How can I clear the selection of a Finder item. I just updated to Mavericks from Snow Leopard and in Snow Leopard if you pressed esc, it would clear the current selection. Like this:
tell application "System Events" to key code 53
How is this done in Mavericks?
The way to do it in pure Applescript would be:
tell application "Finder"
set selection to {}
end
Ah, found it.
Hold Option and select "Deselect All" from Finder's "Edit" menu. Alternatively just use the shortcut Option+Cmd+A.
So as AppleScript:
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "a" using {command down, option down}
source: http://www.codez4mac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=212&t=72255
Related
Is there a way in Applescript to control visibility of a Finder's window "tab-bar" (don't know the english name)?
I know Applescript can get/set statusbar and toolbar visibility, but found nothing of this "tab-bar", the one that let you have multiple tabbed windows).
This AppleScript code works for me using the latest version of macOS Mojave.
tell application "Finder"
activate
delay 0.1
if not (exists of window 1) then reveal desktop
delay 0.1
tell its window 1
activate
repeat until visible
delay 0.5
end repeat
delay 1
tell application "System Events" to key code 17 using {command down, shift down}
end tell
end tell
SIDE-NOTE: This code will not work if your Finder window 1(Frontmost Finder Window) is open with more than one tab already opened
I'm trying to do the equivalent of "Option-click"ing on iTunes icon to get to the "Create Library" option but I'm trying to keep the question and answers GENERIC to any application rather than specific to iTunes.
I've tried this code, but it won't even compile
tell application "System Events" key down option
tell app iTunes activate
tell application "System Events" key up "option"
The contents of the comment URL are:
UI Scripting to launch an app with option key down?
Howdy,
I'm trying to make an automator workflow that will let me switch iPhoto libraries. If you hold the shift and option keys down when launching iPhoto, you can choose to swtich the library. Is it possible using UI scripting in Applescript to launch an app while keystroking option down and shift down?
tell app "System Events"
keystroke shift down and option down
tell app "iPhoto" to activate
does not work.
Thanks,
Kevin
Hi Kevin
Here is the proper applescript.
tell application "System Events"
key down option
key down shift
tell application "iphoto"
activate
tell application "System Events"
key up option
key up shift
end tell
end tell
end tell
how do I tell applescipt to hit alt?
I want to press simultaneously alt+s
This code does not work:
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "s" using alt
Thanks in advance
The answer is
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "s" using option down
or
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "s" using {option down}
You can use the list option if you want to simulate multiple keys like command down/control down/option down/shift down.
Easily found in the scripting dictionary of System Events
Enjoy, Michael / Hamburg
alright I'm currently having a lot of issues with my applescript editor. currently when ever i do a Key up key down sequence it will always key the letter A. for example.
tell application "System Events"
key down "u"
key up "u"
delay 1
end tell
this will keystroke A and i don't know why.
^ thats only a minor issue though my big problem is that i want to swap between three different video game applications. They are all a duplicate of the same game. Heres how my basic script goes.
tell application "Video Game" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke a bunch of stuff
end tell
tell application "Video Game copy" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke a bunch of stuff
end tell
tell application "Video Game copy 2" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke a bunch of stuff
end tell
The problem is when i try to compile the script the application name always corrects to "Video Game".
Any ideas on how to keep it from compiling in correctly?
I have tried putting in a bogus name then when applescript asks me to find the app i click the correct one under the browse search box. and it will still compile incorrectly.
thanks a bunch :)
what you describe seems a bug in applescript. Here is a little workaround for that. I wrote it for jxa (javascript for ui automation), so you have to port it to applescript i think:
ObjC.import("Cocoa");
function key(aiKeyCode, aiDelay)
{
var source = $.CGEventSourceCreate($.kCGEventSourceStateCombinedSessionState),
keyDown = $.CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(source, aiKeyCode, true),
keyUp = $.CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(source, aiKeyCode, false);
$.CGEventPost($.kCGAnnotatedSessionEventTap, keyDown);
delay(aiDelay);
$.CGEventPost($.kCGAnnotatedSessionEventTap, keyUp);
}
keystroke will get the key to be pressed once. It helps to tell the process App you are telling System Events to do something, i.e.
tell application "System Events" to tell process "App Name" to keystroke "u"
If you want to do it with command, option, shift, etc. use this:
tell application "System Events" to tell process "App Name" to keystroke "u" using {command down, shift down, option down}
What AppleScript Editor is doing is not “autocorrect” — it’s “compiling.” It’s not doing it incorrectly. You can change the name of an app on the Mac and it doesn’t break the app. AppleScript Editor is still able to find the app “Video Game” even if you change its name to “Video Game copy 1.” This is a feature, not a bug.
I hardly ever use the function keys on my macbook pro. I mostly just use them for volume, brightness, etc. Now that I've started playing Starcraft 2 a bunch, I want to use them without having to press the fn key down.
I want to write a little shell script that will flip the "Use all F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys" check box. I was thinking I could use the defaults command to change it but I wasn't sure what values to use. This way I don't have to change the the preferences every time I want to play. I can just run the script that'll switch the keys and even launch the game.
Any ideas?
An AppleScript that should do the trick -- taken from http://scriptbuilders.net/files/fn1.1.html, with slight modifications
--Check if GUI Scripting is Enabled
tell application "System Events"
if not UI elements enabled then
set UI elements enabled to true
end if
end tell
--Enable/Disable "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" option in Keyboard & Mouse Preference pane and close System Preferences
tell application "System Events"
tell application "System Preferences"
reveal anchor "keyboardTab" of pane "com.apple.preference.keyboard"
end tell
click checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 1 of application process "System Preferences"
end tell
if application "System Preferences" is running then
tell application "System Preferences" to quit
end if
Tested on MacOS 10.6.4
The command is defaults write -g com.apple.keyboard.fnState, although I've had problems in the past changing it. I ended up just using an AppleScript. Give it a try.
defaults write -g com.apple.keyboard.fnState -boolean true
EditTo elaborate, the problems I've had is that the actual value is changed, but it doesn't actively change the setting in System Preferences nor does the fnState toggle, because the file is only read at boot/login etc. Also, making changes to a config file that's opened by another task sounds like a good way to corrupt the file.
You can install the awsome Karabiner-Elements.
Under System Preferences-> Keyboard preferences, make sure "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" is checked as a perquisites.
Open KeyRemap4MacBook preferences.
Navigate to "Pass Through Mode" option.
Check the 'Change Fn+Escape to toggle "Pass Through Mode"'
Open "Change F1..F19 Key" and check the "Macbook Pro" or "Macbook Air" option choosing your correct mac type.
For anyone else trying to make this work - I've finally gotten my solution to work. Tested with: MacOS Big Sur, 11.4, June 2021.
The code is based here:
https://github.com/MrSimonC/Toggle-Mac-Function-Keys
but for brevity, here is the contents of the apple script file:
-- Apple Script (i.e. Use in Apple's Script Editor Application) to Toggle Function Keys / Media keys on/off
-- Tested on MacOS Big Sur (11.4) June 2021
-- Project Path: https://github.com/MrSimonC/Toggle-Mac-Function-Keys
tell application "System Preferences"
set current pane to pane "com.apple.preference.keyboard"
end tell
tell application "System Events"
if UI elements enabled then
tell application process "System Preferences"
repeat until exists tab group 1 of window "Keyboard"
delay 0.5
end repeat
click radio button "Keyboard" of tab group 1 of window "Keyboard"
click checkbox "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" of tab group 1 of window "Keyboard"
end tell
tell application "System Preferences" to quit
else
-- GUI scripting not enabled. Display an alert
tell application "System Preferences"
activate
set current pane to pane "com.apple.preference.security"
display dialog "UI element scripting is not enabled. Please activate this app under Privacy -> Accessibility so it can access the settings it needs."
end tell
end if
end tell
Hope someone finds it useful!