applescript safari open url

AppleScript Safari URL tip: How to open multiple URLs in Safari tabs

Well, I set out to write a simple tip on how to activate a Mac application using AppleScript, and I ended up writing a program to open a list of URLs in separate tabs in Safari using AppleScript. (Yeesh, I really took a detour. Oh, well.)

Without any further ado, here's the source code for this AppleScript program:

Brief description of the code

Here's a brief description of what this AppleScript program does:

• urlList is a simple list with the URLs I want Safari to open.
• The repeat statement starts the loop.
• I'm clicking File :: New Tab using the System Events because I can't figure out how to get this to work by calling Safari directly. (I'm currently using Safari 3.0.3.)
• The keystroke command types the URL into Safari.
• key code 36 is needed to hit the [Enter] key.

Again, I had to take a few extra steps here because I couldn't script the tabs in Safari directly. Ideally code like this would have worked inside the tell application "Safari" statement:

Hopefully that support will be available in the future, or, if I'm mistaken, please send me an email and I will correct this program.

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Using AppleScript to open a URL in Private Browsing in Safari

• Posted 24 June 2020
• Tagged with applescript , macos , macos:safari

I have a bunch of automations that open URLs.

If I want to open a regular window in Safari (my default browser), I have a variety of options – I can use open(1) on the command-line, or the webbrowser module in Python, or with AppleScript, or probably half a dozen other methods I haven’t thought of.

If I want to open a private browsing window, my options are more limited. The Safari AppleScript dictionary doesn’t know about private browsing, and all the other approaches I’ve seen are just passing Safari the URL to open. They can’t give it any instructions beyond “please open this URL”.

If you ask Google, there are lots of suggestions, but I struggled to find good code. Many of the results are broken, slow, or incomplete (they open the private browsing window, but not any URLs).

Rather than wade through more Google results, I came up with my own script for doing it, which opens the window and the URL:

I save this as a script in my $PATH and mark it as executable, and then I can open a new private browsing window from anywhere by running:

When you run this code, you may get an error (or a silent failure if you trigger it through a GUI rather than a terminal):

open_private_browsing:114:232: execution error: System Events got an error: osascript is not allowed assistive access. (-1719)

This is the macOS security system kicking in: it doesn’t let arbitrary scripts or applications click menu items in other applications. To allow this script to work, open the Security & Privacy preference pane. Under Accessibility , allow access to whatever application is triggering the script (in my case, iTerm 2), and it should be good.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Applescript to open URL in Safari without titlebar...almost working :-)

iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Aug 30, 2010 8:37 AM

Posted on Aug 30, 2010 3:04 PM

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AppleScript use Safari window ID to create new tabs

I have an AppleScript that creates a new Safari document, then opens multiple URLs in that window using a repeat loop. I would like the script to continue using the same window even if it's not the frontmost window.

(The problem is that if a user changes focus to another Safari window this script will open the URLs in the frontmost window instead of the previously created window.)

I would like to solve this issue by using the window id if possible but need some help on the scripting.

To that end I have created the following but again I think there might be an issue. I would rather not get the id using front window since a user could change the front window at an inopportune time and the script would pull the wrong window ID.

I would rather use something like

Even using the above I have been unable to open URLs in a window by using it's window id and need help with that scripting as well.

It would function something like this:

• applescript

• 1 Just an FYI.. I've modified the example AppleScript code in my answer to use the window id directly and avoid using the index property of the window . –  user3439894 Aug 24, 2020 at 5:50

2 Answers 2

Update to address concerns of the use of: front window.

The following example AppleScript code guarantees the list of URL s gets opened in the target window regardless of its position in the z-order of windows .

Note: Scroll as needed to see all the code .

The updated example AppleScript code includes some error handling , in that if the tmp file (value of the tmpFileName variable ) is not created the script aborts without any message. This can be changed by converting the if not my writeToFile ... statement to a full if block and include an appropriate display alert , display dialog or display notification command , as wanted, followed by the return command .

As coded, this renders --> document "Untitled" returned from the make new document irrelevant, because with the included repeat loop it waits until the HTML file is loaded and can be queried by the actual name of the document as defined by the <title>" & windowName & "</title> tags in the document and ensures that the z-order is irrelevant.

The repeat loop as coded is written to wait up to 3 seconds for the HTML file to load and should be more than enough time. Adjust if necessary.

I opted to forgo the use of the do shell script command as used in your answer, however, if you prefer to use it, then:

Then remove the on writeToFile(theData, theFile, overwriteExistingContent) handler from the -- # Handler # section of the code .

Additionally, if you prefer a do shell script command to remove the tmp file , the value of the tmpFileName variable , then:

Original Answer

The following example AppleScript code is an example of how to open a list of URLs in the same window of Safari , regardless of its window order.

• Do not use open location as it's a part of Standard Additions , not Safari . Use the URL property to set the URL of the document or tab .
• Use a list of URLs and the index of the list item ( URL ) in the list .
• When Safari is instructed to make new document , the new document becomes the front window of Safari . Get the window id of the front window immediately after the make new document command .
• For subsequent URLs in the list , start the repeat loop at 2 and use the window id which was ascertained directly after the make new document command was executed.

• Is there a way to do this so the newly created window has a location, front or back, and also has bounds? –  John Apr 13, 2021 at 17:39
• @John, For changing the position/size of the window you can use the bounds command after the set winID to id of front window command , e.g., set bounds of window id winID to {0, 23, 1024, 768} . However, setting the position of the window , the value of the index of the window is not so straightforward, as it can depend on how many windows and what position you want to move the front window to. –  user3439894 Apr 13, 2021 at 19:51
• @John, Have a look at this answer , you can take the lines of code from within the tell application "Finder" block and use that code to move the newly created window to the back of the z-order . You could add it after the. set winID to id of front window command or the, e.g., set bounds of window id winID to {0, 23, 1024, 768} command . –  user3439894 Apr 13, 2021 at 19:51

@user3439894 I accepted your answer - it answers the question well. There is another way - a hackie way to create an ID for a Safari window.

This allows the following commands to avoid using "front window" in case the window that was created is no longer frontmost when the rest of the commands begin - doubtful, but possible.

I am not sure there is a way to give a new window anything other than "Untitled" as a name while creating the window.

• 1 John, Please see the Update to address concerns of the use of: front window section of my updated answer. Borrowing the concept from your answer I incorporated it into a fully functioning update of my original answer. Thanks. –  user3439894 Apr 14, 2021 at 18:53

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applescript

• Getting started with applescript
• AppleScript Browser Interactions
• Applescript from the Terminal command line
• Get the current URL in Safari or Google Chrome
• Get the Title of the current page in Safari or Google Chrome
• Use an Applescript as a shell function
• AppleScript User Interaction
• AppleScript Variable Types
• Making Applescript If and Else Statements

applescript Applescript from the Terminal command line Get the current URL in Safari or Google Chrome

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Get the current URL from Safari

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macOS   Applescript + Safari open URL

• Thread starter Iceman332k1
• Start date May 14, 2010
• Sort by reaction score
• Apple Programming

Iceman332k1

Macrumors newbie.

• May 14, 2010

I need to make an Applescript that opens Safari (or switches to it if it's already open) and then opens a webpage. Just something basic like http://www.hulu.com or http://www.gmail.com . I want to bind it to a tap on my new magic mouse, but for the life of me I am unable to find a script online that I can get to work. Again, I do not need it to do anything after opening the webpage. Thanks  

Code: tell application "Safari" to open location "http://www.hulu.com/"  

Confused I'm sorry, but could you type it out as it should read as an applet? I'm honestly having trouble and this is my first attempt at applescripts  

TuffLuffJimmy

Macrumors g3.

• May 15, 2010

Open AppleScript Utility (It's somewhere in the Applications folder I believe). Type the previous code with hulu.com replaced with whatever URL you want to go to. Save it as an Application. Now you have an Application. Double click the application to go to the URL.  

• Aug 16, 2012

Reply If you don't want it to always open in safari, you can just remove the "tell application safari part" Make sure the browser you want to open it in is your default browser. Then in AppleScript, type: Code: open location "www.google.com" You can change the url to whatever you want. Then press "command shift s" to save as and select application. Now when you open the app, the url will open. Hope this helps!  

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Use AppleScript to open current Safari URL in Google Chrome

I've been using John Gruber's suggestions from Going Flash-Free on Mac OS X, and How to Cheat When You Need It to avoid installing Adobe Flash by using Google Chrome (which includes its own version of Flash) whenever I run into a page that has Flash I want to see.

To make this easier, John suggested turning on the "Develop menu" in Safari's "Advanced" preferences, which includes a sub-menu to "Open Page With" and a sub-sub-menu that shows all of your installed browsers. John suggested using System Preferences to create a keyboard shortcut for "Google Chrome" or "Google Chrome.app" depending on which one you saw in the menu.

Unfortunately, this failed for me quite often. Every time I launched Safari, the keyboard shortcut would not work until I had opened that menu manually using the mouse. I hate using the mouse. After opening the menu, the keyboard shortcut would work until I quit Safari again. That was mildly annoying, but things recently took a turn for the worse.

Here's what the menu looks like for me now:

Notice that the browser listings now include version numbers. This means that a keyboard shortcut would have to include the version number, which means it would break whenever the browser is updated.

I asked a few folks, and it appears this changed in Safari 5.0.4. I haven't been able to find a way to revert to the old behavior, so I started looking for another way.

Enter AppleScript

Using AppleScript, you can send the current URL from Safari to Google Chrome.

Here is the AppleScript that I am currently using:

(Note: this article was updated on 2013–02–10 to include an updated and improved version of the AppleScript, as well as expanded instructions on how to use it.)

This AppleScript will launch Google Chrome if it is not already running, and will not overwrite any existing tabs in Google Chrome.

To use this AppleScript, you will need to download it from Github . Note that the download filename will be something ridiculously long which starts with 'gist4750810' (don't ask me why, it's a Github 'thing'). Find that file in your Downloads folder, double-click it, and Archive Utility will open it and show you a folder with a file named 'Open in Google Chrome.scpt' in it.

Now you'll want to open a new Finder window so you can navigate to where that file needs to be installed, so choose File » New Finder Window and then move on to the next section.

Installation

To use 'Open in Google Chrome.scpt' in Safari, it needs to be installed to ~/Library/Scripts/Applications/Safari/ (where ~ is the path to your Home directory).

If that folder does not exist, you will need to create it. The easiest way to do this is to go to the Finder and then choose the "Go to Folder..." option from the Go menu, as shown here:

Once you have done that, a window will appear prompting you to enter the path that you want to go to. Enter

~/Library/Scripts/Applications/Safari/

and see if it opens the folder.

(Aside: If it says "The folder can't be found" try going to ~/Library/Scripts/Applications/ instead, and then just create the 'Safari' folder using File » New Folder from the menu bar.)

Once you are in the ~/Library/Scripts/Applications/Safari/ folder, simply drag the 'Open in Google Chrome.scpt' file to it from the other Finder window.

Using 'Open in Google Chrome.scpt' From Safari

Once 'Open in Google Chrome' is installed, there are two ways to use it from Safari.

Option one is to use the "Scripts" menu extra from OS X. Option two is to use a program called FastScripts . I prefer FastScripts, but will explain how to use the standard OS X option first.

To use that Scripts menu, launch the "AppleScript Editor.app" found in /Applications/Utilities/ and then go to Preferences and enable the option 'Show Script menu in menu bar' as shown here:

Once the Script menu is enabled, you will see 'Open in Google Chrome' whenever you are in Safari. Just click on the Scripts icon in the menu bar and select it as shown here:

But what if you want to use a keyboard shortcut instead of the mouse? For that you will need FastScripts , which gives you everything the standard 'Scripts' menu offers, plus the ability to assign keyboard shortcuts.

To assign a keyboard shortcut, open FastScript's preferences and find the entry for 'Safari' under your home folder, then locate the 'Open in Google Chrome' entry. Click over in the 'Shortcut' column and assign it a keyboard shortcut. As you can see here, I have chosen ⌥ (Option) + G :

FastScripts lets you assign up to 10 keyboard shortcuts for AppleScripts for free. If you want to use more than 10, you'll need to buy a license for US$15. As a keyboard-lovin' mouse-hater, I consider that a bargain. FastScripts offers a lot more than just keyboard shortcuts , so I would encourage you to check it out.

"Flash Free"

Now whenever I am in Safari and encounter a page which requires Flash, I press ⌥ + G and the page loads in Google Chrome. It's quick and easy, and doesn't require that I maintain a separate Flash installation.

Adobe Flash continues to be a source of security problems. Using it in only Google Chrome is a good way to increase your browsing security, especially since Chrome is frequently updated.

p.s. since I know there are many other Keyboard Maestro fans out there, I'll also add a quick link to my Keyboard Maestro macro for doing this same thing using Keyboard Maestro.

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