close window based on kCGWindowName value - swift

Question

but I'm not new to programming. I'm trying to have an always running menubar app listen for a specific window in an application to be opened and then close that window, but not the application. Here is my current approach, it is mostly a mix of other SO answers I found.
func applicationDidFinishLaunching(aNotification: NSNotification) {
// listener for when user switches applications
NSWorkspace.sharedWorkspace().notificationCenter.addObserver(self,
selector: #selector(activated),
name: NSWorkspaceDidActivateApplicationNotification,
object: nil)
}
func activated(notification: NSNotification) {
// i feel like i should be using that NSNotification but I'm not
let options = CGWindowListOption(arrayLiteral: CGWindowListOption.ExcludeDesktopElements, CGWindowListOption.OptionOnScreenOnly)
let windowListInfo = CGWindowListCopyWindowInfo(options, CGWindowID(0))
let infoList = windowListInfo as NSArray? as? [[String: AnyObject]]
for item in infoList! {
// if i find the window i want to close
if item[kCGWindowName as String] == "Warnings" {
// close window item[kCGWindowName]
}
}
My question is, if I am even doing any of this right, how do I close the window based off of having its windowListInfo?
Also, the item[kCGWindowName as String] is saying Cannot convert value of type 'AnyObject?' to expected argument type String. How would I go about checking windows for the name I want without casting to a String? I have called print() on all objects in infoList and have seen a kCGWindowName value with the name of the window I am looking for, so I know its there.
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can use the accessibility API:
You need to enable accessibility for your application or Xcode (if
you test your application from Xcode).
Open the "Security & Privacy" pane on the "System Preferences"
window. Click the "Privacy" tab.
Select "Accessibility" from the list in the left pane.
Click the lock icon to make changes.
Drag/drop your application or Xcode in the right pane.
Here's an example of the swift code (Swift version 2.2) to simulate a click on the red button of the window whose the title start with "Warnings":
func activated(notification: NSNotification) {
if (notification.userInfo![NSWorkspaceApplicationKey]!.localizedName) == "Pages" { // when "Pages" application is active only
let myApp = AXUIElementCreateApplication(notification.userInfo![NSWorkspaceApplicationKey]!.processIdentifier).takeUnretainedValue()
let val1 = UnsafeMutablePointer<AnyObject?>.alloc(1)
if AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(myApp, kAXWindowsAttribute, val1).rawValue == 0 { // get windows of the "Pages" application
let windowList = val1.memory as? [AXUIElement] ?? []
for w in windowList { // loop each window, get the title of the window, and check if the title starts with "Warning"
if AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(w, kAXTitleAttribute, val1).rawValue == 0 && (val1.memory as! String).hasPrefix("Warnings") {
if AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(w, kAXCloseButtonAttribute, val1).rawValue == 0 {// get the red button of the window
AXUIElementPerformAction(val1.memory as! AXUIElement, kAXPressAction); // close the window
}
}
}
}
val1.dealloc(1)
}
}
To check the title equal "Warnings": use val1.memory as! String == "Warnings"
Informations on the infoList from your code:
How would I go about checking windows for the name I want without
casting to a String?
Use a string instead of the constant, like this:
if item["kCGWindowName"]! as! String == "Warnings" {