Periodic Execution of Apple Shortcuts with launchd https://en.ileif.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DALL·E-2024-05-16-18.08.33-Transform-the-black-and-white-line-art-illustration-of-a-modern-desk-setup-into-a-1990s-GeoCities-style-image.-The-scene-should-feature-vibrant-nosta-150x150.webp
This article demonstrates how to use the system service ‘launchd‘ on a Mac to run Apple Shortcuts regularly and automatically.
#ios#shortcuts remain both very useful and infuriating to troubleshoot. Like when they work, it feels like AppleScript but when they don’t you sort of feel like a crazy person just staring at the screen.
Did a recent release of Sonoma break the ability for Shortcuts to send keystrokes? Because it USED to work, and Privacy & Accessibility stuff is still turned on to allow it to control this computer. And yet...
So I'm working on another #macOS app that adds #Shortcuts support to apps that don't have them. Namely… to all of them. 😅
UI Actions adds #ShortcutsApp actions for selecting/showing menus, clicking buttons, hitting keys, typing text. It's a very reduced set of functions right now but I wanted to get the beta out of the door, and “perfect” is the enemy of "ever”.
macOS 13.3+. The public beta opens (checks watch) now. And here's the website:
I'm sure I forgot a lot of things but to be fair, it was a long day and I'm ready for a walk.
So, if UI Actions sounds like something you'd be interested in, please check out the beta at https://actions.work/ui-actions, and let me know what you think! Thanks in advance 🙏🏼
For anyone interested in backing up their #shortcuts from the #shortcutsapp to the Collections Database app that recently sponsored @macstories, here’s a guide and template I put together if you’d like to use it.
The joy of some good automation! Automatically sending PDFs of all unread tagged items from @goodlinks to the #ReMarkable#eink tablet using #Shortcuts.
iPhone Tip. Message Shortcut. For someone that you send messages to a lot, would it be handy to have a shortcut on your home screen that when you double tap it, it brings up messages, fills in who it is to automatically, and it puts you in the edit field ready to type your message. Well, this can be done pretty easily using the shortcuts app and something called an URL Action. Here are the steps.
1, Open the shortcuts app and choose Create New Shortcut.
2, Need to search for the shortcut action to use. Go to the bottom of the screen and swipe left going back up the screen. After the dictate button will be the search edit box.
3, In the edit box, just type, Open Url.
4, Swipe right, and one of the search results will be Open URLS, double tap on that.
5, Go to the top of the screen if not there.
6, As you swipe, you will come to a done button, then you will hear, Open URLS, draggable, show actions menu, swipe one more time and you should hear, Open, URL. This is where you need to be.
7, Now, flick down and choose Edit URL. This will open an edit box and put the keyboard at the bottom of the screen. Even though you can swipe around the screen, you can still type in this edit box.
8, So type, with no spaces, sms, colon, then the phone number of the person you want to make this link for.
9, All done making the shortcut. Go to top of screen and hit the done button. Now you have to rename it and add it to your home screen.
Renaming Shortcut.
1, From the top of the screen, swipe and you should hear, Open URLS. This is the shortcut that you just made!
2, Do a single finger triple tap on the shortcut to bring up a pop up menu. Now while swiping across voiceover does not have focus on what it reads to you, so you have to go past what you are looking for and then swipe back before making your choice. So swipe across until you hear details, then swipe back to rename and Double tap it.
3, A rename window will pop up, swipe across and enter the name in the edit field.
4, Once finished, hit the done button.
Adding to the Home Screen.
1, do a single finger triple tap on the shortcut like you did before. This time choose details. Remember, to make sure voiceover has focus on the correct thing, swipe past the details button, then go back to it.
2, On the details screen, swipe to the button that says, Add To Home Screen. This will add the shortcut to your home screen. If you need to, you can move this shortcut just like you move any of apps, and put it where you want.
Enclosing, I do realize that there are other ways of sending messages, like with Siri, or maybe by using a widget. But for those who normally open the messages app, go to the compose button, or to the person in their list of conversations, this is definitely a quicker way. The best thing is that there are multiple ways of doing it, and having choices is always a good thing! 😄 #iPhone#Tip#Shortcuts#Messages#Homescreen#Quick#Easy#blind#Accessible
From the flurry of recent rumors, it really sounds like the Notes/Reminders group is taking over Calculator this year, with intent to productize it cross-platform with some system-integrated Soulver-style functionality. It would make sense to have some kind of (AI-empowered?) handwriting recognition, for Apple Pencil users on iPad, so you can do handwritten math in Notes
◉ Fast Tracker — my simple, reliable and privacy-centric Intermittent Fasting Tracker — has been updated with Siri/Shortcuts Integration, Fasting Zone and Fast Reminder Notifications, and more.
It's now easier than ever to start and stop a fasting session… you don’t even have to open the app!
I have some Shortcuts automations on iOS that speak text, and sometimes the voice is very quiet, and sometimes it shouts at me at full volume, and adjusting the device volume has no effect on it. Well, #TIL you can tell Siri, “Set your volume to 40” (the number is a percentage of the max volume), and that affects the automation speech level. Problem solved!
Free app Actions adds nearly 150 features to Apple Shortcuts
Highlights include many tools for converting units, a bunch of system integrations for checking things like whether a particular Bluetooth device or Wi-Fi device is connected, and a bunch of features for working with images and lists. The applicatio ...continues
For all the #shortcuts experts out there. Is it possible to have your podcast listening history via a third party player such as @overcastfm show up as Journaling suggestions.
Have any of you created Shortcuts for iOS? I'm currently trying to figure out something kind of basic, yet seemingly impossible. I want to update a version number inside the Shortcut itself (for release identification & debugging purposes) when doing new releases, but can't figure out a way other than manually changing the value. That's … not a good approach. Is there a better way?
FYI You can drag icons from the Noun Project app into Elgato's Stream Deck management app. AND You can add a button for any shortcut you've ever added to the dock.
@matthewcassinelli I love Sofa. Create whatever list you want- I have a “Buy These” list. It also auto generates lists of movies, shows, video games, books, etc. Free version is pretty good. With the paid subscription, you get tons of details and links to streaming services.
BARD App iOS. For those that did not know, the BARD app has some built in Siri commands, but you have to activate them before they will work. You can do things like start, stop, different sleep timers, set bookmarks, and jump backwards and forwards by time increments. there are also a few interactive commands. To activate any of them, go to the settings tab, swipe to Siri Settings, Double tap the now reading audio button. The commands are divided into 2 categories; Playback, and Navigate, just double tap the category you want. For each command, there will be an add to siri button. If you double tap the button, it will add it to Siri and bring up a screen for that command. The command you will say to Siri will be in the edit field, just double tap to change it if you want. Once things are set, just hit the done button. It will put you back in the BARD app. Its that easy. I like the interactive commands. As you swipe through the list, it will tell you if it is interactive. What that means is that once the command is given, Siri will give you a list of choices to choose from. For example, there is a sleep timer interactive command. If you set this up, then when you say the command, Siri will come back and ask you if you want to set a 15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute, 60 minute timer, or end of chapter sleep timer. You just tell her what you want, and it is set. I like the interactive commands because you are given choices. These are probably something that I will not always use, but it will be good to have some set up for times they can come in handy. #iPhone#iOS#BARD#Siri#Shortcuts#Commands#HandsFree
What’s new in #Shortcuts for iOS and iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4
New actions
• Get Orientation provides the current device orientation (such as portrait or landscape) on iOS and iPadOS
• Get Activity determines your current activity (walking, running, cycling, or in a car) on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS
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