Ecosyste.ms: Awesome

An open API service indexing awesome lists of open source software.

Awesome Lists | Featured Topics | Projects

https://github.com/tylergaw/js-osx-app-examples

Example OS X applications written in JavaScript.
https://github.com/tylergaw/js-osx-app-examples

jxa

Last synced: about 2 months ago
JSON representation

Example OS X applications written in JavaScript.

Awesome Lists containing this project

README 

        
# JavaScript OS X App Examples



### Updates



**06/15 - OS X 10.11 Release Notes**



OS X 10.11 includes a number of updates to JSX https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/mac/releasenotes/InterapplicationCommunication/RN-JavaScriptForAutomation/Articles/OSX10-11.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014508-CH110-SW1



Sandboxing info: https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/mac/qa/qa1888/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40015156



**09/02/14 - YOSEMITE DEVELOPER PREVIEW 7 NOTE:**



Developer preview 7 has fixed the major issues that were in dev preview 5. All of

the demos are working again.



I updated the Radar: http://openradar.appspot.com/radar?id=6472227281174528



**08/14/14 - YOSEMITE DEVELOPER PREVIEW 5/6 NOTE:**



A good number of the demos are crashing. Any demo that has a button that you can click

that does something will crash. (HandleBtnClick, NSOpenPanel, etc.)



I have a question up on the Apple dev forums:

https://devforums.apple.com/thread/240935?tstart=150



I've submitted a bug to Apple, and it's copied on Radar:

http://openradar.appspot.com/radar?id=6472227281174528



### What is this?



Starting with OS X 10.10, Yosemite you can use JavaScript to create native Cocoa

applications. I wrote a [big ole post](http://tylergaw.com/articles/building-osx-apps-with-js) to help get you started.



This is a collection of examples showing how to create many of the common components

used in OS X Applications. The goal is to help people learn how to build apps

by showing clear, atomic examples.



These aren't exhaustive examples. Most of them are as basic as possible. The idea

isn't to show everything that can be done, it's to give a solid foundation to get you started.



### Running

You can run any of the example apps by double clicking them.



If you are running the app while editing from Script Editor, there are two different ways.

Script > Run (cmd + r) is the normal run. This can be good for quick debugging, but

the app will not act like the application and is usually not what you want. You'll

want Script > Run Application  (cmd + opt + r).



### Editing

To view and edit the code for each example you will need to use the Script Editor

application. It is located in Applications > Utilities > Script Editor. From there

you can either File > Open any of the example apps or drag the example app icon

to the Script Editor in the dock.



### How to create an app

Since using JavaScript to create apps is new there's not much documentation. We've

had the ability to do all of this with AppleScript for years, but I haven't had

much luck finding thorough docs on that either.



Here's a couple of gotchas that had me scratching my head for some time.



To create a new application:

- Open a new document in Script Editor cmd+n

- Save the document cmd+s

- When prompted with the Save dialog, name your app, set the file format to Application, and

make sure you check the Stay open after run handler option.



![](http://f.cl.ly/items/0h0R390u343T2d0q0723/newapplication.png)



**NOTE**: If you do not check the Stay open... option on the save dialog there does

not appear to be a way to update this later. (I hope I'm wrong, but haven't found a way to do it yet).

If the option isn't checked pretty much nothing is going to work how you expect it.



### Code Signing

Apps created this way can be code signed. Signing your app is helpful if you are

planning to distribute it to other people. Code Signing is a broad topic, for details

check out [http://macosxautomation.com/mavericks/codesign/index.html](http://macosxautomation.com/mavericks/codesign/index.html)



### Reference

[JavaScript for Automation Release Notes](https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/mac/releasenotes/interapplicationcommunication/rn-javascriptforautomation/index.html)



Check out the WWDC presentation on [JavaScript for Automation](https://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2014/)

You'll need an Apple Developer Account.