NSWorkspace has the method open(_:withAppBundleIdentifier: [...] ):
Opens one or more files from an array of URLs.
func open(_ urls: [URL],
withAppBundleIdentifier bundleIdentifier: String?,
options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions = [],
additionalEventParamDescriptor descriptor: NSAppleEventDescriptor?,
launchIdentifiers identifiers:) -> Bool
The NSApplicationDelegate of the app you want to open has corresponding methods that are called to open the URL(s) you provide:
func application(_ sender: NSApplication, openFile filename: String) -> Bool
func application(_ sender: NSApplication, openFiles filenames: [String])
Back to open(_:withAppBundleIdentifier: [...]), that method has an NSAppleEventDescriptor parameter:
additionalEventParamDescriptor descriptor: NSAppleEventDescriptor?
Additional options specified in an AppleEvent-style descriptor. For example, you could use this parameter to specify additional documents to open when the app is launched.
I would like to send additional information to the app that will open the files.
This would be used similarly to the userInfo dictionary on a notification.
I've constructed a NSAppleEventDescriptor object to represent this information. I can set this event descriptor in the NSWorkspace open( ... ) function.
But how do I receive this event descriptor in Application Delegate of the target app?
The application(_: openFile:) functions have no parameters for the event descriptors or any other "userInfo"-type additional information.
Code
Based on answers and other questions, I settled on the solution below. I am now getting a triggered handler for Apple Events. But the Apple Event that I am setting on the NSWorkspace function is not the one that is received in the handler! How do I get my Apple Event instead?
Send
let appleEvent = NSAppleEventDescriptor(eventClass: AEEventClass(kCoreEventClass),
eventID: AEEventID(kAEOpenDocuments),
targetDescriptor: nil,
returnID: AEReturnID(kAutoGenerateReturnID),
transactionID: AETransactionID(kAnyTransactionID))
appleEvent.setDescriptor(NSAppleEventDescriptor(string: "THIS IS A TEST"), forKeyword: keyDirectObject)
let didOpen = AppKit.NSWorkspace.shared.open([URL(fileURLWithPath: "/path/image.png")],
withAppBundleIdentifier: bundleID,
options: [.withErrorPresentation],
additionalEventParamDescriptor: appleEvent,
launchIdentifiers: nil)
Sent Apple Event:
<NSAppleEventDescriptor: 'aevt'\'odoc'{ '----':'utxt'("THIS IS A TEST") }>
Receive
class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ aNotification: Notification) {
NSAppleEventManager.shared().setEventHandler(self,
andSelector: #selector(handle(event:replyEvent:)),
forEventClass: AEEventClass(kCoreEventClass),
andEventID: AEEventID(kAEOpenDocuments))
}
@objc func handle(event: NSAppleEventDescriptor?, replyEvent: NSAppleEventDescriptor?) {
guard let event = event,
event.eventClass == AEEventClass(kCoreEventClass) && event.eventID == AEEventID(kAEOpenDocuments) else {
return
}
guard let additionalEventParamDescriptor = event.paramDescriptor(forKeyword: keyAEPropData) else {
return
}
guard let directObject = additionalEventParamDescriptor.paramDescriptor(forKeyword: keyDirectObject) else {
return
}
print(directObject)
}
}
Received Apple Event:
<NSAppleEventDescriptor: 'aevt'\'odoc'{ '----':[ 'bmrk'(888/$626F6F6B7803000000000 [....] 00000AC01000000000000...$) ] }>
