AppleScript to turn on the Accessibility Keyboard in High Sierra
How can I write a script to turn on the accessibility keyboard present in macOS High Sierra?
It's of course possible to do this by going to System Preferences > Accessibility > Keyboard > Accessibility Keyboard > "Enable Accessibility Keyboard," but this takes a number of clicks. I would like a script that can be launched from the Dock, since I frequently use the Accessibility Keyboard.
One idea is to use AppleScript; another idea is to find the Accessibility Keyboard binary and use a shell script to open it.
Here is my attempt at an AppleScript:
tell application "System Preferences"
activate
reveal (pane id "com.apple.preference.universalaccess")
end tell
tell application "System Events" to tell application process "System Preferences"
tell window "Accessibility"
click UI element "Keyboard" of row 16 of table 1 of scroll area 2
click button "Accessibility Keyboard"
click checkbox "Enable Accessibility Keyboard"
end tell
end tell
This script fails with the error: "System Events got an error: Can’t get button 'Accessibility Keyboard' of window 'Accessibility' of application process 'System Preferences'."
If I remove the last two click commands, the script does not produce an error, but also does not appear to click the "Keyboard" UI element.
What am I doing wrong? Apologies if this is a stupid question; this is my first AppleScript.
Or if someone knows the location of the Accessibility Keyboard binary, that would be helpful, too.
Solution 1:
Update Note: This answer was originally written prior to the release of macOS Mojave and as such to use it in macOS Mojave you'll need to change three lines of code.
Change:
select table 1 of scroll area 2select row 16 of table 1 of scroll area 2tell tab group 1
To:
select table 1 of scroll area 1select row 16 of table 1 of scroll area 1tell tab group 1 of group 1
The following example AppleScript code works for me under macOS High Sierra:
if running of application "System Preferences" then
quit application "System Preferences"
delay 1
end if
tell application "System Preferences"
reveal pane id "com.apple.preference.universalaccess"
delay 1
tell application "System Events"
tell window 1 of application process "System Preferences"
select table 1 of scroll area 2
delay 0.1
select row 16 of table 1 of scroll area 2
delay 0.1
tell tab group 1
click radio button "Accessibility Keyboard"
delay 0.1
click checkbox "Enable Accessibility Keyboard"
end tell
end tell
end tell
quit
end tell
In Script Editor, I saved example AppleScript code as an application, named Accessibility Keyboard.app, in the Applications folder.
Next, I added the Accessibility Keyboard.app to: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility
Now I can bring up the Accessibility Keyboard easily via Spotlight, or the Accessibility Keyboard.app can be dragged and dropped on the Dock so as to be launched for there.
Update:
My original example AppleScript code was geared at opening the Accessibility Keyboard, not closing it. As such, if it's open and the original script is run again it errors out. The following version of the example AppleScript code accounts for whether or not the Accessibility Keyboard it already shown and if so, closes it.
Note thought that while this does close the Accessibility Keyboard if it's showing, there is an added bounce to Dock Tile of System Preferences and is not and issue other then a secondary visual distraction.
Example AppleScript code:
if running of application "System Preferences" then
quit application "System Preferences"
delay 1
end if
tell application "System Preferences"
reveal pane id "com.apple.preference.universalaccess"
delay 1
tell application "System Events"
tell window 1 of application process "System Preferences"
select table 1 of scroll area 2
delay 0.1
select row 16 of table 1 of scroll area 2
delay 0.1
tell tab group 1
click radio button "Accessibility Keyboard"
delay 0.1
if value of checkbox "Enable Accessibility Keyboard" is 0 then
click checkbox "Enable Accessibility Keyboard"
else
click checkbox "Enable Accessibility Keyboard"
delay 1
my clickOK()
end if
end tell
end tell
end tell
quit
end tell
on clickOK()
tell application "System Events" to click button "OK" of window 1 of application process "System Preferences"
end clickOK
Note that System Preferences does not need to be visible for this to work and why there is no activate command in the example AppleScript code. Additionally if System Preferences is already open, it is first closed before the rest of the code is processed. This is done for a couple of reasons, the first of which was already stated and secondly seeing the UI Events processed is a visual distraction and can be annoying.
Also note that the value of the delay commands may need to be adjusted for your system, and or additional delay commands may or may not be needed. Adjust values of and or add/remove the delay commands as appropriate.
Keep in mind that once the app is added to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility and modified thereafter, you'll need to uncheck it and recheck it for the new changes to be allowed to be processed.
Note: The example AppleScript code is just that and does not employ any error handling and is meant only to show one of many ways accomplish a task. The onus is always upon the User to add/use appropriate error handling as needed/wanted.
Solution 2:
Based on your excellent prior work, here's an
Updated 2018 version
Features
- Works without any arbitrary delays
- Works as a toggle (shows/hides depending on the keyboard state)
- Preserves the state of the System Preferences app
- Uses Apples
Enhanced Application Object Model
Sourcecode
(*
* toggle-macos-accessibility-keyboard
* applescript
*
* description:
* macOS automation script to toggle the macOS Accessibility Keyboard.
* Shows and hides the keyboard depending on its current state.
*
* author: sidneys
* homepage: http://sidneys.github.io
* version: 2.0.1
* license: MIT
*)
-- Init
use AppleScript version "2.7"
use scripting additions
-- Persist start-up state of the "System Preferences" app
set didRunSystemPreferences to (get running of application "System Preferences")
-- Initialize storage for the checkbox value
set initialCheckboxValue to -1
set currentCheckboxValue to -1
-- Show "Keyboard" pane within the Accessibility preferences
tell application "System Preferences"
reveal anchor 2 of pane id "com.apple.preference.universalaccess"
end tell
-- Start automated interaction
tell application "System Events"
-- Wait for: System Preferences Window
repeat until tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences" exists
end repeat
-- Wait for: Settings Pane
repeat until (name of second radio button of tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences") is "Accessibility Keyboard"
end repeat
-- Select the "Accessibility Keyboard" Segmented Control
click radio button 2 of tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences"
-- Tick the "Enable Accessibility Keyboard" checkbox, remembering its before/after value
set initialCheckboxValue to value of checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences"
click checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences"
set currentCheckboxValue to value of checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences"
-- Did the checkbox value change?
if initialCheckboxValue is currentCheckboxValue then
-- No - Wait for: confirmation dialog
repeat until sheet 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences" exists
end repeat
-- Dismiss dialog
click button 1 of sheet 1 of window 1 of process "System Preferences"
end if
end tell
-- Did the "System Preferences" app run on start-up?
if not didRunSystemPreferences then
-- No - Quit
quit application "System Preferences"
else
-- Yes - Return to the overview screen
tell application "System Events"
click menu item 3 of menu 1 of menu bar item 4 of menu bar 1 of process "System Preferences"
end tell
end if
Repository
Fork the Gist at GitHub: toggle-accessibility-keyboard-macos
Looking forward to your feedback, Cheers, S