automating-messages

Automating Messages (JXA-first with UI/DB fallbacks)

Contents

• Permissions and scope
• Default workflow
• Quick recipe
• Attachments and UI fallback
• Data access and forensics
• Validation Checklist
• When Not to Use
• What to load

Permissions and scope

• Grants needed: Automation + Accessibility; Full Disk Access for any chat.db reads.
• Keep automation scoped and auditable; avoid unsolicited sends and DB writes.
• Pairs with automating-mac-apps for common setup (permissions, osascript invocation, UI scripting basics).

Default workflow (happy path)

1. Resolve transport: pick serviceType (iMessage or SMS) before targeting a buddy.
2. Identify recipient: filter buddies by handle (phone/email). Avoid ambiguous names.
3. Send via app-level send: pass Buddy object to Messages.send().
4. Verify window context: activate Messages when mixing with UI steps.
5. Fallbacks: if send/attachments fail, use UI scripting; for history, use SQL.

Quick recipe (defensive send)

const Messages = Application('Messages');
Messages.includeStandardAdditions = true;

function safeSend(text, handle, svcType = 'iMessage') {
  const svc = Messages.services.whose({ serviceType: svcType })[0];
  if (!svc) throw new Error(`Service ${svcType} missing`);
  const buddy = svc.buddies.whose({ handle })[0];
  if (!buddy) throw new Error(`Buddy ${handle} missing on ${svcType}`);
  Messages.send(text, { to: buddy });
}

• Wrap with try/catch and log; add small delays when activating UI.
• For groups, target an existing chat by GUID or fall back to UI scripting; array sends are unreliable.

Attachments and UI fallback

• Messages lacks a stable JXA attachment API; use clipboard + System Events paste/send.
• Ensure Accessibility permission, bring app forward, paste file, press Enter.
• See references/ui-scripting-attachments.md for the full flow and ObjC pasteboard snippet.