Preventing an application closing using AppleScript - macos

I have created a script with AppleScript and have exported it as an application. How can I force the application to stay open constantly so the user cannot force-quit it: i.e. how can I open the application again on force-quit?
Thanks

You could save a plist like this as ~/Library/LaunchAgents/test.plist:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC -//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd>
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>Label</key>
<string>test</string>
<key>Program</key>
<string>/Applications/Untitled.app/Contents/MacOS/applet</string>
<key>RunOnLoad</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</plist>
It can be loaded with launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/test.plist or by logging out and back in.

Related

Starting Automator Script with LaunchAgent

I built a job by Automator to clear the downloads folder and empty the trash. When i start the created app by double click, it starts correctly. But it has to be transferred to other computer in our company and i dont want to give the user the job to launch the app.
So i created this LaunchAgent script to start the app.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.herpag.aufraeumen.plist</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Users/hansthiele/Applications/Aufraeumen.app</string>
</array>
<key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
<dict>
<key>Minute</key>
<integer>45</integer>
<key>Hour</key>
<integer>13</integer>
</dict>
</dict>
</plist>
My problem is now, that the console tells me that the job is started, but nothing happens. The downloads are not cleared and the trash is still full. Also the error.log is empty.
There are 2 issues:
The Label argument must be specified without the .plist extension.
The path must represent the executable rather than the application container. In case of an Automator app the executable is named Application Stub (unlike Applet in an AppleScript app). It's assumed that hansthiele is the real short username of the current user.
Try
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.herpag.aufraeumen</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Users/hansthiele/Applications/Aufraeumen.app/Contents/MacOS/Application Stub</string>
</array>
<key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
<dict>
<key>Minute</key>
<integer>45</integer>
<key>Hour</key>
<integer>13</integer>
</dict>
</dict>
</plist>

Launchctl not working / logging after being loaded

Here is my file, I am not getting anything logged, although the loading is apparently successful, as I can see it running with the list command;
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.whtDaily.gexUW</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Users/x/Dropbox/ai/getData.sh</string>
</array>
<key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
<dict>
<key>Hour</key>
<integer>22</integer>
<key>Minute</key>
<integer>15</integer>
</dict>
<key>RunAtLoad</key><true/>
<key>StandardErrorPath</key>
<string>/Users/x/Dropbox/ai/logs/daily.err</string>
<key>StandardOutPath</key>
<string>/Users/x/Dropbox/ai/logs/daily.out</string>
</dict>
</plist>
I am also not clear if I need to running 'start' after load, or does that happen automatically since I have the 'RunAtLoad' key set to true? I have tried calling start after load, and not with no luck.
This plist file is in the /Library/LaunchAgents directory and I am calling with load and unload with sudo.
The sh file was not executable.
chmod +x getData.sh
did the trick.

how to run an app using launchd?

I need to run an mac app daily without any user interaction using launchd, i created a .plist file and pasted it in /system/LaunchDaemons and after that how to execute the plist file, can any one please tell me the step by step working process on how to work with launchd it will helpful for me, I pasted my .plist file below.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>Label</key>
<string>myapp.restart</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Applications/myapp.app</string>
</array>
<key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
<dict>
<key>Hour</key>
<integer>16</integer>
<key>Minute</key>
<integer>40</integer>
</dict>
</dict>
</plist>
You'll probably need the name of your program like this rather than ProgramArguments:
<key>Program</key>
<string>/Applications/myapp.app/Contents/MacOS/myapp</string>

XPC service, launch as Launch Agent

i did create an XPC service, that runs in background and creates periodical tasks
placed it into path
/Users/Peter/Library/Application Support/AGENT TEST APPS/CS Agent.xpc
i can run it, by directly executing the file
i placed a .plist it into the LaunchAgents, refereeing to the executable
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Debug</key>
<true/>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.company.CS-Agent</string>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
<key>Program</key>
<string>/Users/Peter/Library/Application Support/AGENT TEST APPS/CS Agent.xpc</string>
</dict>
</plist>
but it doesn't launch upon startup as it should
UPDATE
did try to load manually
Peters-MacBook-Air:LaunchAgents Peter$ launchctl load com.company.CS-Agent.plist
com.company.CS-Agent: Already loaded
But i don't see it in activity monitor, nor any output it should produce (create files)
when i do launchctl list i see
- 13 com.company.CS-Agent

Mac LaunchAgent PLIST not starting

I am trying to develop a Mac LaunchAgent and am testing with this, which should start the console:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.depthmine.test</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/Applications/Utilities/Console.app/Contents/MacOS/Console</string>
</array>
</dict>
</plist>
The file appears to load (no errors in the Terminal) but the console does not start and there does not seem to be a process in Terminal either. I also tried a PHP script and that didn't start either.

Resources