AppleScript & JXA Automation

Overview

Use JavaScript for Automation (JXA) via osascript -l JavaScript for macOS automation. JXA is preferred over AppleScript for its familiar syntax and better data handling.

Getting App Information

Get scripting dictionary

sdef /Applications/AppName.app
sdef /System/Applications/Music.app

Get app properties

osascript -l JavaScript -e 'Application("AppName").properties()'

Core Patterns

Basic app interaction

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const app = Application("AppName")
app.includeStandardAdditions = true
// ... operations
'

Multi-line scripts

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const finder = Application("Finder")
const selection = finder.selection()
selection.map(f => f.name())
'

Common Operations

File Operations

// Read file
const app = Application.currentApplication()
app.includeStandardAdditions = true
app.read(Path("/path/to/file"))

// Write file
app.write("content", {to: Path("/path/to/file")})

// Open file for access
app.openForAccess(Path("/path"))

Finder

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const finder = Application("Finder")

// Get selected files
const selection = finder.selection()
selection.map(f => ({name: f.name(), path: f.url()}))

// Create folder
finder.make({new: "folder", at: finder.desktop, withProperties: {name: "New Folder"}})

// Move file
finder.move(finder.files["test.txt"], {to: finder.folders["Documents"]})
'

Music App

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const music = Application("Music")

// Search library
const lib = music.playlists.byName("Library")
const results = lib.search({for: "love"})
results.map(t => ({
  name: t.name(),
  artist: t.artist(),
  album: t.album(),
  duration: t.duration()
}))

// Playback control
music.play()
music.pause()
music.nextTrack()
music.previousTrack()

// Current track
const track = music.currentTrack
({name: track.name(), artist: track.artist()})
'

Music App - Get Currently Opened Screen/View

Use System Events to inspect the current UI state and visible content:

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const se = Application("System Events");
const music = se.processes["Music"];

// Get main content title (artist/album/playlist name being viewed)
const mainContent = music.windows[0].splitterGroups[0].scrollAreas[1].lists[0].lists[0].uiElements[0].staticTexts[0];
mainContent.value();
'

Music App - List Items from a UI Section

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const se = Application("System Events");
const music = se.processes["Music"];

// Get Singles & EPs list (list index 4 in main content)
const singlesEPsList = music.windows[0].splitterGroups[0].scrollAreas[1].lists[0].lists[4];
const groups = singlesEPsList.groups();
const albums = [];

for (const group of groups.slice(1)) {
    try {
        const btns = group.buttons();
        if (btns.length > 0) {
            const name = btns[0].name();
            if (name && name !== "1") {
                albums.push(name);
            }
        }
    } catch (e) {}
}

albums.join("\n");
'

Music App - Get Entire Window Contents (for exploration)

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const se = Application("System Events");
const music = se.processes["Music"];
music.windows[0].entireContents();
'

Play all tracks by artist

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const music = Application("Music")

// Search for artist
const lib = music.playlists.byName("Library")
const results = lib.search({for: "Lab'\''s Cloud"})

// Get unique artists from results
const artists = [...new Set(results.map(t => t.artist()))]

// Find the exact artist match
const targetArtist = artists.find(a => a === "Lab'\''s Cloud")

if (targetArtist) {
  // Filter tracks by the selected artist
  const artistTracks = results.filter(t => t.artist() === targetArtist)

  if (artistTracks.length > 0) {
    // Play first track and queue the rest
    music.play(artistTracks[0])

    // Queue remaining tracks
    for (let i = 1; i < artistTracks.length; i++) {
      music.playPlaylist(lib, false)
    }

    "Now playing " + targetArtist + " - queued " + artistTracks.length + " tracks"
  }
} else {
  "Artist not found"
}
'

Notes

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const notes = Application("Notes")

// Create note
notes.make({new: "note", withProperties: {body: "Hello World"}})

// List folders
notes.folders().map(f => f.name())

// Create note in specific folder
const folder = notes.folders.byName("Notes")
notes.make({new: "note", at: folder, withProperties: {name: "Title", body: "Content"}})
'

Safari

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const safari = Application("Safari")

// Get current URL
safari.windows[0].currentTab.url()

// Get all tab URLs
safari.windows[0].tabs().map(t => ({name: t.name(), url: t.url()}))

// Open URL
safari.openLocation("https://example.com")

// Find existing tab or open new one
const Safari = Application("Safari")
Safari.activate()

let foundHackerNews = false
const frontmostWindow = Safari.windows[0]

// Iterate over all tabs in the frontmost window
for (let i = 0; i < frontmostWindow.tabs.length; i++) {
  const tab = frontmostWindow.tabs[i]
  const tabUrl = tab.url()

  if (tabUrl && tabUrl.includes("news.ycombinator.com")) {
    frontmostWindow.currentTab = tab
    foundHackerNews = true
    break
  }
}

// If Hacker News was not found, open it in a new tab
if (!foundHackerNews) {
  const newTab = Safari.Tab({url: "https://news.ycombinator.com"})
  frontmostWindow.tabs.push(newTab)
  frontmostWindow.currentTab = newTab
}

// Execute JavaScript in page
safari.doJavaScript("document.title", {in: safari.windows[0].currentTab})
'

System Events (UI Automation)

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const se = Application("System Events")

// List running apps
se.processes().map(p => p.name())

// Click menu item
const proc = se.processes.byName("Finder")
proc.menuBars[0].menuBarItems.byName("File").menus[0].menuItems.byName("New Finder Window").click()

// Keystroke
se.keystroke("v", {using: "command down"})
se.keyCode(36) // Return key
'

Notifications

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const app = Application.currentApplication()
app.includeStandardAdditions = true
app.displayNotification("Body text", {
  withTitle: "Title",
  subtitle: "Subtitle",
  soundName: "Frog"
})
'

Dialogs

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const app = Application.currentApplication()
app.includeStandardAdditions = true

// Alert
app.displayAlert("Title", {message: "Details", buttons: ["OK", "Cancel"]})

// Choose file
app.chooseFile({withPrompt: "Select a file"})

// Choose folder
app.chooseFolder({withPrompt: "Select folder"})

// Text input
app.displayDialog("Enter name:", {defaultAnswer: ""})
'

Clipboard

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const app = Application.currentApplication()
app.includeStandardAdditions = true

// Get clipboard
app.theClipboard()

// Set clipboard
app.setTheClipboardTo("New content")
'

Calendar

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const cal = Application("Calendar")

// List calendars
cal.calendars().map(c => c.name())

// Create event
const calendar = cal.calendars.byName("Home")
cal.Event({
  summary: "Meeting",
  startDate: new Date("2024-01-15T10:00:00"),
  endDate: new Date("2024-01-15T11:00:00")
}).make({at: calendar})
'

Reminders

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
const rem = Application("Reminders")

// List reminder lists
rem.lists().map(l => l.name())

// Create reminder
const list = rem.lists.byName("Reminders")
rem.Reminder({name: "Buy groceries", dueDate: new Date()}).make({at: list})
'

Tips

1. Always check sdef first - Run sdef /path/to/app.app to see available commands
2. Use properties() - Quick way to see what's accessible on any object
3. Enable standard additions - app.includeStandardAdditions = true for dialogs, file ops
4. Handle arrays - JXA returns special arrays; use .map() to extract values
5. Debugging - Add console.log() and run with osascript -l JavaScript script.js

Error Handling

osascript -l JavaScript -e '
try {
  const music = Application("Music")
  music.currentTrack.name()
} catch(e) {
  "No track playing"
}
'