.app. When you've finished configuring the script, you can send an email to your home computer with a keyword subject and the full path to the file you forgot—say your homework or that big Keynote presentation—and the script will automatically email the file to you. Of course there are tonnes of other ways you could go about accessing your home files remotely, but Murphy Mac's slick solution is a good option to add to the list. Retrieve a Remote File - by Email