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macosapplescriptvoiceover

Automate VoiceOver being controlled by AppleScript

I'm trying to find a way to automate the checking of the Allow VoiceOver to be controlled with AppleScript option on VoiceOver Utility.app so that VoiceOver can be controlled by AppleScript. Specifically for use in GitHub actions macos workflows.

VoiceOver Utility app with the "Allow VoiceOver to be controlled with AppleScript" checkbox highlighted

From what I can tell, whether this is enabled or not is driven by the presence of a /private/var/db/Accessibility/.VoiceOverAppleScriptEnabled file (containing the single character a - as determined by digging into VoiceOver Utility / ScreenReaderCore.framework), but this directory has SIP so writing the file is a no-go (disabling SIP not an option).

It also appears trying to import a .voprefs file with the SCREnableAppleScript key set to true is simply ignored.

Attempts to UI script the clicking of the checkbox appears to just being doing nothing in GitHub actions for macos-11 or macos-10.15 envs, and screenshots of the final state look like nothing has happened at all (checkbox remains unchecked, no sign of SecurityAgent popup window etc.). For completeness here's the script I've tried:

delay 2

log "Starting AppleScript..."

do shell script "mkdir -p ./screenshots"
do shell script "screencapture ./screenshots/starting.png"

log "Activating VoiceOver Utility..."
tell application "VoiceOver Utility" to activate

delay 1

tell application "System Events"
    repeat while not (exists window 1 of application process "VoiceOver Utility")
        delay 0.1
    end repeat

    do shell script "screencapture ./screenshots/activated.png"

    log "Ticking checkbox..."

    tell application process "VoiceOver Utility"
        repeat until (exists checkbox 2 of splitter group 1 of window 1)
            delay 0.1
        end repeat

        click checkbox 2 of splitter group 1 of window 1
    end tell

    delay 2

    do shell script "screencapture ./screenshots/checkbox.png"
end tell

log "Quiting VoiceOver Utility..."
tell application "VoiceOver Utility"
  quit
end tell

Any ideas?!

Solution

  • AppleScript control of VoiceOver is now available out of the box for GitHub actions following some collaboration with the maintainers. The checkbox in question is now ticked by default.

    Issue: https://github.com/actions/virtual-environments/issues/4770

    PRs: