Passing user input to an AppleScript in Automator

I don't like how Automator throws that Ask for Text window elsewhere on the Desktop, so one can tell AppleScript to do this for you and capture given and surnames in one dialog. The key to this is using the words clause…

use scripting additions

on run {input, parameters}
	
	set {givenName, surName} to words of text returned of (display dialog "Enter name: " default answer "")
	display dialog "Given: " & givenName & return & "Surname: " & surName
	return input
end run

> seems to work for one input but I can’t get the two inputs from the two “Ask for text”.

Ask for text will always ask for a single text item. To get two variables you have to run it twice (or add some code to split the name into first and last name components).

If you have two ask for input actions, and two variables, the key to passing them to the AppleScript is to add the action:

Get Value of Variable

before the Run AppleScript action.

The value of the variable will be passed into the AppleScript's input where you can extract it for use in the script.

If you have multiple variables (e.g. your first name and last name variables), just add repeated Get Value of Variable actions and they'll be passed through in order:

Here, the Run AppleScript is preceded by two Get Value of Variable actions, so input is a list of two items which you can extract and use in the script.

Here's an entire workflow I used to test the method:

Ask for Text (require an answer)

Set Value of Variable (new variable -> first_name)

Ask for Text (require an answer, ignore this action's input)

Set Value of Variable (new variable -> last_name)

Get Value of Variable (first_name, ignore this action's input

Get Value of Variable (last_name)

Run AppleScript:

on run {input, parameters}
	
	set fn to item 1 of input
	set ln to item 2 of input
	display dialog "Hello " & fn & space & ln
	return input
end run

When run this prompts for two fields, first_name and last_name. These are then passed to the AppleScript (via two Get Value of Variable actions).