Why does Automator option "Output replaces selected text" fail to do anything?

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Level 1

31 points

Why does Automator option "Output replaces selected text" fail to do anything?

Why does Automator option "Output replaces selected text" fail to do anything? According to "http://macosxautomation.com/applescript/iwork/services-support.html" this flag is not yet implemented by Apple (they write, "NOTE: Numbers currently does not support writing workflow data back to the selection."). I can't make it work either. Why would Apple put a feature in, and put it into the Automator documentaiton, but not actually make it work? I desparately need this feature.

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Mar 28, 2014 4:59 PM

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Answer 1

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red_menace

Level 6

17,030 points

Mar 28, 2014 5:42 PM in response to MiniMe2

It's probably related to the scripting support that was all but removed from Numbers and is now being slowly added back in. The feature is a part of Automator, but since any given Automator action depends on the application that implements it, that other application would need to support the feature. You will just have to wait until Apple decides to add support for this. You have provided feedback, right?

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Answer 2

MiniMe2 Author

Level 1

31 points

Mar 28, 2014 7:51 PM in response to red_menace

I guess that helps me, you confirmed the problem. I presume that the same problem exists with the Applescript action for Automator. Sigh. Once it is implemented then it's likely I'll be back here to find a way to make it work for me. Basically I want to fetch data from a website (using the automator action that fetches text from a website, ("Get Text from Webapge") and then post the results into a cell or cells.

Can I ask a follow up question... does Excel for Mac OS X do what I need?

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