Any way to create a Mac LC background app?

[Devin Asay]

On Mar 12, 2014, at 3:11 PM, Richmond <richmondmathewson at gmail.com>
 wrote:

> On 12/03/14 23:10, Devin Asay wrote:
>> On Mar 12, 2014, at 1:52 PM, Richard Miller <wow at together.net>
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>> Is there any way for a LC app to run in the background on a Mac, so the user won't see it listed when they cycle through their open programs? I know how to make it invisible, but it still shows up when you Apple Key-Tab through running apps.
>>> 
>> Richard,
>> 
>> You have to edit the info.plist file for the app and insert a LSUIElement key:
>> 
>> This creates a faceless application (one that doesn't appear in Force Quit list or in the Dock):
> 
> And what happens when your standalone starts creating merry hell, and you have no way of quitting the thing?
> 
> Sounds a bit risky.

Actually, the app is not exactly "faceless"' that was a poor choice of words. You can still quit the app by clicking into the interface and choosing Quit from the app menu. It just doesn't show up in the dock or on Cmd+tab. In my case I only used it for a couple of dead simple applications that I tested thoroughly before changing the plist. It sounds like Richard has something like that in mind. 

It turns the app into something called an "agent app". 
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/general/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/LaunchServicesKeys.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001431-108256


Devin


Devin Asay
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