Using Python in Place of AppleScript

Question

I often use Applescript to accomplish basic tasks like opening and closing programs, sometimes going a little more in-depth like running a specific Xcode program's unit tests. I'm learning Python, and I love it. I haven't been able to find much documentation relating AppleScript to Python. My question is: On Mac OS X, can Python be used in place of AppleScript to accomplish the tasks mentioned above? And if so, does anyone know of a good resource to learn more about the topic?

Answer 1

To avoid all the out-dated and so-called "crappy" modules including PyObjC, one can simply debug a script in the Script Editor or Script Debugger (my choice) and then execute it using osascript via Popen. I prefer this so I can ensure the idiosyncrasies of the applications implementation are worked around and Script Debugger has great debugging and browsing tools.

For example:

from subprocess import Popen, PIPE

def get_front_win_id():
    """
    Get window id of front Chrome browser window
    """
    script = '''
        on run {}
            set winID to 0
            tell application "Google Chrome"
                set winID to id of front window
                return winID
            end tell
        end run
    '''
    args = []
    p = Popen(['/usr/bin/osascript', '-'] + args,
              stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
    stdout, stderr = p.communicate(script)
    winID = stdout.strip()
    return int(winID)

Pass args in a list to osascript but they have to be strings so complex data structures can be tedious to marshal and and unmarshal but there is a price for the simplicity. I left off error checking and exception handling/raising for simplicity. TANSTAAFL

Answer 2

Python can't be used to replace the UI & automation duties that AppleScript offers. However since OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) JavaScript can also be used.

See here: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/releasenotes/InterapplicationCommunication/RN-JavaScriptForAutomation/index.html