MacOS – AppleScript to check if fn key is depressed

applescriptkeyboardmacos

How can I return 1 when the fn is depressed and 0 otherwise?

I found this page that claims it has a solution but it relies on an external shell script file (I'd rather have a pure AppleScript solution if that's possible) which I can't download because it redirects me through some weird dutch scam sites.

The aim of this is actually to have a way of checking for function key + fn key combinations in ControllerMate, which doesn't seem to have a way to check if fn is pressed or not.

Best Answer

Straight from the post by Oscar...

property vers : "1.0"
my isModifierKeyPressed("function") // the only addition to his raw script

on isModifierKeyPressed(checkKey)
    set modiferKeysDOWN to {command_down:false, option_down:false, control_down:false, shift_down:false, caps_down:false, numlock_down:false, function_down:false}

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "option" or checkKey = "alt" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSAlternateKeyMask '") > 1 then
            set option_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "command" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSCommandKeyMask '") > 1 then
            set command_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "shift" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSShiftKeyMask '") > 1 then
            set shift_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "control" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSControlKeyMask '") > 1 then
            set control_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "caps" or checkKey = "capslock" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSAlphaShiftKeyMask '") > 1 then
            set caps_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "numlock" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSNumericPadKeyMask'") > 1 then
            set numlock_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if
    --Set if any key in the numeric keypad is pressed. The numeric keypad is generally on the right side of the keyboard. This is also set if any of the arrow keys are pressed

    if checkKey = "" or checkKey = "function" or checkKey = "func" or checkKey = "fn" then
        if (do shell script "/usr/bin/python -c 'import Cocoa; print Cocoa.NSEvent.modifierFlags() & Cocoa.NSFunctionKeyMask'") > 1 then
            set function_down of modiferKeysDOWN to true
        end if
    end if
    --Set if any function key is pressed. The function keys include the F keys at the top of most keyboards (F1, F2, and so on) and the navigation keys in the center of most keyboards (Help, Forward Delete, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, and the arrow keys)

    return modiferKeysDOWN
end isModifierKeyPressed

if Fn is down

Result:  
{command_down:false, option_down:false, control_down:false, shift_down:false, caps_down:false, numlock_down:false, function_down:true}

else

Result:  
{command_down:false, option_down:false, control_down:false, shift_down:false, caps_down:false, numlock_down:false, function_down:false}

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MacOS – Trigger function key using AppleScript

if you are trying to set the volume in AppleScript a correct syntax would be as the following, no need to force button presses :

tell application "System Events"
set volume 4
end tell

Now as you can see its a forced process. If you want more flexibility like determining where the users volume is currently at or set it to increment increase/decrease by 1, yes it's possible, but a little more code heavy than i can manage right now (i'm typing from my iPhone)

However,

If at possible, and your end goal wouldn't be affected by using Automator. I would use Automator if I was you, it has built in functions like this with easy drag and drop motives. 'Set Computer Volume is one of them'. But thats an alternative, I just emulated that with the code above.

MacOS – Using Applescript to fool key logger with keystrokes

Using a test KeyDownEvent app.

The keystrokes are registered from an applescript keystroke event.

But I do not think you will be able to use this as a mask.

The Applescript keystrokes will always insert the characters in the active app. Therefore typing in the area you are manually trying to type.

So if you had a block of text like :

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

in an applescript keystroke and ran it after a delay of 2 seconds

And then tried to type "bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb"

You would get: "bbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb"

This also registers like this in the logger. So as you can see not really hiding much.

The keystrokes in the Applescript are fast and sent in a block.

Another thing to note is my test app had to be given permission to control my Computer before it was apple to log events.

UPDATE*

You can do as @Tetsujin suggested and wait until the the Applescript starts typing in the first app and then you switch to another app to manual type.

You would need to use two tell blocks in the Applescript.

 tell application "System Events"
        delay 5
     tell application process "TextEdit" -- the app typing target
            keystroke "aaaa...."
     end tell
    end tell

But as I said the keystrokes are sent in what in effect is a block.

So regardless of where it is being typed the logger will pick it up as the same above.

Best Answer

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