Robot.mouseMove does not work at all in Mac OS X

Question

I created java file in IntelliJ IDE, with that code

import java.awt.AWTException;
import java.awt.MouseInfo;
import java.awt.Robot;

public class JavaRobotExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int x = 12,
                y = 300;
        try {
            Robot robot = new Robot();
            robot.mouseMove(x, y);

            int xAct = (int)    MouseInfo.getPointerInfo().getLocation().getX(),
                    yAct = (int) MouseInfo.getPointerInfo().getLocation().getY();

            String sPred = String.format("Predicted mouse location : %, d, %, d", x, y),
                    sAct = String.format("Actual mouse location : %, d, %, d", xAct, yAct);

            System.out.println(sPred);
            System.out.println(sAct);
        } catch (AWTException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

That example works fine in Windows 7 environment, but the same code on Mac OS 10.14 doesn't move mouse using method mouseMove (but reads position with MouseInfo class).

Also I don't receive any Exception e.g.

Did someone had earlier similar problem? Any ideas how to get that code to work in Mac OS?

Best Regards,

Answer 1

I'm having the same exact issue too. I have a statement "robot.mouseMove(100, 100);" and the mouse doesn't move at all. I have an idea to research. I noticed a warning or informational type of message from MacOS while I was running my code. It was asking me something about giving permission for my program to control the screen or system or something. I tried to click the "allow" checkbox, but it wouldn't let me. I'll research this some more. I think it's a MacOS thing. You (and I) have to tell MacOS that it's ok for our Java program to control the mouse.

I think this is the solution . . .

In System Preferences (the "gear" icon), under Security & Privacy, click the Privacy tab toward the top, then choose Accessibility on the left. This lists all the programs that can "control your computer". I'm using STS, not IntelliJ. I see STS listed along with BetterSnapTool and KeyCastr. Both BetterSnapTool and KeyCastr are checked. STS is not checked. And, all of these are grayed out so that I can't change any of the checks. There's a Lock icon at the bottom left of the window. I clicked on the icon, and a prompt came up asking for my password (I have some level of sysadmin privileges). I put in my password, and I am now allowed to "check" STS. I "checked" STS (you will "check" IntelliJ). After "checking" STS, I clicked the Lock icon at the bottom left again. This "closed" the lock. Now when I run my program, the robot command moves my mouse.