Scripting the Mac with Ruby

Given at the June 2017 meeting of the Indy.rb user group, this talk covers core Mac automation technologies and how Ruby fits into the equation.

Transcript

1. Scripting the Mac
   with Ruby
   Indy.rb - June 2017
   Chris Vannoy (@dummied), Senior Engineer @ Sigtsr
   

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2. An Introduction to Mac
   Automation
   

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3. AppleScript
   (or JavaScript)
   

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4. using terms from application "Messages"
   on message received this_message from this_buddy for this_chat
   if the name of this_buddy is in {"My Former Student"} then
   set canned_responses to {"Can't talk.", "BRB", "You're not my supervisor"}
   set this_response to some item of the canned_responses
   send this_response to this_chat
   end if
   end message received
   end using terms from
   

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5. » Drive Mac applications
   » Work with the Finder
   » Get user input
   » Dialog boxes
   

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6. launchd
   » Think cron, but with more XML
   
   
   
   
   Label
   com.spotify.webhelper
   KeepAlive
   
   NetworkState
   
   
   RunAtLoad
   
   Program
   /Users/chrisvannoy/Library/Application Support/Spotify/SpotifyWebHelper
   SpotifyPath
   /Applications/Spotify.app
   
   

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7. » ~/Library/LaunchAgents
   » /Library/LaunchAgents
   » Can run at load and/or at intervals
   » man launchctl
   » load
   » unload
   » Highly recommended: LaunchControl
   

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8. Automator
   

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9. » GUI
   » Can package a script in an app, workflow or
   service
   » Can even code sign if you want to distribute
   

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10. Where Ruby fits in
    » Installed on every Mac
    » 2.0.0 since Mavericks (2013)
    » Support baked into Automator
    

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11. Wait. System Ruby?
    » We're not "developing" here, we're scripting
    » Dependencies are the devil (especially if
    distributing)
    

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12. Some examples
    

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13. PinboardDigest
    » Pulls your last 10 links with a certain tag(s)
    from Pinboard.
    » Takes user input
    » Passes said input into Ruby
    » Script calls the Pinboard API, processes results
    » Copies markdown to clipboard
    » AppleScript pastes it into the open document
    

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14. #!/usr/bin/ruby
    require 'net/https'
    require 'cgi'
    require 'json'
    AUTH_TOKEN = "YOUR_AUTH_CODE_GOES_HERE"
    NUMBER_OF_RESULTS = 10
    input = STDIN.read
    starter = "https://api.pinboard.in/v1/posts/all?auth_token=#{AUTH_TOKEN}&results=#{NUMBER_OF_RESULTS}&format=json"
    url = URI.parse(input != "" ? starter + "&tag=#{CGI.escape(input)}" : starter)
    http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
    http.use_ssl = true
    http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE # ¯\_(ϑ)_/¯
    request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(url.request_uri)
    res = http.request(request)
    result = JSON.parse(res.body)
    text = "#{input}"
    text << "# Links for #{Time.now.strftime("%B %e ")}\n\n"
    result.each do |link|
    text << "* **[#{link["description"]}](#{link["href"]}):** #{link["extended"]}\n\n"
    end
    print text
    

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15. SearchLink
    » Brett Terpstra
    » Replace placeholder markdown with search results
    in selected text
    » ~2000 lines of Ruby.
    

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16. Helpful tidbits
    » sqlite3 on every Mac.
    » oascript
    » curl on every Mac.
    » Ruby's system can be your bestest friend.
    

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17. Some ideas
    

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18. » Text processing
    » Backup
    » File processing
    » Whatever. Let your imagination run wild.
    

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19. THANKS
    

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