CODEWITHSUNDEEP
macoscocoa
Cam
Cam

Reputation: 1048

How to get list of all applications currently running and visible in Dock for Mac OS X programming?

I need to know which applications are running and have an active window. Something similar must be what's in the 'command + tab' hotkey switcher.

When I run some code like this:

NSWorkspace * ws = [NSWorkspace sharedWorkspace];
NSArray * apps = [ws runningApplications];
NSLog (@"%@", apps);

I get this in my log:

"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001052b0 (com.apple.loginwindow - 66)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105340 (com.apple.systemuiserver - 285)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001053d0 (com.apple.dock - 284)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105460 (com.apple.finder - 286)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001054f0 (com.apple.iTunesHelper - 339)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105580 (cc.omh.Clyppan - 340)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105610 (ws.agile.1PasswordAgent - 333)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001056a0 (com.irradiatedsoftware.Cinch-Direct - 342)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105730 (com.leapmotion.Leap-Motion - 343)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001057c0 (com.apple.notificationcenterui - 316)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105850 (com.smileonmymac.textexpander - 348)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x6080001058e0 (com.lightheadsw.caffeine - 350)>",
"<NSRunningApplication: 0x608000105970 (2BUA8C4S2C.com.agilebits.onepassword4-helper - 309)>"

It's showing all running applications. I only want the applications that are running and visible in the Dock.

Upvotes: 14

Views: 8516

Answers (7)

Tyrfing Mj&#248;lnir
Tyrfing Mj&#248;lnir

Reputation: 91

The following code uses the NSWorkplace workspace.runningApplications.filter call to extract the applications.

// Swift 4.1
//: Playground - noun: a place where people can play

import Cocoa

let workspace = NSWorkspace.shared
let apps = workspace.runningApplications.filter{  $0.activationPolicy == .regular }

Upvotes: 9

Aron Gates
Aron Gates

Reputation: 21

Updated for optimal Swift 3

let workspace = NSWorkspace()

let apps = workspace.runningApplications.filter{$0.activationPolicy == NSApplicationActivationPolicy.regular}

The apps array will contain every application that is currently running and on screen in view.

Upvotes: 0

Ted Lowery
Ted Lowery

Reputation: 1545

Updated for Swift 3

    let ws = NSWorkspace.shared()
    let apps = ws.runningApplications
    for currentApp in apps
    {
        if(currentApp.activationPolicy == .regular){
            print(currentApp.localizedName!)
        }
    }

Upvotes: 8

Anil Kukadeja
Anil Kukadeja

Reputation: 1358

In Swift. Write below code you will get all the running application names.

let ws = NSWorkspace.sharedWorkspace()

let apps = ws.runningApplications

for currentApp in apps.enumerate(){        
    let runningApp = apps[currentApp.index]

    if(runningApp.activationPolicy == .Regular){
        print(runningApp.localizedName)        
    }
}

Upvotes: 1

Cam
Cam

Reputation: 1048

I got it working here. Thanks for the help!

NSWorkspace * ws = [NSWorkspace sharedWorkspace];
NSArray * apps = [ws runningApplications];

NSUInteger count = [apps count];
for (NSUInteger i = 0; i < count; i++) {
    NSRunningApplication *app = [apps objectAtIndex: i];
    //NSLog (@"%@", app.bundleIdentifier );

    if(app.activationPolicy == NSApplicationActivationPolicyRegular) {
       //NSLog(@"0"); These are the ones we want.
    }
}

Upvotes: 1

JWWalker
JWWalker

Reputation: 22707

The members of the array returned by [NSWorkspace runningApplications] are of type NSRunningApplication. You want to pick out the ones whose activationPolicy property has type NSApplicationActivationPolicyRegular.

Upvotes: 20

Brad Allred
Brad Allred

Reputation: 7534

To access the list of all running applications, use the runningApplications method in NSWorkspace.

Upvotes: 2

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