Calling AppleScript From Python Without Using Osascript Or Appscript?

Is there any way to execute (and obtain the results of) AppleScript code from python without using the osascript command-line utility or appscript (which I don't really want to use

Solution 1:

You can use the PyObjC bridge:

>>> from Foundation import *
>>> s = NSAppleScript.alloc().initWithSource_("tell app \"Finder\" to activate")
>>> s.executeAndReturnError_(None)

Solution 2:

PyPI is your friend...

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/py-applescript

Example:

import applescript

scpt = applescript.AppleScript('''
    on run {arg1, arg2}
        say arg1 & " " & arg2
    end run

    on foo()
        return "bar"
    end foo

    on Baz(x, y)
        return x * y
    end bar
''')

print(scpt.run('Hello', 'World')) #-> None
print(scpt.call('foo')) #-> "bar"
print(scpt.call('Baz', 3, 5)) #-> 15

Solution 3:

If are looking to execute "Javascript for Automation" (applescript's successor) in your python code, here's how to do it:

script = None

def compileScript():
    from OSAKit import OSAScript, OSALanguage

    scriptPath = "path/to/file.jxa"
    scriptContents = open(scriptPath, mode="r").read()
    javascriptLanguage = OSALanguage.languageForName_("JavaScript")

    script = OSAScript.alloc().initWithSource_language_(scriptContents, javascriptLanguage)
    (success, err) = script.compileAndReturnError_(None)

    # should only occur if jxa is incorrectly written
    if not success:
        raise Exception("error compiling jxa script")

    return script

def execute():
    # use a global variable to cache the compiled script for performance
    global script
    if not script:
        script = compileScript()

    (result, err) = script.executeAndReturnError_(None)

    if err:
        # example error structure:
        # {
        #     NSLocalizedDescription = "Error: Error: Can't get object.";
        #     NSLocalizedFailureReason = "Error: Error: Can't get object.";
        #     OSAScriptErrorBriefMessageKey = "Error: Error: Can't get object.";
        #     OSAScriptErrorMessageKey = "Error: Error: Can't get object.";
        #     OSAScriptErrorNumberKey = "-1728";
        #     OSAScriptErrorRangeKey = "NSRange: {0, 0}";
        # }

        raise Exception("jxa error: {}".format(err["NSLocalizedDescription"]))
    
    # assumes your jxa script returns JSON
    return json.loads(result.stringValue())