Im building an cocoa app that monitors something™ and I am planning to have some hooks for users. So I want to enable the user to put a script (Bash, Ruby, Python you name it) with a specified name (let's say after_event) into the Application Support directory and that script gets executed after a certain event in my code. Ideally I could pass some variables to the script so the script knows what happened.
Any ideas on this?
So problem one is: How do I get the path of the Application Support "the SDK way"? problem two is: How do I execute script with variables like THAT_APPEND="foo"?
Thanks,
Philip
Because sharing is caring here is the method that executes the scripts:
-(void) runScript:(NSString*)scriptName withVariables:(NSDictionary *)variables
{
NSString *appSupportPath = [NSFileManager defaultManager] applicationSupportDirectory];
NSArray *arguments;
NSString* newpath = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"%#/%#",appSupportPath, scriptName];
if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager]fileExistsAtPath:newpath]){
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setLaunchPath: newpath];
NSLog(#"Executing hook: %#",newpath);
arguments = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:newpath, nil];
[task setArguments: arguments];
[task setEnvironment:variables];
NSPipe *pipe;
pipe = [NSPipe pipe];
[task setStandardOutput: pipe];
NSFileHandle *file;
file = [pipe fileHandleForReading];
[task launch];
NSData *data;
data = [file readDataToEndOfFile];
NSString *string;
string = [[NSString alloc] initWithData: data encoding: NSUTF8StringEncoding];
NSLog (#"script returned:\n%#", string);
}
}
}
UPDATE: I updated the code to be more generic. Now NSTask will tell the kernel to execute the script directly so your user can not online use Bash scripts but also python, perl, php whatever she likes. The only thing she needs to use is a Shebang in that file.
The NSFileManager Category can be found here.
Look for NSTask documentation. There's an environment member you can manipulate. Also adding command line parameters in a form -name = value should be trivial.
Related
My goal is to create an extension that executes clang-format. My code looks something like this:
- (void)performCommandWithInvocation:(XCSourceEditorCommandInvocation *)invocation completionHandler:(void (^)(NSError * _Nullable nilOrError))completionHandler
{
NSError *error = nil;
NSURL *executableURL = [[self class] executableURL];
if (!executableURL)
{
NSString *errorDescription = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"Failed to find clang-format. Ensure it is installed at any of these locations\n%#", [[self class] clangFormatUrls]];
completionHandler([NSError errorWithDomain:SourceEditorCommandErrorDomain
code:1
userInfo:#{NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: errorDescription}]);
return;
}
NSMutableArray *args = [NSMutableArray array];
[args addObject:#"-style=LLVM"];
[args addObject:#"someFile.m"];
NSPipe *outputPipe = [NSPipe pipe];
NSPipe *errorPipe = [NSPipe pipe];
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
task.launchPath = executableURL.path;
task.arguments = args;
task.standardOutput = outputPipe;
task.standardError = errorPipe;
#try
{
[task launch];
}
#catch (NSException *exception)
{
completionHandler([NSError errorWithDomain:SourceEditorCommandErrorDomain
code:2
userInfo:#{NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: [NSString stringWithFormat:#"Failed to run clang-format: %#", exception.reason]}]);
return;
}
[task waitUntilExit];
NSString *output = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:[[outputPipe fileHandleForReading] readDataToEndOfFile]
encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
NSString *errorOutput = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:[[errorPipe fileHandleForReading] readDataToEndOfFile]
encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
[[outputPipe fileHandleForReading] closeFile];
[[errorPipe fileHandleForReading] closeFile];
int status = [task terminationStatus];
if (status == 0)
{
NSLog(#"Success: %#", output);
}
else
{
error = [NSError errorWithDomain:SourceEditorCommandErrorDomain
code:3
userInfo:#{NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: errorOutput}];
}
completionHandler(error);
}
The reason I need that try-catch block is because an exception is thrown when I try to run this code. The exception reason is:
Error: launch path not accessible
The path for my clang-format is /usr/local/bin/clang-format. What I discovered is that it doesn't like me trying to access an application in /usr/local/bin, but /bin is ok (e.g. If I try to execute /bin/ls there is no problem).
Another solution I tried was to run /bin/bash by setting the launch path and arguments like this:
task.launchPath = [[[NSProcessInfo processInfo] environment] objectForKey:#"SHELL"];
task.arguments = #[#"-l", #"-c", #"/usr/local/bin/clang-format -style=LLVM someFile.m"];
This successfully launches the task, but it fails with the following error output:
/bin/bash: /etc/profile: Operation not permitted
/bin/bash: /usr/local/bin/clang-format: Operation not permitted
The first error message is due to trying to call the -l parameter in bash, which tries to log in as the user.
Any idea how I can enable access to those other folders? Is there some kind of sandbox environment setting I need to enable?
I guess that because of the sandboxing this is not possible.
You could bundle the clang-format executable and use it from there.
Personally, I think you are going at it all wrong. Extensions are supposed to be quick (if you watch the video on Xcode extensions he repeats multiple times to get in and get out). And they are severely limited.
However, there is another - the container app may be able to do this processing for your extension without all the hacks. The downside is that you have to pass the buffer to and from the extension.
It’s not easy, but it can be done. Easy peasy way to get your container to run. First, modify the container app’s Info.plist (not the extension Info.plist) so that it has a URL type.
In your extension you can “wake up” the container app by running the following:
let customurl = NSURL.init(string: “yoururlschemehere://")
NSWorkspace.shared().open(customurl as! URL)
As for communication between the two, Apple has a plethora of methods. Me, I’m old-school, so I’m using DistributedNotificationCenter - for the moment.
Although I haven’t tried it, I do not see why the container app should have an issue chatting with clang (I’m using the container app for settings).
I've had a report from the field of a crash at -launch on NSTask.
The code in question is:
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setLaunchPath:#"/bin/zsh"];
if(ignore)
{
[task setArguments:#[scriptPath, recordingFolder, Argument]];
}
else
{
[task setArguments:#[scriptPath, recordingFolder]];
}
NSPipe *outPipe = [NSPipe pipe];
[task setStandardOutput:outPipe];
NSPipe *errorPipe = [NSPipe pipe];
[task setStandardError:errorPipe];
[task launch];
The scriptPath is a script that is included in the app bundle.
The crash says:
*** Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'NSInternalInconsistencyException', reason: 'Failed to set posix_spawn_file_actions for fd -1 at index 0 with errno 9'
What could be the cause of this? What file descriptor do the posix_spawn_file_actions refer to? Does it mean that the executable script is wrong or that the outPipe or errPipe are not well formed?
I believe it is referring to the posix_spawn function:
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man2/posix_spawn.2.html
And errno 9 is EBADF (bad file number).
I've got a similar error , after I use below command, it's OK, you can try it.
NSFileHandle *file=[outPipe fileHandleForReading];
[task launch];
....//read file.
//this is the most important.
[file closeFile];
If you are calling this code many different times sequentially, you are running out of file descriptors -- you need to close the pipes after you are done. The correct way to do it is to deallocate NSTask and it will close the file channels. Put the NSTask-related code in an autoreleasepool statement:
#autoreleasepool {
NSTask* task = [NSTask new];
...
[task launch];
...
[task waitUntilDone];
}
For the issue in the question, I suggest that we should put the code of CreateProcess() in an #autoreleasepool block as Apple's doc shows that we should not send -[closeFile] to fileHandleForReading explicitly.
https://developer.apple.com/reference/foundation/nspipe/1414352-filehandleforreading?language=objc
Declaration
#property(readonly, retain) NSFileHandle *fileHandleForReading;
Discussion
The descriptor represented by this object is deleted, and the object
itself is automatically deallocated when the receiver is deallocated.
You use the returned file handle to read from the pipe using
NSFileHandle's read methods—availableData, readDataToEndOfFile, and
readDataOfLength:.
You don’t need to send closeFile to this object or explicitly release
the object after you have finished using it.
my method works for zipping files from a temporary directory previously created and populated:
NSURL *destURL = self.archiveDestURL;
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setCurrentDirectoryPath:[srcURL path]];
[task setLaunchPath:#"/usr/bin/zip"];
NSArray *argsArray = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-r", #"-q", [destURL path], #".", #"-i", #"*", nil];
[task setArguments:argsArray];
[task launch];
[task waitUntilExit];
but what i'd like to have when unzipped, is a folder with the files.
sure i can make a folder in the tempDir and write my files there, but what is the zip argument for having a folder be the top level in the created archive?
i didn't see this in man zip .
This will help you.
NSTask *unzip = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[unzip setLaunchPath:#"/usr/bin/unzip"];
[unzip setArguments:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-u", #"-d",
destination, zipFile, nil]];
NSPipe *aPipe = [[NSPipe alloc] init];
[unzip setStandardOutput:aPipe];
[unzip launch];
[unzip waitUntilExit];
instead of using NSTask, you could incorporate compress functionality into your code. there are several options.
ZipBrowser from apple.com
adding a category to NSData, as in here
a similar question. How can I create a zip file by using Objective C?
I have an application that can import an XML file through this terminal command :
open /path/to/main\ app.app --args myXML.xml
This works great with no issues. And i have used Applescript to launch this command through shell and it works just as well. Yet when try using Cocoa's NSTask Launcher using this code :
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setLaunchPath:#"/usr/bin/open"];
[task setCurrentDirectoryPath:#"/Applications/MainApp/InstallData/App/"];
[task setArguments:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:[(NSURL *)foundApplicationURL path], #"--args", #"ImportP.xml", nil]];
[task launch];
the applications will start up to the initial screen and then crash when either the next button is clicked or when trying to close the window. Ive tried using NSAppleScript with this :
NSAppleScript *script = [[NSAppleScript alloc] initWithSource:#"tell application \"Terminal\" do script \"open /Applications/MainApp/InstallData/App/Main\\\\ App.app\" end tell"];
NSDictionary *errorInfo;
[script executeAndReturnError:&errorInfo];
This will launch the program and it will crash as well and i get this error in my Xcode debug window :
12011-01-04 17:41:28.296 LaunchAppFile[4453:a0f]
Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: dlopen(/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types, 262): no suitable image found.
Did find: /Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Unit Types: no matching architecture in universal wrapper
LaunchAppFile: OpenScripting.framework - scripting addition "/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax" declares no loadable handlers.
So with research i came up with this :
NSAppleScript *script = [[NSAppleScript alloc] initWithSource:#"do shell script \"arch -i386 osascript /Applications/MainApp/InstallData/App/test.scpt\""];
NSDictionary *errorInfo;
[script executeAndReturnError:&errorInfo];
But this causes the same results as the last command.
Any ideas on what causes this crash?
Check here to fix the adobe errors. I'm not sure that's the problem though. Actually I couldn't get the open command to pass arguments to anything so I couldn't look into your problem.
Give NSTask another try with full paths only:
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setLaunchPath:#"/usr/bin/open"];
[task setArguments:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:[ #"'/path/to/main app.app'", #"--args", #"/path/to/ImportP.xml", nil]];
[task launch];
Another approach would be to give NSTask the following command line:
sh -c '/usr/bin/open "/path/to/main app.app" --args /path/to/myXML.xml'
...
NSTask *task = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[task setLaunchPath:#"/bin/sh"];
NSString *cmd = [NSString stringWithFormat:
#"%# %# %# %#",
#"/usr/bin/open",
#"'/path/to/main app.app'",
#"--args",
#"/path/to/myXML.xml"
];
[task setArguments:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:[ #"-c", cmd, nil]];
[task launch];
In Cocoa, I am trying to implement a button, which when the user clicks on will capture the System profiler report and paste it on the Desktop.
Code
NSTask *taskDebug;
NSPipe *pipeDebug;
taskDebug = [[NSTask alloc] init];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:selfselector:#selector(taskFinished:) name:NSTaskDidTerminateNotification object:taskDebug];
[profilerButton setTitle:#"Please Wait"];
[profilerButton setEnabled:NO];
[taskDebug setLaunchPath: #"/usr/sbin/system_profiler"];
NSArray *args = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-xml",#"-detailLevel",#"full",#">", #"
~/Desktop/Profiler.spx",nil];
[taskDebug setArguments:args];
[taskDebug launch];
But this does not save the file to the Desktop. Having
NSArray *args = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-xml",#"-detailLevel",#"full",nil]
works and it drops the whole sys profiler output in the Console Window.
Any tips on why this does not work or how to better implement this ? I am trying to refrain from using a shell script or APpleScript to get the system profiler. If nothing work's that would be my final option.
Thanks in advance.
NSArray *args = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-xml",#"-detailLevel",#"full",#">", #"~/Desktop/Profiler.spx",nil];
That won't work because you aren't going through the shell, and > is a shell operator. (Also, ~ isn't special except when you expand it using stringByExpandingTildeInPath.)
Create an NSFileHandle for writing to that Profiler.spx file, making sure to use the full absolute path, not the tilde-abbreviated path. Then, set that NSFileHandle as the task's standard output. This is essentially what the shell does when you use a > operator in it.
This got it done ( thanks to Peter and Costique)
[taskDebug setLaunchPath: #"/usr/sbin/system_profiler"];
NSArray *args = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"-xml",#"- detailLevel",#"full",nil];
[taskDebug setArguments:args];
[[NSFileManager defaultManager] createFileAtPath: [pathToFile stringByExpandingTildeInPath] contents: nil attributes: nil];
outFile = [ NSFileHandle fileHandleForWritingAtPath:[pathToFile stringByExpandingTildeInPath]];
[taskDebug setStandardOutput:outFile];
[taskDebug launch];
Create an NSPipe, send [taskDebug setStandardOutput: myPipe] and read from the pipe's file handle.