Create a file which when opens and writes a line in Terminal

Question

Is there any way to create a file which, when clicked, opens up Terminal and types in and executes a specified line? (eg: say hello world)

Answer 1

The simple, but completely fallible, approach is to just write a shell script. Save this to a file called mysay.sh:

#!/bin/sh
say hello world
say number five is alive

As long as you don't have XCode installed that should open up in Terminal when you double click on on it.

You can also do this with AppleScript and it's a little more durable since you don't have to worry if the default application for .sh files isn't Terminal:

tell application "Terminal"
  set currentTab to do script "/usr/bin/say hello world"
  do script "/usr/bin/say number five is alive" in currentTab
end tell
delay 5
tell application "Terminal" to quit

Save that as an Application from the AppleScript Editor and you can double click on it and your Mac will talk to you. You can wait and close the Terminal session afterwards with a little more AppleScript if you like.

Answer 2

What you are trying to do is write a "shell script" (in case you need to google it later on).

The first line of a shell script needs to specify what interpreter to use. In your case, use sh for the regular Bourne shell. You write this with what's called a 'shebang' like so:

#!/bin/sh

after this write whatever commands you want to run, in your case, say hello world. The shell interpreter will read this the same as if you had typed it in terminal.

In your case, your final file should be:

#!/bin/sh
say hello world

If you write this in TextEdit.app make sure you are saving in plain text mode (which is toggled through Cmd + Shift + T). You can choose to save with either the extension .command or .sh.

If you want to run it by double clicking I recommend the .command extension.

And that's it!

Possible error: if when running it you receive an error saying:

The file “[filename]” could not be executed because you do not have appropriate access privileges.

you need to give yourself execute permission. To do this run:

chmod u+x path/to/my/file

If you don't know what the file-path is just type:

chmod u+x

type a space, and drag the file into the window.

If you're curious, u+x means give user (owner) execution rights.

Answer 3

You can also do this with AppleScript as mentioned above, by Ian C. However, you can do the single command in fewer lines, and with a delay. Here is an AppleScript which will run the command, then wait 5 seconds, and then quit the terminal.

tell application "Terminal" to do script "say hello world"
delay 5
tell application "Terminal" to do script "logout"
tell application "Terminal" to quit

Just an alternate method, compared to @Ian C.'s way. You could also take Ian's .sh file, and rename it .command if you do have XCode, which will open it in Terminal, and do the same thing as the AppleScript, just without the delay. Hope this helps.