Using AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac

Closed Captioning with CaptionSync allows you to upload batches of files using our AST-Link droplet for Mac. AST-Link is a light-weight client-side application that allows you to drag-and-drop media files to the CaptionSync server. It provides a convenient method of uploading large batches of files. This tutorial shows you how to install and use AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac. 

Please note that this version is no longer available to be installed. If you're still using it, please upgrade to AST-Link G2.x for Mac.

Resources:

Tutorial

The AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac allows you to submit a group of submissions at the same time. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to quickly and easily upload large batches of files. This document will guide you through the steps to setting up and using AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac.

Installation:

1. Log into your CaptionSync account, click Settings -> Account Features, and select Enable my account for AST-Link from the Account Feature to Add drop-down menu. Finally, click Request Account Feature. You will receive an email updating you about the feature status. Note that if you can't see AST-Link on the "Account Feature to Add" drop-down menu, then it's already enabled.

2. Once you're notified that the feature is enabled, go back into your CaptionSync account, open the help page, and download the AST-Link for Mac installer.

3. Move the AST_AppleScript folder from Downloads (or wherever your web browser placed it) to your Desktop.

4. In the AST_AppleScript folder, open the ast_cs_install.sh file with Terminal (right-click and choose Open With…, then Other at the bottom of the pop-up menu, select All Applications, then choose Terminal which is in the Utilities folder under Applications). 

5. When the terminal window opens, follow the prompts to generate SSH keys. Note that your username is the ID you use when you log in:

Keep this terminal window open. You'll return to it later in this setup.

6. Once created, the public key needs to be saved to the CaptionSync server. Highlight the block of characters up in the Terminal window and copy the public key to your clipboard (Command+C).

7. In your CaptionSync account, select the Settings tab then choose the SSH Keys page in the left-hand navigation. Click Add Another Key and paste the key in the pane that appears (Command+V) with a note so you can identify it later. Click the Add Key button.

8. It takes a little while for the key to be configured on the server, so initially, the status is shown as Pending. After about 6 minutes, refresh this SSH Keys page and see a Ready status for the key.

9. With your key status of Ready, go back to the Terminal window and press Enter to commence the initial connection attempt.

10. If the IP is 64.18.192.23, type yes and then bye at the sftp> prompt. You can now close the Terminal window and quit Terminal.

*** Note that if AST-Link is not successful in connecting via the standard SSH port 22 (perhaps your IT is blocking connectivity via this port??), it will subsequently attempt to connect via the HTTPS port 443. If this is the case, you’ll need to note you’ve connected via port 443 if you collect results via SFTP (method 4 and 5).

11. Now drag the Drop to CaptionSync (non-rush) and the Drop to CaptionSync (RUSH) droplets from the AST_AppleScript folder onto your Desktop (or any other location you choose). Then drag the AST_AppleScript folder to Trash.

Checking the Settings:

Please ensure you have the right advanced settings selected on your CaptionSync account, as well as the type of submission before you make your request!

AST-Link will use the default submission type (if you have more than one enabled on your account). If you only have one submission type enabled, this menu item does not appear.

If you need to change the type of submission to Transcription Only or Production Transcript, do that before submitting any files via AST-Link, by clicking on the Caption/Transcribe tab, going to the Change Submission Type page and selecting the type from the drop-down menu. Finally, check the Save as Default box:

Next, check the Advanced Settings, under the Caption/Transcribe tab and select your options. Ensure you check the Save Settings as Default box, and click Apply Changes.

• If you need caption outputs:

• If you only need a transcript:

• If you need a Production Transcript:

 

We highly recommend you test these settings by doing at least one submission through the website interface to see if the results are what you expect, before submitting multiple files via AST-Link.

Purchase Order accounts:

For AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac, there is no mechanism to enter a Purchase Order value into AST-Link. If you have a Purchase Order account, a valid Purchase Order needs to be set before you make any requests. If there isn’t a default Purchase Order set, the most recent valid one will be used. If there aren’t any valid Purchase Orders, then the batch/submission will be rejected.
You can add and manage Purchase Orders under the Billing tab.

Submitting Files:

Now you’re ready to submit files to the CaptionSync server. Check this article if you're having problems running the AST-Link droplets.

1. You have two upload options for submitting files for captioning/transcription: Drop to CaptionSync (non-rush) which is for the default transcription turnaround you have selected on your CaptionSync account; and Drop to CaptionSync (RUSH), which is used for submissions requiring 1-Day Transcription (one business day). If you already have transcripts to submit, just use the regular Drop to CaptionSync (non-rush) droplet.

2. If you have associated text transcript to submit, please ensure they both have the same base name, e.g., money_hi.mov and money_hi.txt and are located in the same folder. If the droplet does not find the associated transcript, it will request transcription. See our CaptionSync Support Center article entitled Using Nicely Named Files for some further important things to think about.

3. With the Drop to CaptionSync icon visible on your Desktop, simply drag the media file(s) you wish to caption to this icon from either the Desktop or an open folder window. Note that if you're uploading the transcript files, the droplet will find them, so you only need to drag the media files.

Also note that if you drag a folder, instead of the files within a folder, the folder name will be used as a batch identifier. This will then allow you to receive a .zip file with all the results, emailed to you once all submissions are completed.
Note that the folder name must be less than 64 characters long.

4. A prompt will appear that will ask if you have notes to enter for the transcriber. Clicking Yes will open a window where you can enter notes to the transcriber such as proper names and speaker IDs.

Caution: Be sure to not close the application until the droplet icon disappears from your Dock. This is a bit of a blind process: no popup window will show you upload progress. Please be patient.

5. Please check the submission results in the Status of Submissions page, under the Caption/Transcribe tab, in your CaptionSync account, within about 10-20 minutes after the files have been uploaded. If you detect duplicates, or submissions with the wrong duration or settings, please cancel them immediately. 

If you want to submit consecutive batches with different settings, learn here how to do that correctly. 

If you would like to group your files into batches so all the results are zipped up together (for a particular course for example), simply dragging a folder containing the media files (and associated transcripts if you have them) to the droplet. Your Batch Identifier will be the name of the folder, and results will be emailed only when all the submissions for this batch are complete.

Retrieving Results:

There are a number of options for retrieving the results after your submissions have been processed:

1. Have each result emailed to you: If you did not use a Batch Identifier (i.e. you did not submit a folder of files), you can choose to be emailed with results for each submission. If you have made changes on the Settings -> Contact Settings page, in your CaptionSync account, just make sure the AST-Link/SSH Integration -> Submission Successful option is checked (it is by default).

2. Have the batch ZIP file emailed to you: If you submitted using a Batch Identifier (i.e. submitted a folder of files), you can receive an email of results when the entire batch is complete. If you have made changes on the Settings -> Contact Settings page, in your CaptionSync account, just make sure the AST-Link/SSH Integration -> Batch Submission Successful option is checked (it is by default).

If you choose to have the batch zipped and emailed, you may want to opt-out of emails for each result emailed to you. On the Settings -> Contact Settings page, in your CaptionSync account, simply uncheck the AST-Link/SSH Integration -> Submission Successful option. Also note that depending upon the size of attachments your email accepts, you may need to use method 4 or 5 below if the attachment is too large.

3. Retrieve results from the CaptionSync website: You can go to Caption/Transcribe -> Status of Submissions, or Caption/Transcribe -> Batch Status if you used a Batch Identifier, and download them directly from the website. You can always get to your result files in this manner whether they have a Batch Identifier or not.

If you have a large group of submissions, it is probably much more efficient to retrieve the results en-masse once the full group is completed. On the Settings -> Contact Settings page, in your CaptionSync account, you can uncheck the default settings whereby you receive an email for each submission. Then use one of two following methods to get your results:

4. Retrieve the results via graphical SFTP: If you are not comfortable with the Mac OS X command line (option 5 below), there are a number of graphical SFTP applications available for the Mac to retrieve your results. Discussed below, is how to use the University of Michigan’s free Fugu application. Once you follow their set-up instructions, simply enter:

• services.automaticsync.com into Connect to
• Your CaptionSync username into Username: (where testuser is below)
• 22 into Port: (If AST-Link needed to connect by port 443 instead enter 443 into “Port:”)

Then click the Connect button in the lower right. Once you connected, simply double click into the outgoing folder to see your results. 

5. Retrieve the results via SFTP command line: Retrieving your results via SFTP at the Mac OS X command line is a simple matter. First, start up Terminal (Applications —> Utilities —> Terminal from Finder), then simply type the commands below in bold (the example below assumes your username is myacct – substitute your CaptionSync username in place):

home% sftp myacct@services.automaticsync.com
Connecting to services.automaticsync.com...
sftp> cd outgoing
sftp> mget *
sftp> bye

*** If AST-Link needed to connect by port 443, use:
sftp -oPort=443 myacct@services.automaticsync.com

If you chose to use a Batch Identifier, then, rather than being getting individual results, you will be emailed (if you checked the Settings -> Contact Settings -> Batch -> Batch Complete option, in your CaptionSync account) when the entire batch is complete and receive one ZIP file with all the results – e.g. Lecture_Series_1.zip. You can also retrieve this ZIP file via SFTP:

home% sftp myacct@services.automaticsync.com
Connecting to services.automaticsync.com...
sftp> cd outgoing
sftp> get Lecture_Series_1.zip
sftp> bye

*** If AST-Link needed to connect by port 443, use:
sftp -oPort=443 myacct@services.automaticsync.com

Upgrading to Sierra:

With the release of macOS Sierra, Apple has updated its cipher requirements and moved away from DSA (SSH-DSS) keys to RSA keys. If you have AST-Link already installed and have upgraded to macOS Sierra, you will need to re-install the AST-Link AppleScript for the Mac to ensure an RSA key is created. First, download the latest version of the droplet from the help page, in your account. Then run the install.sh script, choosing the Overwrite options, and make sure you copy the Drop to CaptionSync (non-rush).app and Drop to CaptionSync (RUSH).app over your existing ones.

Once the keys are created, you'll need to add them to your CaptionSync account, like described above.