Newbie Question -> Checking if an app is alive

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
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#1

Hi All,

How can I check if an application is alive without launching it again?

Thanks

#2

Define ‘alive’, please.

Do you mean it’s listed in the process table (e.g. it has been launched), or do you mean actively processing data (e.g., it hasn’t hung/locked up, etc.).

If the former:

tell application "System Events"
   if (name of every application process) contains "Your App Name" then
      -- app is launched
   else
      --- it isn't
   end if
end tell

or a slightly simplified version:

tell application "System Events"
	set appLives to exists (application process "Your App Name")
end tell