The document discusses the motivations and methodologies for automating tasks using Swift, emphasizing productivity, streamlined workflows, and enhanced features in OS X applications. It explores various language options for scripting, including AppleScript and JavaScript, while detailing the use of the scripting bridge for accessing scriptable applications. The content includes practical demonstrations of script creation, frameworks, and tools for effective automation.

1. Automate with Swift
CocoaConf DC, April 10, 2015
Tony Ingraldi
GitHub: tingraldi • Twitter: @TonyIngraldi

2. Itinerary
• Motivation: Why Automate?
• A bit of history
• Why Swift?
• Nuts and bolts

3. Show of Hands?
• Have you used…
• AppleScript?
• Automator?
• Other form of application scripting?

4. Why Automate?
• Improve productivity
• Avoid repetitive tasks
• Streamline workflows
• Opportunities for experimentation
• Add missing features to OS X apps!

5. Scriptable Applications

6. Demo
Sneak peak

7. Open Scripting Architecture
• Introduced way back in October 1993
• The state of the Mac looked like this
Beige!

8. Open Scripting Architecture
• Survived the transition to OS X
• Leveraged by OS X to launch applications, open
documents, etc.
• A standard mechanism for interapplication
communication

9. Language Options
• AppleScript (there from the beginning)
• JavaScript for Automation (as of Yosemite)
• Python (PyObjC, py-appscript)
• Ruby (RubyCocoa, RubyOSA)
• And now Swift!

10. Language Options
• AppleScript (there from the beginning)
• JavaScript for Automation (as of Yosemite)
• Python (PyObjC, py-appscript)
• Ruby (RubyCocoa, RubyOSA)
• And now Swift!

11. AppleScript
• A “natural language” programming model
• Primarily geared toward being the “glue”
between apps
• Limited inherent functionality

12. AppleScript
• Can be frustrating to people who are fluent in
“normal” programming languages
• Verbosity is a hallmark
set fileName to "name.jpg"
set sansExtension to text 1 thru ((offset of "." in fileName) - 1) of fileName

13. Swift
• A “primary” language
• Ready access to Cocoa
• Can run Swift scripts using #! convention
• A familiar coding style
let fileName = "name.jpg"
let sansExtension = fileName.stringByDeletingPathExtension

14. Scripting Bridge
• Introduced in Mac OS X Leopard (version 10.5)
• Provides high-level Objective-C access to
scriptable applications
• Can be leveraged in Swift, with a bit of extra
work

15. Scripting Bridge Recipe
• 1 part sdef
• 1 part sdp
• A pinch of manual intervention
• Automate to taste

16. Scripting Definition
• Scriptable applications include resources that
describe their scripting interface
• Can be in a variety of forms
• The sdef command-line utility extracts the
scripting definition
• Writes to standard output in XML format

17. Scripting Definition
• Using sdef
sdef /path/to/App.app > App.sdef
• For the most part, using sdef is “run and forget”
• Until you find out what’s wrong when you run sdp
• Some sdp warnings can be ignored

18. Scripting Definition
• Using sdp
sdp -fh --basename App App.sdef

19. Demo
sdef and sdp

20. Kicking the Tires
• Xcode
• Swift and ObjC command line targets
• Includes the header generated by sdp
• Experiment in main.swift and main.m

21. Demo
Kicking the tires in Xcode

22. Don’t Run with Scissors
• Using Objective-C header leads to pervasive
AnyObject typing
• Works, but can lead to ambiguity
• For properties, sometimes have to resort to
using valueForKey
• Sometimes leads to awkward method
invocation

23. An Alternative
• Create Swift protocols that cover the generated
Objective-C API
• 👍 Supports rich set of types
• 👍 API translation can be automated
• 👎 Requires optional declaration of all
properties and methods

24. Objective-C Excerpt
@interface AcornApplication : SBApplication
@property (copy, readonly) NSString *name;
- (SBElementArray *) windows;
- (NSString *) taunt;
@end

25. SBObject
@objc public protocol SBObjectProtocol:
NSObjectProtocol {
func get() -> AnyObject!
}

26. SBApplication
@objc public protocol SBApplicationProtocol:
SBObjectProtocol {
func activate()
var delegate:SBApplicationDelegate! { get set }
}

27. Application Protocol
@objc public protocol AcornApplication:
SBApplicationProtocol {
optional var name: String { get }
optional func windows() -> SBElementArray
optional func taunt() -> String
}
extension SBApplication : AcornApplication {}

28. Putting it Together
import ScriptingBridge
@objc public protocol AcornApplication : … {…}
extension SBApplication : AcornApplication {}
let acorn = SBApplication
.applicationWithBundleIdentifier(
“com.flyingmeat.Acorn4"
) as! AcornApplication
acorn.taunt!()

29. Acorn Taunt

30. Plan of Attack
• Create frameworks for target applications
• Install in /Library/Frameworks
• Write scripts instead of compiled code

31. By the Way
• Playgrounds don’t fit well
• The Swift REPL could spontaneously combust at
any moment
• What’s a scripter to do?
• Use a text editor
• Edit, run, repeat

32. Script Invocation
• Hash-bang on the first line
#!/usr/bin/xcrun swift -F /Library/Frameworks
• chmod +x SomeScript.swift

33. A Little Help
https://github.com/tingraldi/SwiftScripting
• Header conversion utilities
• Sample Application Scripting Frameworks
• Sample Scripts
• Scripting Utilities Framework

34. Demo
A Scripting Framework

35. A Little More Help
import ScriptingBridge
@objc public protocol AcornApplication {…}
extension SBApplication : AcornApplication {}
let acorn = SBApplication
.applicationWithBundleIdentifier(
"com.flyingmeat.Acorn4"
) as! AcornApplication
acorn.taunt!()

36. A Little More Help
import ScriptingBridge
import AcornScripting // Acorn Swift protocols
let acorn = SBApplication
.applicationWithBundleIdentifier(
"com.flyingmeat.Acorn4"
) as! AcornApplication
acorn.taunt!()

37. A Little More Help
import ScriptingUtilities // Helper framework
import AcornScripting // Acorn Swift protocols
let acorn = Application(name: "Acorn")
as! AcornApplication
acorn.taunt!()

38. Where to Put Scripts?
• Short answer: anywhere
• Some applications have special script folders
• Scripting Menu
• Invoke via an Automator Service

39. Demo
Scripting Menu, etc.

40. Summary
• Automate for productivity
• Add “missing features”
• Reinforce/leverage Swift expertise

41. Questions?