MacOS – Keyboard shortcut for AppleScript works only when preferences window is open

applescriptautomatormacos

I created this AppleScript to play/pause Youtube videos running on Chrome:

on run {input, parameters}

    tell application "Google Chrome" to (tabs of window 1 whose URL contains "youtube")
    set youtubeTabs to item 1 of the result
    tell application "Google Chrome"
        execute youtubeTabs javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('ytp-play-button ytp-button')[0].click();"
    end tell

    return input
end run

It works fine when I run it from Automator. I saved the service and added a keyboard shortcut ⌘+J for running the service. I also added Automator to the Accessibility settings (following this SO answer).

Now here's the strange part: it works when I have the System Preferences window on focus. If I close it, or switch to any other window, the shortcut doesn't work. I noticed that it's working because there's a menu item in System Preferences window that corresponds to the shortcut, and that is getting triggered when I press the shortcut.

Please help. Thanks in advance.

Best Answer

As I mentioned in my comment to wch1zpink's answer "Making sure the Service's settings are correct and the shortcut key sequence is not in use by another is the first step" and mentioned afterwards by jackjr300 in his comment. Changing the keyboard shortcut to one that is not used by anything else in the system or any application (that is if 'Services receives no input in any application' is set), works for me, whether or not System Preferences is open, when using the code, as is, in the OP and a non-conflicting key sequence.

There also is no need to have any applications set in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility for this particular use case, whether running from Automator or when using a non-conflicting keyboard shortcut in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Services > (Name You Gave The Service).

To resolve your issue, you must use a keyboard shortcut that is not already assigned elsewhere in the system and or any applications.

You might have to use a three or four key sequence as there are very few, if any, two key combos that aren't already in use.

On a side note, return input is not at all needed in the code in this particular use case.

Related Solutions

MacOS – How to restart a currently-running application with AppleScript

The following code example assume that the Run AppleScript action starts with an on run command without any list, e.g. {input, parameters} and consequently ends the script with end run:

on run

    (*
            This comment represents the e.g. previous 99 lines of code.
        *)

    set buttonChoice to button returned of (display alert "Do you want to replace this entry?" as critical buttons {"Start over", "No", "Yes"})
    try
        if buttonChoice is "Start over" then
            return on run
        end if
    end try

    (*
            This comment represents the rest of the code in the script.
        *)

end run

Note that I tested this in macOS Sierra 10.12 and while it does appear to start over, because if you press the "Start over" button it loops until you select another choice, I'm not sure this is the best way to implement this. I say that because I do not know the structure and coding of the rest of the script and that may make a difference along with the fact that while testing other code on each side of this, I was able to crash the app depending on what was going on if I looped more then once at this point.

So with that said, I'm offering this as something to test throughly before implementing it in the final code.

I'd suggest just allowing the user to terminate the app with a message to manually restart by pressing the key-combo to trigger the service that starts the app over implementing a loop such as this.

MacOS – How to rework a “System Events” command in AppleScript, so that it automatically works in all applications

I've found an okay solution (i.e., workaround).

Insert the "System Events" block of code into a "Run AppleScript" action and save it as its own application file in Automator. Note: The file extension of this code must be .app in order for this to work (more on this in a moment).

Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy tab → Accessibility. Add and checkmark the newly created application to the list of apps allowed to control your computer.

Run the newly created app from within your Service. To do so, you may add the following line to your AppleScript code:

do shell script "osascript -e 'tell application \"Application Name\" to activate'"

(I habitually use osascript to activate applications when using a "Run AppleScript" action in a Service, as this circumvents a bug with Services that I've discovered.)

Your Service should now run perfectly in every application on your computer, despite the fact that only one application (the one that contains the "System Events" code) has explicitly been granted the power to control the computer.

The file must be saved as a .app file, and not as a .scpt or .applescript file. This is because it is not possible to add .scpt or .applescript files to the list of apps allowed to control your computer; only true .app files can be selected in the dialog.

Note that the .app file does not have to be created in Automator. If you create the .app file in Script Editor.app and follow the other steps, the .app file will function in the same manner.

There is one difference, however. When the .app file is created in Automator, one can use either activate or launch to run the application in their Service. But, when the .app file is created in Script Editor, one can only use activate to run the application; launch will result in nothing happening.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MacOS – How to restart a currently-running application with AppleScript

MacOS – How to rework a “System Events” command in AppleScript, so that it automatically works in all applications

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