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Script: New Key-Combo Voice Control Command

Here is an AppleScript script tool (macOS) for generating the XML of a new Voice Control Key-Combo command. The script generates the values for all of the placeholders (shown in orange). If you choose to use a placeholder for the value for the CustomShortcutKeyCode element, you can look up on the key code afterwards on the Eastman Reference website. (Many thanks to Eastman Reference for making those key codes available!)

AppleScript Script: New Key-Combo Command XML


<key>COMMAND-ID</key> <dict> <key>CustomAppName</key> <string>TARGET-APP-NAME</string> <key>CustomCommands</key> <dict> <key>LOCALE-CODE</key> <array> <string>COMMAND-STRING</string> </array> </dict> <key>CustomModifyDate</key> <string>ISO-DATE-STRING</string> <key>CustomScope</key> <string>TARGET-APP-ID</string> <key>CustomShortcutKeyCode</key> <integer>KEY-CODE-GOES-HERE</integer> <key>CustomShortcutModifierFlags</key> <integer>MODIFIER-FLAGS</integer> <key>CustomType</key> <string>Shortcut</string> <key>Enabled</key> <true/> </dict>

* NOTE: If not modifier keys are indictated, the key CustomShortcutModifierFlags is omitted.

Property List Editor and Tools

To edit Voice Control commands files, you’ll need an XML editor application that accepts the creation of XML elements via the pasting of XML text from the clipboard. The examples and downloads provided on this website were created using PlistEdit Pro from Fat Cat Software.

DOWNLOAD SCRIPT TOOL (macOS)

  1. To install the script file, DOWNLOAD and run the “Setup Script Menu” applet. This script applet will turn on the system-wide “Script Menu,” and open the macOS “Scripts” folder on the desktop. This process may require your approval of security dialogs, granting this script applet access to the “AppleScript Utility” and “Finder” applications.
  2. Unpack the downloaded ZIP archive containing the script tool, and place the script file into the “Scripts” folder now open on the Desktop. Once added, the script will be available from the system-wide “Script Menu” located at the top right of the menu bar.

Here is the script code written in AppleScriptObj-C:

AppleScript Script: New Key-Combo Voice Control Command


use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later use framework "Foundation" use scripting additions -- classes, constants, and enums used property NSUserDefaults : a reference to current application's NSUserDefaults property NSNumberFormatter : a reference to current application's NSNumberFormatter property NSString : a reference to current application's NSString property scriptID : "com.nyhthawk-productions.script.vc-key-combo-command" property defaultTargetAppName : "Finder" property defaultTargetAppID : "com.apple.finder" global targetAppName, targetAppID ## USER DEFAULTS set theDefaults to NSUserDefaults's alloc()'s initWithSuiteName:scriptID theDefaults's registerDefaults:{targetAppName:defaultTargetAppName, targetAppID:defaultTargetAppID} set targetAppName to (theDefaults's stringForKey:"targetAppName") as string set targetAppID to (theDefaults's stringForKey:"targetAppID") as string ## USER PROMPT repeat set dialogMessage to "This script will generate the XML text for a new Key-Combo Voice Control command element." & return set dialogMessage to dialogMessage & return & "Target Application: " & targetAppName set dialogMessage to dialogMessage & return & "Application ID: " & targetAppID display dialog dialogMessage with title "Voice Control Command: Key-Combo" buttons {"Cancel", "Set App", "Continue"} default button 3 set actionChoice to the button returned of the result if actionChoice is "Continue" then exit repeat else if actionChoice is "Set App" then set targetApp to choose application with prompt "Select the application to use:" tell targetApp set targetAppID to the id of it set targetAppName to the name of it end tell theDefaults's setObject:targetAppID forKey:"targetAppID" theDefaults's setObject:targetAppName forKey:"targetAppName" end if end repeat ## GENERATE THE COMMAND ID set IDstring to ("Custom." & generateAbsoluteTimeID()) as string ## GENERATE THE CURRENT DATE IN ISO FORMAT set dateString to do shell script "date +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ'" ## GET THE CURRENT LOCALE set localeString to user locale of (system info) ## PROMPT FOR COMMAND STRING repeat display dialog "Enter the command text or phrase:" default answer "" with title "Voice Control Command: Key-Combo" set commandString to the text returned of the result if commandString is not "" then exit repeat end repeat ## PROMPT FOR KEY set keyCode to keycodeForCharacter() if keyCode is false then error number -128 if keyCode is "X" then set keyCode to "REPLACE-WITH-KEY-CODE" end if ## PROMPT FOR MODIFIER KEYS set modiferFlags to modiferFlagsForKeyCombo() if modiferFlags is false then error number -128 ## INSERT VALUES INTO TEMPLATE if modiferFlags is "0" then -- no modifier keys set commandXML to " <key>" & IDstring & "</key> <dict> <key>CustomAppName</key> <string>" & targetAppName & "</string> <key>CustomCommands</key> <dict> <key>" & localeString & "</key> <array> <string>" & commandString & "</string> </array> </dict> <key>CustomModifyDate</key> <date>" & dateString & "</date> <key>CustomScope</key> <string>" & targetAppID & "</string> <key>CustomShortcutKeyCode</key> <integer>" & keyCode & "</integer> <key>CustomType</key> <string>Shortcut</string> <key>Enabled</key> <true/> </dict> " else set commandXML to " <key>" & IDstring & "</key> <dict> <key>CustomAppName</key> <string>" & targetAppName & "</string> <key>CustomCommands</key> <dict> <key>" & localeString & "</key> <array> <string>" & commandString & "</string> </array> </dict> <key>CustomModifyDate</key> <string>" & dateString & "</string> <key>CustomScope</key> <string>" & targetAppID & "</string> <key>CustomShortcutKeyCode</key> <integer>" & keyCode & "</integer> <key>CustomShortcutModifierFlags</key> <integer>" & modiferFlags & "</integer> <key>CustomType</key> <string>Shortcut</string> <key>Enabled</key> <true/> </dict> " end if ## PUT COMMAND XML ON CLIPBOARD set the clipboard to commandXML ## PROMPT THE USER display dialog "The XML text for a new Key-Combo Voice Control command is on the clipboard." buttons {"Lookup Key Code", "Done"} default button 2 with title "Voice Control Command: Key-Combo" if the button returned of the result is "Lookup Key Code" then ## VISIT THE EASTMAN REFERENCE WEBSITE open location "https://eastmanreference.com/complete-list-of-applescript-key-codes" end if on generateAbsoluteTimeID() ## 669490008.038141 set currentAbsoluteTime to current application's CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent() set fmtr to NSNumberFormatter's new() fmtr's setFormat:"#.#########" set exportDateString to NSString's stringWithFormat_("%@", fmtr's stringFromNumber:currentAbsoluteTime) as string if length of exportDateString is not 23 then repeat until length of exportDateString is 18 set exportDateString to exportDateString & (random number from 1 to 9) as string end repeat end if return exportDateString end generateAbsoluteTimeID on modiferFlagsForKeyCombo() set keyOptions to {"NO MODIFIER KEY(S): 0", ¬ "COMMAND (⌘): 1048576", ¬ "OPTION (⌥): 524288", ¬ "SHIFT (⇧): 131072", ¬ "CONTROL (⌃): 262144", ¬ "OPTION SHIFT (⌥⇧): 655360", ¬ "CONTROL OPTION (⌃⌥): 786432", ¬ "CONTROL SHIFT (⌃⇧): 393216", ¬ "CONTROL OPTION SHIFT (⌃⌥⇧): 917504", ¬ "OPTION COMMAND (⌥⌘): 1572864", ¬ "SHIFT COMMAND (⇧⌘): 1179648", ¬ "OPTION SHIFT COMMAND (⌥⇧⌘): 1703936", ¬ "CONTROL COMMAND (⌃⌘): 1310720", ¬ "CONTROL OPTION COMMAND (⌃⌥⌘): 1835008", ¬ "CONTROL SHIFT COMMAND (⌃⇧⌘): 1441792", ¬ "CONTROL OPTION SHIFT COMMAND (⌃⌥⇧⌘): 1966080"} set chosenItem to choose from list keyOptions with prompt "Choose the modifer key(s):" default items {item 1 of keyOptions} if chosenItem is false then return false set chosenItem to chosenItem as string set x to the offset of ":" in chosenItem set modifierFlags to text from (x + 2) to -1 of chosenItem return modifierFlags end modiferFlagsForKeyCombo on keycodeForCharacter() set USKeyCodes to {"USE PLACEHOLDER X", "A 0", "B 11", "C 8", "D 2", "E 14", "F 3", "G 5", "H 4", "I 34", "J 38", "K 40", "L 37", "M 46", "N 45", "O 31", "P 35", "Q 12", "R 15", "S 1", "T 17", "U 32", "V 9", "W 13", "X 7", "Y 16", "Z 6", "` 50", "1 18", "2 19", "3 20", "4 21", "5 23", "6 22", "7 26", "8 28", "9 25 ", "0 29", "- 27", "= 24", "⌫ 51", "~ 50", "! 18", "@ 19", "# 20", "$ 21", "% 23", "^ 22", "& 26", "* 28", "( 25", ") 29", "_ 27", "+ 24", "{ 33", "} 30", "[ 33", "] 30", "| 42", "\\ 42", "< 43", "> 47", ", 43", ". 47", "? 44", "/ 44", "⬆︎ 126", "⬇︎ 125", "⬅︎ 123", "➡︎ 124"} set keyCode to (choose from list USKeyCodes default items {item 1 of USKeyCodes} with prompt "Character Key Code. TIP: Type the key character") if keyCode is false then return false set x to offset of tab in (keyCode as string) set keyCode to text from (x + 1) to -1 of (keyCode as string) return keyCode end keycodeForCharacter

 

 

 

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