Dialectic can be automated using AppleScript. While AppleScript is a very powerful tool, it can be daunting for some people to use. As of OS X 10.4, Apple provides a simpler way to automate repetitive tasks through its Automator utility. Automator allows you to graphically link Actions together to create complex workflows.
To allow you to include phone dialing in your Automator workflows, Dialectic includes an Automator Action. You do not need to install anything to access this Action, it is available automatically when you copy Dialectic to your system.
To use the Action, launch the Automator application and create a new workflow. Drag any Actions you want into the workflow area and to add a Dialectic dialing Action, in the search field above the Actions section, type “Dial” to see the “Dial Dialectic” Action. Select & drag this Action to your workflow. This Action must follow an Action that outputs a phone number (such as a prompt for text entry that produces a phone number or a textual selection of a phone number, etc.). The Action will take that phone number input and dial it.
You may optionally set whether Dialectic dials the supplied number as is (literally) or if it applies the Dialing Rules associated with a specific Location (this includes the associated Dial Methods for the call types of this Location). The Locations menu is dynamically built from Dialectic each time you display it so it will always be current. Once the number has been dialed, you may optionally have Dialectic revert to the last used Location.
For a sample Automator workflow using the Dialectic Automator Action, see the Online Resources:
