| [99] | 1 | appswitch 1.0 [19 February 2003]
|
|---|
| 2 | =============
|
|---|
| [91] | 3 |
|
|---|
| 4 | A command-line interface to the Mac OS X process manager.
|
|---|
| 5 |
|
|---|
| 6 | Written by Nicholas Riley <mailto:appswitch@sabi.net>.
|
|---|
| 7 | Obtain updates from <http://web.sabi.net/nriley/software/>.
|
|---|
| 8 |
|
|---|
| 9 | WHAT IS IT?
|
|---|
| 10 | -----------
|
|---|
| 11 |
|
|---|
| 12 | If you use shell scripts to automate Mac OS X applications, you may
|
|---|
| 13 | need to switch between applications. You could use AppleScript via
|
|---|
| 14 | osascript(1), but that would take several seconds for the script to
|
|---|
| 15 | compile and execute - or you could use appswitch, which works almost
|
|---|
| 16 | instantly.
|
|---|
| 17 |
|
|---|
| 18 | Say you're launching an X11 application from Terminal but the X server
|
|---|
| 19 | isn't in front when you need it. Use appswitch to fix the problem.
|
|---|
| 20 |
|
|---|
| 21 | Or, if you'd like a version of the ps(1) utility which understands the
|
|---|
| 22 | concept of OS X applications, appswitch can help.
|
|---|
| 23 |
|
|---|
| 24 | INSTALLATION
|
|---|
| 25 | ------------
|
|---|
| 26 |
|
|---|
| 27 | The commands below install the 'appswitch' tool in /usr/local/bin,
|
|---|
| 28 | which is in the default path. You should subsequently be able to use
|
|---|
| 29 | 'appswitch' by typing its name. If you wish to install it somewhere
|
|---|
| 30 | else, modify the install line as appropriate.
|
|---|
| 31 |
|
|---|
| 32 | % sudo /usr/bin/install -d /usr/local/bin /usr/local/man/man1
|
|---|
| 33 | % sudo /usr/bin/install -c build/appswitch /usr/local/bin
|
|---|
| 34 | % sudo /usr/bin/install -c appswitch.1 /usr/local/man/man1
|
|---|
| 35 | % rehash
|
|---|
| 36 |
|
|---|
| 37 | Uninstallation:
|
|---|
| 38 |
|
|---|
| 39 | % sudo rm -f /usr/local/bin/appswitch
|
|---|
| 40 |
|
|---|
| 41 | COMPILATION
|
|---|
| 42 | -----------
|
|---|
| 43 |
|
|---|
| 44 | A Project Builder project, 'appswitch.pbproj', is included. A
|
|---|
| 45 | precompiled binary is also provided. 'appswitch' was developed and
|
|---|
| 46 | tested under Mac OS 10.2.4 with the December 2002 Developer Tools,
|
|---|
| 47 | and does not require any additional software to build.
|
|---|
| 48 |
|
|---|
| 49 | USAGE
|
|---|
| 50 | -----
|
|---|
| 51 |
|
|---|
| 52 | Just type 'appswitch' by itself to receive usage information. See the
|
|---|
| 53 | manual page (man appswitch) for more information.
|
|---|
| 54 |
|
|---|
| 55 | If you're curious about the speed difference between appswitch and
|
|---|
| 56 | other methods, this should give you some indication.
|
|---|
| 57 |
|
|---|
| 58 | appswitch -a Emacs 0.00s user 0.02s system 5% cpu 0.355 total
|
|---|
| 59 | appswitch -i com.gnu.Emacs 0.01s user 0.04s system 13% cpu 0.381 total
|
|---|
| 60 | open -a Emacs 0.30s user 0.15s system 53% cpu 0.842 total
|
|---|
| 61 | osascript -e 'tell application "Emacs" to activate'
|
|---|
| 62 | 0.66s user 0.42s system 45% cpu 2.361 total
|
|---|
| 63 |
|
|---|
| 64 | The above tests were performed on a PowerBook G4/800; slower systems
|
|---|
| 65 | should show more dramatic differences.
|
|---|
| 66 |
|
|---|
| 67 | COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, BUG REPORTS, ETC.
|
|---|
| 68 | ----------------------------------------
|
|---|
| 69 |
|
|---|
| 70 | Please send to the author, Nicholas Riley, at <appswitch@sabi.net>.
|
|---|
| 71 |
|
|---|
| 72 | VERSION HISTORY
|
|---|
| 73 | ---------------
|
|---|
| 74 |
|
|---|
| [99] | 75 | 1.0 - 19 February 2003
|
|---|
| 76 | - added description of -q delay bug (no workaround)
|
|---|
| 77 | 1.0b3 - 13 February 2003
|
|---|
| 78 | - display spaces instead of ? characters when unprintable
|
|---|
| 79 | - properly handle very narrow window width with -l
|
|---|
| 80 | - further revised and clarified man page
|
|---|
| 81 | - added -q, -K, -L options
|
|---|
| [97] | 82 | 1.0b2 - 11 February 2003
|
|---|
| 83 | - display ? characters for unprintable creator code characters
|
|---|
| 84 | (e.g. java)
|
|---|
| 85 | - fixed -P/-p error in man page
|
|---|
| 86 | - revised and clarified man page
|
|---|
| [91] | 87 | 1.0b1 - 10 February 2003
|
|---|
| 88 | - added -S, -S, -h, -H, -k, -P, -l, -F options
|
|---|
| 89 | - fixed reference to bogus -u option
|
|---|
| 90 | - fixed bug where unknown match type was silently discarded
|
|---|
| 91 | - added man page and this README
|
|---|
| 92 | 1.0d1 - 4 February 2003
|
|---|
| 93 | - initial release
|
|---|
