How can I get the current URL from Firefox (3 or 4)? All solutions I have found so far either don't work (e.g. those with "class curl") or are ugly hacks which are no solution for me (sending key presses to copy the URL to clipboard).
Well, I have one solution now: I am reading it out of the current session store of Firefox. This works but it is always up to 10 seconds out-of-date.
Here is the code:
https://github.com/albertz/foreground_app_info/blob/master/mac/app-scripts/url%20of%20Firefox.py
tell application "Firefox" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "l" using {command down}
keystroke "c" using {command down}
end tell
Easy, if you install two components:
the mozrepl firefox extension (github)
and WWW::Mechanize::Firefox perl module
If you have installed both, the following command
perl -MWWW::Mechanize::Firefox -E 'say WWW::Mechanize::Firefox->new(tab=>'current')->base()'
will print the topmost active firefox url, in like:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5296995/macosx-or-applescript-get-current-url-from-firefox
Since Firefox 87 you can use native AppleScript GUI scripting to get the current URL. That's because Firefox now has support for VoiceOver.
First enable Firefox support for VoiceOver by going to about:config and setting the accessibility.force_disabled property to -1. Note that VoiceOver doesn't have to be enabled, only the support in Firefox. (Extra info at [2].)
After that, you can use:
tell application "System Events" to get value of UI element 1 of combo box 1 of toolbar "Navigation" of first group of front window of application process "Firefox"
[1]: Enabling VoiceOver support makes Firefox expose the internal structure of its window for GUI scripting.
[2]: For extra info and a non-permanent option (toggling AXEnhancedUserInterface via AppleScript) look at this bug report.
A window's URL is not exposed via the Applescript API; not even a window's tabs. The only way you'll be able to get it is through GUI scripting.
Firefox's Applescript implementation is simply awful, and I don't know why they even bother.
Firefox 3's AppleScript implementation is lame enough that you have to resort to copying the URL out of the Location field, as shown in the last post is this thread.
Related
I'd like to tab to the first link in a google search with an applescript. Tried this:
tell application "Safari" to activate
tell application "System Events"
repeat 17 times
keystroke tab using control down
end repeat
end tell
But this just cycles through the open tabs quickly. I've googled around and can't find anything that explains how to send the keystroke to the current open tab in Safari.
Is it possible to send keystrokes to a web page in Safari?
Yes its possible.
The AppleScript code in your question is cycling thru tabs because that's what the keyboard shortcut ⌃Tab does.
To just have it tab, remove using control down from the keystroke tab using control down command.
What I'm trying is to type tell application "Google Chrome" to pause and make audio or video in Google Chrome pause. It wouldn't work, since it thinks pause is a variable.
Is there any way to either pause audio or video in all applications or just Google Chrome?
From comments:
The following example AppleScript code will play/pause a YouTube video in the active tab of the front window of Google Chrome: tell application "Google Chrome" to tell active tab of front window to execute javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('ytp-play-button ytp-button')[0].click();"
#user3439894 this one works perfectly, since I only want to pause the video in the active tab. Is there any way to check if the video is paused so it doesn't unpause a video? Also could you write this comment as an answer so I can accept it as the correct answer?
There may be an easier way using JavaScript to ascertain if the active tab of the front window in Google Chrome has a YouTube video playing, however, as I do not know the code for it, here is a way that works for me.
The following example AppleScript code, shown below, was tested in Script Editor under macOS Catalina 10.15.7 and macOS Big Sur 11.2.3 using Google Chrome (Version 90.0.4430.93 (Official Build) (x86_64)) with Language & Region settings in System Preferences set to English (US) — Primary and worked for me without issue1.
1 Assumes necessary and appropriate setting in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy have been set/addressed as needed.
Example AppleScript code:
if not running of ¬
application "Google Chrome" then return
tell application "Google Chrome"
if (window count) = 0 then return
set atx to the active tab index of its front window
end tell
tell application "System Events"
-- # macOS Big Sur System Events bug issue.
-- # If running macOS Big Sur, uncomment the next
-- # two lines if System Events reports an error.
-- run
-- delay 0.5
tell application process "Chrome"
if (the value of ¬
attribute "AXTitle" of ¬
radio button atx of ¬
tab group 1 of ¬
group 1 of ¬
the front window) ¬
does not end with "Audio playing" then return
end tell
end tell
tell application "Google Chrome" to ¬
tell the active tab of its front window to ¬
execute javascript ¬
"document.getElementsByClassName('ytp-play-button ytp-button')[0].click();"
Notes:
As coded, the execute javascript only happens if there is a YouTube video playing in the active tab of the front window of Google Chrome, thus pausing it. The code, as coded, cannot cause a paused video to play, regardless of the active tab or any tab of any window.
The -- # macOS Big Sur System Events bug issue. section in the example AppleScript code is an attempted workaround to a System Events issue in macOS Big Sur, in that the exact same code without it runs without issue in macOS Catalina and may not work or needs adjusting. I am still trying to troubleshoot the issue in general. In my experience the issue has not been reproducible at will and as such alternate methods may have to be used if issue continues and cannot be diagnosed.
Use of other than exact versions tested under may be partially to blame for some errors, especially any that involve a change in the hierarchical UI element structure in any UI Scripting scenario using System Events.
Is there any way to either pause audio or video in all applications or just Google Chrome?
Typically pressing the Play/Pause key on the keyboard should pause a video in Google Chrome, and most other apps as well.
It wouldn't work, since it thinks pause is a variable.
pause is not part of the AppleScript dictionary in Google Chrome and why it shows as a variable.
In Google Chrome, running AppleScript code containing JavaScript needs the Allow JavaScript from Apple Events menu item checked under: View > Developer -- Note that this used to be the default, however, at some time is was changed. For more information: https://support.google.com/chrome/?p=applescript
Note: The example AppleScript code is just that and sans any included error handling does not contain any additional error handling as may be appropriate. The onus is upon the user to add any error handling as may be appropriate, needed or wanted. Have a look at the try statement and error statement in the AppleScript Language Guide. See also, Working with Errors. Additionally, the use of the delay command may be necessary between events where appropriate, e.g. delay 0.5, with the value of the delay set appropriately.
This following AppleScript code will pause or play any instance of a YouTube video in any tab of any window in Google Chrome (whether visible or not).
pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome("ytp-play-button ytp-button", 0)
to pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome(theClassName, elementnum)
tell application "Google Chrome"
set youtubeTabsRef to a reference to (tabs of windows whose URL contains "youtube")
repeat with youtubeTabs in youtubeTabsRef
execute youtubeTabs javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('" & ¬
theClassName & "')[" & elementnum & "].click();"
end repeat
end tell
end pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome
My solution consists of running 2 AppleScript in a specific environment.
It works for me using 1 window of Brave Browser(I think it is the same for google chrome) with 2 tabs on youtube.
First script force opening Brave browser, second run keystroke "K"
tell application "Brave Browser"
if it is not running then launch
activate
end tell
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "k"
end tell
I have created a Quick Action on Automator and then I have followed this answer: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/401262
And when trying to test it as a Keyboard Shortcut when using another Application, I was receiving an error like this "com.automator.runner.xpc is not allowed to send keystrokes", so I realised that I need to give accessibility privileges(on Security and Privacy) to all applications I want the script to work.
And After that, it works, but sometimes it gives the same error and it works again after some minutes(and never come back again) so I think this can help someone too.
This will pause or play the youtube video on the tab of the Brave Browser that is active.
I am trying to automate the blocking of pop-up windows in Safari.
I have tried the following defaults write operation
defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKit2JavaScriptCanOpenWindowsAutomatically -boolean false
But this fails to do it. I have also tried setting it as true but even that didn't help. I am currently trying to find a way to do it using AppleScript.
This is what I have written so far -
CMD_ACTIVATE='tell application "Safari" to activate'
CMD_NEWTAB='tell application "System Events" to keystroke "," using {command down}'
osascript -e "$CMD_ACTIVATE" -e "$CMD_NEWTAB"
This opens up the preferences but then I draw a blank. Anyone with any suggestions on how to proceed? Also I don't really need a solution to this only in AppleScript any other way to do it would also be helpful.
Note: I have been using Mac OS only for a week now, and am not that well versed in the nuances of this OS, so please be a bit descriptive when answering.
Thanks.
Blocking pop-up window is done via Safari / preferences / tab Security where you need to set the correct checkbox.
This preference seems to be stored in your library / preferences file com.safari.plist which contains the flag com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2JavaScriptCanOpenWindowsAutomatically with value Yes when pop-up are blocked.
However, it may not be the only place to be changed and in any cases, it is not officially documented, so that place can be changed by Apple any time. This is not recommended to use it.
Going back to Applescript, because Safari is quite poor in terms of applescript handling events, you are forced to go via GUI scripting. That’s what you’ve started, but keep in mind that if Apple changes the layout of Safari preference window, your script must be reviewed.
When going through GUI scripting (which, again, should only be when no other solution found) you must understand structure of GUI objects. Window contains button, check box, tool bar... in a hierarchy model. For instance the preference window in Safari contains bellow the tool bar, an object "group 1" with itself contains many objects depending of the tool bar current selection. Once you understand that concept, the script below, which does what you're looking for, will be easy to understand with many comments:
tell application "Safari" to activate
tell application "System Events"
keystroke "," using {command down}
delay 0.2 -- leave sometime to open window
tell window 1 of process "Safari"
click button 6 of toolbar 1 -- Security button is number 6
delay 0.2
-- check if check box not yet set and set it.
if (value of checkbox 5 of group 1 of group 1) = 0 then click checkbox 5 of group 1 of group 1
end tell
delay 0.2
click button 1 of window 1 of process "Safari" -- click on red / close button
end tell
I am running on Safari 10.0.3. If your version is different, the preference window may be different. Then the script must be adjusted: the Security tab button may not longer be the number 6 in your version,...
I'm wondering how can I script applications which has no dictionary. All information that I've found tells me nothing. But my experience says me that there is a way.
For example:
tell application "Firefox"
return count of windows
end tell
Will work. And it will work with "Opera" and other applications without dictionary at all. So the questions are:
1) Why does it work?
2) What else work in such a manner? Is there a list of all such actions?
Thank in advance!
You can to some extent script applications without an applescript dictionary by using 'tell application "System Events"'
tell application "Keynote" activate
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "c" using {command down}
end tell
end tell
This example activates Keynote and then copies the current selection. You can use similar code in many applications even if they don't have an applescript dictionary provided you also have the "Enable access for assistive devices" option checked in the "Universal Access" System Preference.
Edit:
This document gives some details of how Cocoa provides some support for Applscript in all applications:
http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ScriptableCocoaApplications/SApps_about_apps/SAppsAboutApps.html
Under the heading Built-in Support for Standard and Text Suites
You can open the scripting dictionary of FireFox. Just open AppleScript Editor and go File → show dictionary, and choose FireFox from the list.
It just shows a very rudimentary dictionary. What happens is that the system library provides at least a basic set of commands (called the Standard Suite) to any Carbon or Cocoa app. This is what contains the definitions of window you used.
As Ian already wrote, in order to do more with such an app, you use the so-called UI scripting via System Events.
This nice website is a good place to start.
How can I open the Dropbox preferences window using Applescript?
I'm assuming it would be something along the lines of
tell application "System Events"
tell application "Dropbox"
keystroke "," using command down
end tell
end tell
But this isn't working. Perhaps it's because Dropbox is running in the tray / background? ie: I can't switch to it using command-tab.
Thanks!
Unfortunately there is no way to do this. NSStatusItems (of which Dropbox is one) are not visible via accessibility. This weblog entry and this bug provide more information. Please file a bug and reference that bug number if this is important to you.