Can KM sense when the OmniFocus Quick Entry window is active?

Questions & Suggestions
#1

OmniFocus has a Quick Entry window that floats on top of whatever window is currently active. OmniFocus has to be running, but you use the QE window most often when using another app.

Is there a way for KM to sense when the QE window is active? It floats, so it’s always on top, but it can be inactive.

I’d like to be able to make macros that will only function within the QE window.

Thanks in advance.

#2

Is there a way for KM to sense when the QE window is active? It floats, so it’s always on top, but it can be inactive.

I’d like to be able to make macros that will only function within the QE window.

Would you like to outline what your next steps would be? It may be that the QuickEntry window step is unnecessary and KM could do the job differently…

#3

Hey @anamorph

Look at this macro:

Window Information Tool v1.0

Change the variable “appName” to reflect the app you want to check – in your case “OmniFocus”.

Run the macro.

Examine the report to see if you can find the Quick Entry Window.

Report back, and we’ll see if we can do what you want.

-Chris

#4

Did you figure this out?

#5

Sorry for the delay.

I closed all of OmniFocus’ windows, then opened the Quick Entry window and ran your macro.

Here are the results:

minimum value              missing value
orientation                missing value
position                   -4, 23
class                      window
role description           system dialog
accessibility description  missing value
focused                    false
title
size                       1151, 193
value                      missing value
help                       missing value
enabled                    missing value
maximum value              missing value
role                       AXWindow
entire contents
subrole                    AXSystemDialog
selected                   missing value
name                       missing value
description                system dialog
-----

I ran the macro several times, moving the Quick Entry window each time. The “Position” value on line 3 changed, so i know this is reporting on the QE window.

It returns “focused” as “false,” even though I had a blinking cursor in the window. I suspect it doesn’t see it as focused because it’s a floating window.

Is there any way to use this info to help KM tell when the QE window is open? I’d like to write a set of macros that are only active when the QE window is open.

#6

Hey @anamorph,

I'm just getting caught up after being sick and then ferociously busy.

The first thing I'd do is complain (nicely) to the developers of OmniFocus that the accessibility information of their QuickEntry window is lacking.

I took a look at the demo, and I think this will probably be reliable (unless they change something):

tell application "System Events"
   tell application process "OmniFocus"
      tell front window
         if value of attribute "AXIdentifier" = "_NS:120" then
            true
         else
            false
         end if
      end tell
   end tell
end tell

You won't be able to do that, because Keyboard Maestro can't see the QuickEntry window. Therefore you cannot set an appropriate window-trigger.

Since the QuickEntry window can appear in any app, you'll have to have a global trigger that checks for the presence of the window and then does or does not do its thing.

Something a bit like this:

Execute AppleScript → Text Script.kmmacros (2.7 KB)

What sort of task are you trying to do?

-Chris

#7

I’m trying to automate assigning a number of variables in the Quick Entry window so I can fire them off with a single keystroke.