Using AppleScript to modify settings/system preferences

Question

I am trying to make an AppleScript that toggles automatic rearranging of spaces. I am able to get the AppleScript to open system preferences and go into mission control settings, however i am not sure how to check the box which i want to change.

tell application "System Preferences"
    activate
end tell

tell application "System Events"
    tell process "System Preferences"
        click menu item "Mission Control" of menu "View" of menu bar 1
    delay 2
    tell window "Mission Control"
            //additional code goes here
    end tell
    end tell
end tell

Is there a way to see what the components of the window are so i know if i need to go into a table, or something else, before i am able to access the check boxes that toggle the settings

Answer 1

This is an alternative method using a shell command via AppleScript, which has the benefit of not requiring System Preferences to be open/running/visible. It's also much faster.

If you do happen to have it open in order to monitor whether the script below works, bear in mind that the GUI (what you see) is not updated until you close System Preferences, and open it up again.

To set Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use to true (i.e. so the checkbox is ticked):

do shell script "defaults write com.apple.dock 'mru-spaces' -bool true; killall Dock"

To set it to false, i.e. untick the checkbox, change true to false in the line of code above.

To toggle the setting, this short script will achieve that:

    set currentSetting to ¬
        (do shell script ¬
            "defaults read com.apple.dock 'mru-spaces'") ¬
            as integer as boolean

    do shell script ¬
        "defaults write com.apple.dock 'mru-spaces' -bool " & ¬
        (not currentSetting) & ¬
        "; killall Dock"

Note: Tested with MacOS High Sierra, but should work (I believe) in OS X Mavericks and later.

---

Other Settings

When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application

do shell script "defaults write -g AppleSpacesSwitchOnActivate -bool true"

(or false if you want the option off.)

Group windows by application

do shell script "defaults write com.apple.dock 'expose-group-apps' -bool true; killall Dock"

(or false if you want the option off.)