macOS, is my app active?

[scott at elementarysoftware.com]

Trevor, 

Those directions were awesome! I saw the security warning with the AppleScript method. Your extension method avoided it. Thank you.

—
Scott Morrow

Elementary Software
(Now with 20% less chalk dust!)
web       https://elementarysoftware.com/
email     scott at elementarysoftware.com
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> On Nov 23, 2019, at 6:06 AM, Trevor DeVore via use-livecode <use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
> On Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 6:24 AM Klaus major-k via use-livecode <
> use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hi friends,
>> 
>> can we check if our standalone is currently active, means in
>> the "foreground" or if it is not active? Know what I mean?
>> If yes, how can we do that? LC? AppleScript?
>> 
>> I want to alert the user if the app is active, but not if the app
>> is not active.
>> 
> 
> Apple provides API calls to do this and wrapping Objective-C APIs is pretty
> straightforward. The APIs you are interested in:
> 
> Get frontmost app:
> https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nsworkspace/1532097-frontmostapplication?language=objc
> 
> Get bundle identifier of frontmost app:
> https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nsrunningapplication/1529140-bundleidentifier?language=objc
> 
> I have a macOS LCB "playground" repo where I test a number of things out
> and upload them for others to see. Take a look at
> the NSWorkspaceGetFrontmostApplication function:
> 
> https://github.com/trevordevore/lc-macos-toolset/blob/master/NSWorkspace/nsworkspace.lcb#L133
> 
> You can call it like this:
> 
> ```
> put NSWorkspaceGetFrontmostApplication("bundle id")
> ```
> 
> If I run the function from within LiveCode it returns "com.runrev.livecode".
> 
> If I run the following in the message box and switch to Chrome it returns
> "com.google.Chrome":
> 
> ```
> wait 1 second;put NSWorkspaceGetFrontmostApplication("bundle id")
> ```
> 
> So I would think it would do what you want. You would, however, need to
> compile the nsworkspace.lcb and load the resulting extension in your app.
> Here are some quick instructions in case you want to try:
> 
> 1. Download and unzip repo using "Clone or Download" link found at
> https://github.com/trevordevore/lc-macos-toolset
> 2. Launch LC 9 and open the Extension Builder (EB) from Tools > Extension
> Builder menu.
> 3. Click on the folder icon in top right of EB window and select the
> ./NSWorkspace/nsworkspace.lcb file.
> 4. Click on play button in bottom left of EB window.
> 5. Test `wait 1 second;put NSWorkspaceGetFrontmostApplication("bundle id")`
> in the message box. It should return a value.
> 6. Look in the ./NSWorkspace folder for the module.2.lcm file. This is the
> file that can be renamed, added to your application folder, and loaded
> using `load extension`.
> 
> Regarding step 6 - If you don't want to store your extension externally to
> your application you can also use the "+" button in the EB to install the
> extension in your LC environment. Now the extension will load whenever you
> launch LC and you can select "NSWorkspace" in the Standalone Builder
> Inclusions tab so that the extension is bundled with your executable.
> 
> -- 
> Trevor DeVore
> ScreenSteps
> www.screensteps.com
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