OS X: Show interface of application agent (UIElement)

Question

How do I make the interface for an application that has 'Application is agent (UIElement)' set to yes reappear?

The interface shows up the first time I start the app, but if I close the window, and the click on the app's icon then nothing happens. I guess that it's because OS X is trying to start the app again, and there is some mechanism preventing that. What I would like is this:

The first click on the app's icon should launch the app and show the interface.
If the interface has been closed down (but the app is still running in the background) a subsequent click on the icon should just show the interface.
If the interface is already shown a click on the icon should simply move the window to the foreground.

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 12 '12 at 12:04

Here is a way you can do it:

1) add + initialize method to your app delegate

+ (void)initialize
{
    // check if there is a running instance of your app
    NSArray * apps = [NSRunningApplication runningApplicationsWithBundleIdentifier:[[NSBundle mainBundle] bundleIdentifier]];
    if ([apps count] > 1)
    {
        //post notification to it to update inteface
        [[NSDistributedNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@"updateInterface" object:nil];
        //quit current instance of the app, coz you don't need two apps running continiously
        exit(0);
    }
}

2) Register your app for the notification

- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification *)aNotification
{
    [[NSDistributedNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(updateInterface:) name:@"updateInterface" object:nil];
}

3) Add updateInterface method

- (void)updateInterface:(NSNotification *)aNotification
{
    // handle your interface here
    // ....

    // move your app forward
    [NSApp activateIgnoringOtherApps:YES];
}

This did not work for me. I did, however, find another solution here on Stack Overflow. — Jan Aagaard, Nov 12 '12 at 22:21

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:48

2

I found the answer here: Closing Mac application (clicking red cross on top) and reopening by clicking dock icon.

- (BOOL)applicationShouldHandleReopen:(NSApplication*)theApplication
    hasVisibleWindows:(BOOL)flag
{
    [self.window makeKeyAndOrderFront:self];
    return YES;
}

edited May 23 '17 at 11:48

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answered Nov 12 '12 at 22:13

Jan Aagaard

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OS X: Show interface of application agent (UIElement)

2 Answers2