http://qs321.pair.com?node_id=1216984

This perl code compiles and runs an apple mac app that decompiles and prints its own applescript source code:
perl -Mautodie -we '$app="ApplePerlQuine\@perlmonks.org.app";die"not a +pple mac"unless${^O}eq"darwin";open$f,"|-","osacompile -o $app";print +$f qq~set myPATH to path to me as string\nset myPATH to myPATH & "Con +tents:Resources:Scripts:main.scpt"\nset myPATH to do shell script"ech +o " & myPATH & " | tr : / | sed -E \x27s/Macintosh HD//\x27"\ndisplay + dialog (do shell script ("osadecompile " & myPATH)) with title "$app +" buttons {"Use Perl!"} default button 1\n~;close$f;system("open $app +")'

Easier to read:
perl -Mautodie -we '$app="ApplePerlQuine\@perlmonks.org.app";
die"not apple mac"unless${^O}eq"darwin";
open$f,"|-","osacompile -o $app";
print$f qq~

set myPATH to path to me as string\n
set myPATH to myPATH & "Contents:Resources:Scripts:main.scpt"\n
set myPATH to do shell script"echo " & myPATH & " | tr : / | sed -E \x27s/Macintosh HD//\x27"\n
display dialog (do shell script ("osadecompile " & myPATH)) with title "$app" buttons {"Use Perl!"} default button 1\n

~;
close$f;
system("open $app")'

Easier to understand:

1. Perl setup:
    
    perl -Mautodie -we '$app = "ApplePerlQuine\@perlmonks.org.app";
    die "not apple mac" unless ${^O} eq "darwin";
    
    
2. Open pipe to applescript compiler and print:
    
    open $f, "|-", "osacompile -o $app"; print$f qq~
    
    
3. Set applescript variable to the app path:
    
    set myPATH to path to me as string\n
    
    
4. Append path of compiled source (inside the app):
    
    set myPATH to myPATH & "Contents:Resources:Scripts:main.scpt"\n
    
    
5. Use shell to manipulate the path:
    
    set myPATH to do shell script"
    
    
6. Change applescript variable with tr and sed:
    
    echo " & myPATH & " | tr : / | sed -E \x27s/Macintosh HD//\x27"\n
    
    
7. Decompile app and display source code:
    
    display dialog (do shell script ("osadecompile " & myPATH)) with title "$app" buttons {"Use Perl!"} default button 1\n
    
    
8. Back to perl, end print, close pipe, open app:
    
    ~; close$f; system("open $app")'
    
    
Summary: lines 1-2 and 8 use perl to write the app with applescript in lines 3-7.

As a script:

#!/usr/bin/perl use strict; use warnings; use autodie; die "not apple mac" unless ${^O} eq "darwin"; my $app = "ApplePerlQuine\@perlmonks.org.app"; open my $f, "|-", "osacompile -o $app"; print $f qq~set myPATH to path to me as string set myPATH to myPATH & "Contents:Resources:Scripts:main.scpt" set myPATH to do shell script "echo " & myPATH & " | tr : / | sed -E \ +x27s/Macintosh HD//\x27" display dialog (do shell script ("osadecompile " & myPATH)) with title + "$app" buttons {"Use Perl!"} default button 1\n~; close $f; system("open $app");


This one prints itself entirely, including the perl:

perl -Mautodie -we '$app=qq(ApplePerlQuine\@perlmonks.org.app);die"not + apple mac"unless${^O}eq"darwin";open$f,qq(|-),qq(osacompile -o $app) +;print$f qq(set myPATH to path to me as string\nset myPATH to myPATH +& "Contents:Resources:Scripts:main.scpt"\nset myPATH to do shell scri +pt"echo " & myPATH & " | tr : / | sed -E \x27s/Macintosh HD//\x27"\nd +isplay dialog (\"perl -Mautodie -we \x27\x24app=qq(ApplePerlQuine\134 +\134\100perlmonks.org.app);\nopen\x24f,qq(|-),qq(osacompile -o \x24ap +p);\nprint\x24f qq\(\" & do shell script ("osadecompile " & myPATH)) +& "\);close\x24;system\(\x27\x27open \x24app\x27\x27\)" with title "$ +app" buttons {"Use Perl!"} default button 1\n\(* This is an ASCII rep +resentation of the Perl source used to make this app. It will not cut + and paste because of hex and octal tricks. See perlmonks.org/?node=1 +216984 for details. *\));close$f;system("open $app")'
STOP REINVENTING WHEELS, START BUILDING SPACE ROCKETS!CPAN