Re: Providing a Service without activating an app
Re: Providing a Service without activating an app
- Subject: Re: Providing a Service without activating an app
- From: Andy Lee <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:56:05 -0400
Thanks, Uli! Indeed the thing to do is start with a regular Application project and tweak it. Quite simple once you know how.
I wrote up what I learned here:
<http://www.notesfromandy.com/2013/04/05/writing-a-service-bundle/>
And here's the service I wrote. It copies a selector to the clipboard when you select a method declaration or invocation:
<https://github.com/aglee/copyselector#readme>
--Andy
On Apr 4, 2013, at 8:02 AM, Uli Kusterer <email@hidden> wrote:
> I wrote CodingService a while ago (http://the-void-software.com/codingservice/), and as far I can see from a quick glance at the sources, all a .service is, is a faceless background application (LSBackgroundOnly == true in Info.plist) where you change the suffix in the build settings from .app to .service.
>
> It has the same NSServices key in its plist as a regular application implementing services would have, an app delegate, a main xib that instantiates it, etc.
>
> Cheers,
> -- Uli Kusterer
> "The Witnesses of TeachText are everywhere..."
> http://www.zathras.de
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2013, at 10:43 PM, Kevin Callahan <email@hidden> wrote:
>> On Apr 2, 2013, at 11:03 AM, Andy Lee <email@hidden> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm writing an app that provides an NSService. Is there a way to have the app not activate when the service is invoked?
>>>
>>> Alternatively -- where can I find good docs and/or sample code for creating a standalone .service bundle?
>>>
>>> --Andy
>>
>> Hi Andy - I ran into this same problem.
>>
>> When Accessorizer first came out in 2002, it was just a standalone NSService, not an app. However, because it needed to grow into an app in order to have settings, options and other things, I converted it to an app. Besides, several developers actually wanted it to be an app so they could work within the app itself.
>>
>> I couldn't figure out how to keep it from being activated once a service was invoked.
>>
>> The solution I came up with is two-fold:
>>
>> 1) I inform my users to minimize Accessorizer to the dock. I also have a preference for minimizing to the dock upon launch. So, if a service is invoked, and if Accessorizer is not running, then Accessorizer will launch, minimize itself to the Dock, and perform the service. At least this keeps Accessorizer's interface from being brought to the front and blocking Xcode. However, Accessorizer, at this point in the process, is still the active app. To solve that:
>>
>> 2) I have preferences to activate the editor (Xcode or TextMate) after a Service or Accessorizer Action (Accessorizer uses just one Service invocation for 28 code gen actions that you can pick from a status bar menu or floating menu).
>>
>> The effect is that you never leave Xcode. This works in full screen mode as well. I have other preferences for auto-inserting the results into Xcode at the current insertion point.
>>
>> So, basically, my solution was to minimize my app, do the service work, then activate Xcode, then insert results.
>>
>> Maybe there's a better way?
>>
>> -Kevin
>>
>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>> Cocoa-dev mailing list (email@hidden)
>>>
>>> Please do not post admin requests or moderator comments to the list.
>>> Contact the moderators at cocoa-dev-admins(at)lists.apple.com
>>>
>>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
>>>
>>> This email sent to email@hidden
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> Cocoa-dev mailing list (email@hidden)
>>
>> Please do not post admin requests or moderator comments to the list.
>> Contact the moderators at cocoa-dev-admins(at)lists.apple.com
>>
>> Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
>>
>> This email sent to email@hidden
>
_______________________________________________
Cocoa-dev mailing list (email@hidden)
Please do not post admin requests or moderator comments to the list.
Contact the moderators at cocoa-dev-admins(at)lists.apple.com
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
This email sent to email@hidden