Running a work / script when an application closes or quits

Scripting Forums Automator
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#1

Hi

I’m using a workflow to swaps different user settings before launching an application. What I would also like to do is backup those user settings after the application has finished. I can do this manually but I really would like to make the process seamless. How can I automatically run a workflow as soon as an application quits?

Thanks

Nic

#2

Hi Nic,

you could do it with this AppleScript, saved as a stay open application.
It checks every 30 seconds the state of the given application without involving the Finder or System Events.
A “emergency exit” is also included, if the application is hanging.
The handler backupUserSettings() represents the code to save the settings


property appname : "TextEdit"
property appRuns : false
property interval : 30

on idle
	set pState to do shell script "/bin/ps -arxo state,comm | /usr/bin/grep " & appname & " | /usr/bin/cut -c 1"
	
	if appRuns then
		if pState is "" then
			set appRuns to false
			backupUserSettings()
		end if
	else
		if pState is not "" then set appRuns to true
	end if
	if pState = "Z" then -- if the application hangs, kill it
		tell application "System Events" to set pid to the unix id of process appname as Unicode text
		do shell script "/bin/kill " & pid
	end if
	return interval
end idle

on backupUserSettings()
	-- do something
end backupUserSettings
#3

Thanks Stefan.

Thats great, it works fine. At the risk of sounding foolish what’s the advantages of avoiding the Finder or System Events?

Nic:)

#4

Sending Apple Events to an application can be quite resource expensive.
I’d recommend to avoid Apple Events especially in an stay open script with a recurrence < 1 minute