How to create/import macros into Keyboard Maestro from code?

[nikivi]

I am getting this all the time when I try to create macros. KM refuses to import things even though the structure is correct.

The CLI I am using to create the macros is here: rust/cli/km at main · nikivdev/rust · GitHub

[nikivi]

Is there something I can run to enable this automation?

[nikivi]

What AI is trying to do:

> can you give example in text of what exactly you are trying to do

I will share it with Keyboard Maestro developer to ask what is going wrong 

⏺ Here's what I'm trying to do:

  Goal: Programmatically create a Keyboard Maestro macro identical to your "zed: zed"
  macro, but with a different path.

  Approach:
  1. Generate a .kmmacros file (plist XML format)
  2. Open it with open /tmp/file.kmmacros to trigger KM import

  The generated file looks like this:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" 
  "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
  <plist version="1.0">
  <array>
  <dict>
  	<key>Activate</key>
  	<string>Normal</string>
  	<key>Name</key>
  	<string>zed: LMCache</string>
  	<key>Triggers</key>
  	<array/>
  	<key>UID</key>
  	<string>2BE3EA71-D7DC-4EE5-9EB8-C8B7875E6CB2</string>
  	<key>Actions</key>
  	<array>
  		<dict>
  			<key>MacroActionType</key>
  			<string>IfThenElse</string>
  			<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  			<true/>
  			<key>Conditions</key>
  			<dict>
  				<key>ConditionList</key>
  				<array>
  					<dict>
  						<key>ConditionType</key>
  						<string>AnyWindow</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowConditionType</key>
  						<string>EndsWith</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowTitle</key>
  						<string>LMCache</string>
  						<key>IsFrontApplication</key>
  						<false/>
  						<key>Application</key>
  						<dict>
  							<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  							<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  							<key>Name</key>
  							<string>Zed</string>
  							<key>NewFile</key>
  							<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  						</dict>
  					</dict>
  				</array>
  				<key>ConditionListMatch</key>
  				<string>All</string>
  			</dict>
  			<key>ThenActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ManipulateWindow</string>
  					<key>Action</key>
  					<string>SelectWindow</string>
  					<key>Targeting</key>
  					<string>WindowNameContaining</string>
  					<key>TargetingType</key>
  					<string>Specific</string>
  					<key>WindowName</key>
  					<string>LMCache</string>
  					<key>TargetApplication</key>
  					<dict>
  						<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  						<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  						<key>Name</key>
  						<string>Zed</string>
  						<key>NewFile</key>
  						<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  					</dict>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  			<key>ElseActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ExecuteShellScript</string>
  					<key>DisplayKind</key>
  					<string>Window</string>
  					<key>HonourFailureSettings</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>IncludeStdErr</key>
  					<false/>
  					<key>Path</key>
  					<string></string>
  					<key>Source</key>
  					<string>Nothing</string>
  					<key>Text</key>
  					<string>open -a /Applications/Zed.app ~/fork-i/LMCache/LMCache</string>
  					<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResults</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResultsNew</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>UseText</key>
  					<true/>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  		</dict>
  	</array>
  </dict>
  </array>
  </plist>

  Error: When opening this file, Keyboard Maestro shows "Cannot Import Macro File - The
   Macro File you selected is of an unknown format."

  The file passes plutil -lint validation. The structure is modeled after what get xml 
  of macro "zed: zed" returns, wrapped in an <array> since .kmmacros files need to be
  arrays of macros.

⏺ Here's the summary for the KM developer:

  ---
  Goal: Programmatically create Keyboard Maestro macros via CLI by generating .kmmacros
   files and opening them.

  Command I run:
  km create-open "zed: LMCache" Zed "~/fork-i/LMCache/LMCache"

  What my CLI does:
  1. Generates a .kmmacros plist file at /tmp/km_macro_import.kmmacros
  2. Runs open /tmp/km_macro_import.kmmacros

  The generated file:
  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" 
  "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
  <plist version="1.0">
  <array>
  <dict>
  	<key>Activate</key>
  	<string>Normal</string>
  	<key>Name</key>
  	<string>zed: LMCache</string>
  	<key>Triggers</key>
  	<array/>
  	<key>UID</key>
  	<string>2BE3EA71-D7DC-4EE5-9EB8-C8B7875E6CB2</string>
  	<key>Actions</key>
  	<array>
  		<dict>
  			<key>MacroActionType</key>
  			<string>IfThenElse</string>
  			<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  			<true/>
  			<key>Conditions</key>
  			<dict>
  				<key>ConditionList</key>
  				<array>
  					<dict>
  						<key>ConditionType</key>
  						<string>AnyWindow</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowConditionType</key>
  						<string>EndsWith</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowTitle</key>
  						<string>LMCache</string>
  						<key>IsFrontApplication</key>
  						<false/>
  						<key>Application</key>
  						<dict>
  							<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  							<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  							<key>Name</key>
  							<string>Zed</string>
  							<key>NewFile</key>
  							<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  						</dict>
  					</dict>
  				</array>
  				<key>ConditionListMatch</key>
  				<string>All</string>
  			</dict>
  			<key>ThenActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ManipulateWindow</string>
  					<key>Action</key>
  					<string>SelectWindow</string>
  					<key>Targeting</key>
  					<string>WindowNameContaining</string>
  					<key>TargetingType</key>
  					<string>Specific</string>
  					<key>WindowName</key>
  					<string>LMCache</string>
  					<key>TargetApplication</key>
  					<dict>
  						<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  						<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  						<key>Name</key>
  						<string>Zed</string>
  						<key>NewFile</key>
  						<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  					</dict>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  			<key>ElseActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ExecuteShellScript</string>
  					<key>DisplayKind</key>
  					<string>Window</string>
  					<key>HonourFailureSettings</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>IncludeStdErr</key>
  					<false/>
  					<key>Path</key>
  					<string></string>
  					<key>Source</key>
  					<string>Nothing</string>
  					<key>Text</key>
  					<string>open -a /Applications/Zed.app ~/fork-i/LMCache/LMCache</string>
  					<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResults</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResultsNew</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>UseText</key>
  					<true/>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  		</dict>
  	</array>
  </dict>
  </array>
  </plist>

  Error: "Cannot Import Macro File - The Macro File you selected is of an unknown
  format."

  Validation: plutil -lint /tmp/km_macro_import.kmmacros returns OK.

  Question: What is the correct plist format for a .kmmacros file? Is there a way to
  programmatically create macros via AppleScript or another API?

[CRLF]

The KM message is saying that the xml is a valid plist, but not valid KM export structure.

Your plist is an array of Macros.

It needs to be embedded in a macro group under a Macros key. That macro group needs to. be wrapped in an array.

That will tell KM the macro's destination.

In my testing, this is the minimal macro export structure.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<array>
	<dict>
		<key>Macros</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>Actions</key>
				<array/>
				<key>Name</key>
				<string>Minimal Macro</string>
				<key>Triggers</key>
				<array/>
			</dict>
		</array>
		<key>Name</key>
		<string>Test Group</string>
	</dict>
</array>
</plist>

(0-based numbering)
plist (version="1.0")
└─ array (root array)
└─ [0] dict "Macro Group"
├─ key "Macros" → array
│ └─ [0] dict "Macro"
│ ├─ key "Actions" → array (empty)
│ ├─ key "Name" → string "Minimal Macro"
│ └─ key "Triggers" → array (empty)
└─ key "Name" → string "Test Group"

Import it like this:

AppleScript

--How to create/import macros into Keyboard Maestro from code? - Questions & Suggestions - Keyboard Maestro Discourse
--                 https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/how-to-create-import-macros-into-keyboard-maestro-from-code/50798/2

use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later
use scripting additions

set minimalExportXML to ¬
	 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC \"-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN\" \"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd\">
<plist version=\"1.0\">
<array>
	<dict>
		<key>Macros</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>Actions</key>
				<array/>
				<key>Name</key>
				<string>Minimal Macro</string>
				<key>Triggers</key>
				<array/>
			</dict>
		</array>
		<key>Name</key>
		<string>Test Group</string>
	</dict>
</array>
</plist>"
tell application id "com.stairways.keyboardmaestro.editor"
	importMacros minimalExportXML
end tell

Another the example is here:

Create Text Expansions Macro

Here is a macro that lets you create simple text expansion macros. Simply fill in the text of the action with lines like: trigger:text where trigger is the Typed String trigger you want and text is the text you want to expand to. Then select all the actions and click the Try button at the bottom to run them once and it will create a macro for each expansion. There is no trigger on the macro since its not going to be a macro you want to run except occasionally. Note that to create a new exp…

This AppleScript will properly wrap and import your xml.

AppleScript

--How to create/import macros into Keyboard Maestro from code? - Questions & Suggestions - Keyboard Maestro Discourse
--                 https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/how-to-create-import-macros-into-keyboard-maestro-from-code/50798/2

use AppleScript version "2.4" -- Yosemite (10.10) or later
use framework "Foundation"
use scripting additions

set arrayOfMacroDicts to "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>
  <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC \"-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN\" 
  \"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd\">
  <plist version=\"1.0\">
  <array>
  <dict>
  	<key>Activate</key>
  	<string>Normal</string>
  	<key>Name</key>
  	<string>zed: LMCache</string>
  	<key>Triggers</key>
  	<array/>
  	<key>UID</key>
  	<string>2BE3EA71-D7DC-4EE5-9EB8-C8B7875E6CB2</string>
  	<key>Actions</key>
  	<array>
  		<dict>
  			<key>MacroActionType</key>
  			<string>IfThenElse</string>
  			<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  			<true/>
  			<key>Conditions</key>
  			<dict>
  				<key>ConditionList</key>
  				<array>
  					<dict>
  						<key>ConditionType</key>
  						<string>AnyWindow</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowConditionType</key>
  						<string>EndsWith</string>
  						<key>AnyWindowTitle</key>
  						<string>LMCache</string>
  						<key>IsFrontApplication</key>
  						<false/>
  						<key>Application</key>
  						<dict>
  							<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  							<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  							<key>Name</key>
  							<string>Zed</string>
  							<key>NewFile</key>
  							<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  						</dict>
  					</dict>
  				</array>
  				<key>ConditionListMatch</key>
  				<string>All</string>
  			</dict>
  			<key>ThenActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ManipulateWindow</string>
  					<key>Action</key>
  					<string>SelectWindow</string>
  					<key>Targeting</key>
  					<string>WindowNameContaining</string>
  					<key>TargetingType</key>
  					<string>Specific</string>
  					<key>WindowName</key>
  					<string>LMCache</string>
  					<key>TargetApplication</key>
  					<dict>
  						<key>BundleIdentifier</key>
  						<string>dev.zed.Zed</string>
  						<key>Name</key>
  						<string>Zed</string>
  						<key>NewFile</key>
  						<string>/Applications/Zed.app</string>
  					</dict>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  			<key>ElseActions</key>
  			<array>
  				<dict>
  					<key>MacroActionType</key>
  					<string>ExecuteShellScript</string>
  					<key>DisplayKind</key>
  					<string>Window</string>
  					<key>HonourFailureSettings</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>IncludeStdErr</key>
  					<false/>
  					<key>Path</key>
  					<string></string>
  					<key>Source</key>
  					<string>Nothing</string>
  					<key>Text</key>
  					<string>open -a /Applications/Zed.app ~/fork-i/LMCache/LMCache</string>
  					<key>TimeOutAbortsMacro</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResults</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>TrimResultsNew</key>
  					<true/>
  					<key>UseText</key>
  					<true/>
  				</dict>
  			</array>
  		</dict>
  	</array>
  </dict>
  </array>
  </plist>"
--Deserialize the array of macros 
set macroDicts to (current application's NSString's stringWithString:arrayOfMacroDicts)'s propertyList()
--embed the array of macros into the Macros key of a Macro Group dict
set groupDict to {Macros:macroDicts, |Name|:"tests"}
--wrap the Macro Group dict in an Array
set groupsArray to {groupDict}
--convert back to xml
set exportXML to serializePlistObject(groupsArray)

tell application id "com.stairways.keyboardmaestro.editor"
	importMacros exportXML
end tell

on serializePlistObject(plistObject)
	set {theData, theError} to current application's NSPropertyListSerialization's dataWithPropertyList:plistObject format:(current application's NSPropertyListXMLFormat_v1_0) options:0 |error|:(reference) -- don't use binary format
	if theData is missing value then error (theError's localizedDescription() as text) number -10000
	set plist to (current application's NSString's alloc()'s initWithData:theData encoding:(current application's NSUTF8StringEncoding)) as text
end serializePlistObject

(If memory serves, when KM exports macros, it wraps each macro in a macro group individually, but in practice you can put an array of Macros that share the same destination into one Macro Group.

[nikivi]

This worked wonderfully, thank you. Updated the CLI in case anyone wants to use it.