How to check in AppleScript if an app is running, without launching it - via osascript utility

Question

Consider the following AppleScript:

on is_running(appName)
    tell application \"System Events\" to (name of processes) contains appName
end is_running

set         


        

Answer 1

Some Info:

"Enhanced Application Object Model":

tell application "iTunes"
    if it is running then
      pause
    end if
end tell

You can also do it that way:

if application "iTunes" is running then
    tell application "iTunes" to quit
end if

You can also do this:

get name of application "iTunes"
get version of application "iTunes"

And to complete the journey:

get id of application "TextEdit" --> "com.apple.TextEdit"
tell application id "com.apple.TextEdit"
    make new document
end tell

That was the "Enhanced Application Object Model". If an app still launches (for example, the first time you compile & execute the script) I assume it is because AS has to get some info from the app which it did not found in the dictionary (or something like that...?).