Detect application focus event using applescript

applescript

It it possible to detect application focus event using applescript? What I'm trying to achieve is to open ios simulator when I focus on text editor. I know how to activate simulator but can't figure out how to detect when the editor is active.

Best Answer

A simple solution, using AppleScripts immanent capacities

[I am a little ashamed to admit that due to an "unhappy localisation" I did not realise there is a perfectly suitable way to make AS-scripts repeat periodically. The English term "Stay Open Application" in its German version ominously re-translates to "Display after run-handler". ]
(I will leave parts of my workaround solution at the bottom, because of its own merit.)

This …

on idle
tell application "System Events"
    if frontmost of process "TextEdit" is true then ¬
        tell application "name_of_simulator" to activate
    return 2  -- this number tells System at what intervals to execute
end tell
end idle

… is really all you need.
Save this code in ScriptEditor, check "Stay Open" application (or similar) and run the app.
(Close ScriptEditor if you like.)

~~"Working solution" to detect change of frontmost application~~
[ … ] AppleScript's problem is the "timing"… <== WRONG !!!

In order to display my current workspace's index in the right-side menu bar (as in older OSX versions: [2]) I use –and recommend!– Mat Ryer's app "BitBar" that lets you place any script in its plugins folder. Their names, e.g. "workspace.2s.sh", cleverly determine the interval between executions of the script: "2s" denoting every two seconds (minutes, hours, days…).

#!/bin/bash _/¯ osascript /Users/userName/.config/bitbar/Workspace.app calls a script that compares my desktop picture to a stored list and so returns my workspace number.

Related Solutions

Creating a quick event in iCal using LaunchBar & AppleScript

Here's a script that lets you restore the clipboard:

set oldClip to the clipboard as string --save the old clipboard
set the clipboard to "hello world" --put your stuff in the clipboard
log (the clipboard) --do your stuff here
set the clipboard to oldClip as string --restore the old clipboard

Checking button text with applescript

You can check every button of the window and wait until one is titled like you want :

property btnTitle : "Run Cleaner"

set btnFound to false

tell application "/Applications/CCleaner.app" to activate

tell application "System Events"
    tell application process "CCleaner"
        click button btnTitle of window 1
        delay 1

        -- Start checking every seconds if window 1 contains a button titled "Run Cleaner"      
        repeat while not btnFound
            repeat with btn in buttons of window 1
                try -- Some buttons don't have title which would return an error if not in try
                    if (title of btn is btnTitle) then
                        set btnFound to true
                    end if
                end try
            end repeat
            delay 1
        end repeat

    end tell
end tell

if btnFound then
    -- Do more stuff
end if

Best Answer

A simple solution, using AppleScripts immanent capacities

Related Solutions

Creating a quick event in iCal using LaunchBar & AppleScript

Checking button text with applescript

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