Mouseless Messenger — iMessage/SMS Preview and Reply for Alfred

[stephancasas]

Mouseless Messenger

 

Mouseless Messenger offers you rapid keyboard-driven access to send and read conversations in the macOS Messages app via Alfred — all without ever interacting with the Messages app.

 

Click Here to Download the Latest Release

 

Installation

Before the workflow can be used, you'll need to provide Alfred with Full Disk Access privileges via System Preferences:

1. Open System Preferences
2. Choose Security and Privacy
3. Choose Privacy
4. Select Full Disk Access
5. Unlock the 🔒 in the bottom left corner.
6. Enable the checkbox for Alfred.
   • If unavailable, use the ➕ button to add Alfred.

 

⚠️ Privilege Escalation

Full Disk Access is used to provide Alfred with access to the Messages database. However, by providing Alfred with this access, you are providing ALL Alfred workflow with access — not just Mouseless Messenger.

 

Be sure you trust your installed workflows before allowing this.

 

Usage

The workflow is triggered by the keyword msg. On run, you'll be provided with the your eight (8) most recent conversations in the Messages app.

 

• To preview a message thread, press the SHIFT key while a conversation is selected. Press it again to dismiss the conversation preview.
• To reply to a message thread, press the ENTER or RETURN key while a conversation is selected, then type your reply in the provided input space and press ENTER to send it.

 

In order for the message to send, the Messages app must be running in the background. The window doesn't need to be in the foreground (or even visible), but the app itself must be running.

 

Support the Workflow

I built Mouseless Messenger because I code all day and don't like to take my hands off the keyboard. If you find it useful, please consider buying me a coffee so that I can keep building cool things like this.

 

If you have a feature you'd like added, or an issue which needs attention, please open an issue on GitHub.

[Slatts]

Great Work, loving it so far!

[cands]

This seems very useful, unfortunately it does not work for me on macOS 12.4 and Alfred 4.6.6 [1303]. Full Disk Access has been granted and Alfred has been restarted (also restarted the computer just in case). The debugger provides the following brief information: 

 

ERROR: Mouseless Messenger[Script Filter] Code 1: /Users/***/Library/Caches/com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred/Workflow Scripts/A1EB22C3-A50D-427E-B2D8-2632031A2F76: execution error: Error: Error: Can't get object. (-1728)

 

I opened an issue on GitHub.

Edited June 23, 2022 by cands

[rheide]

This is awesome. Great work. Thank you.

[cands]

On 6/23/2022 at 4:11 PM, cands said:

This seems very useful, unfortunately it does not work for me on macOS 12.4 and Alfred 4.6.6 [1303]. Full Disk Access has been granted and Alfred has been restarted (also restarted the computer just in case). The debugger provides the following brief information: 

 

ERROR: Mouseless Messenger[Script Filter] Code 1: /Users/***/Library/Caches/com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred/Workflow Scripts/A1EB22C3-A50D-427E-B2D8-2632031A2F76: execution error: Error: Error: Can't get object. (-1728)

 

I opened an issue on GitHub.

Resolved in version 1.0.1, thanks!

[Machinegun]

Works great so far! Is there anyway to add a feature--we can type in the name of the recipient (with autocomplete powers) in conjunction with displaying the last 8 conversations?

[arcaydes]

Does not seem to work for me. Typing msg does nothing and searches alfred as normal. Full disk access is granted.

 

[Slatts]

I'm now getting this issue I'm on v1.0.1.

 

[09:39:58.383] Mouseless Messenger[Script Filter] Queuing argument '(null)'
[09:39:58.731] Mouseless Messenger[Script Filter] Script with argv '(null)' finished
[09:39:58.734] ERROR: Mouseless Messenger[Script Filter] Code 1: /Users/Pat/Library/Caches/com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred/Workflow Scripts/A557A290-5B3F-4A64-9A5C-41D1E13FB4DC: execution error: Error: TypeError: null is not an object (evaluating 'message_body.replace') (-2700)

 

[kraig85]

Hi. I'm still getting that Code 1/null error. I'm assuming it's due to iCloud messages but I can't seem to find where to disable them on Ventura?

[Smpl]

On 6/10/2022 at 8:20 PM, stephancasas said:

Mouseless Messenger

 

Mouseless Messenger offers you rapid keyboard-driven access to send and read conversations in the macOS Messages app via Alfred — all without ever interacting with the Messages app.

 

..

 

 

Would be better if you got rid of the "Chat with" and just showed the Contact Name / Number instead..

[dcboy3063]

Excellent workflow.. thanks!! This is the workflow i had no idea i needed but now see i did. 

[aaa]

This is great! 

 

I have one minor suggestions: I would love the ability have the option to switch the preview between dark/light mode. Or better yet - could you set the preview colors based on the current Alfred theme?

[stephancasas]

On 8/20/2022 at 11:13 PM, aaa said:

This is great! 

 

I have one minor suggestions: I would love the ability have the option to switch the preview between dark/light mode. Or better yet - could you set the preview colors based on the current Alfred theme?

 

This has been added in the latest release.

[cdthomer]

On 7/4/2022 at 3:22 PM, arcaydes said:

Does not seem to work for me. Typing msg does nothing and searches alfred as normal. Full disk access is granted.

 

 

I'm having this same issue. Can't seem to find any info on how to debug it either. Here's my system info:

 

Model Name                   :  MacBook Air
Model Identifier             :  MacBookAir10,1
Total Number of Cores        :  8 (4 performance and 4 efficiency)
Memory                       :  16 GB
System Firmware Version      :  7459.141.1
OS Loader Version            :  7459.141.1
Chipset Model                :  Apple M1
Total Number of Cores        :  7
System Version               :  macOS 12.5.1 (21G83)
Kernel Version               :  Darwin 21.6.0
System Integrity Protection  :  Enabled
Time since boot              :  12 days 6:19

 

[milopus]

Wow, I have been looking for this kind of workflow for a long time!  Works great in latest MacOS and Alfred versions. 

 

Thanks.

[Lord Laughter]

On 7/4/2022 at 9:22 PM, arcaydes said:

Does not seem to work for me. Typing msg does nothing and searches alfred as normal. Full disk access is granted.

 

Same problem here.

macOS 12.6 on MacBook Pro 14"

[Lord Laughter]

Interestingly now it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't with now apparent reason.

[baggiohua]

It works fine, macOS Monterey 12.6

[techieman75]

Having an issue where I am not seeing all the information. Any ideas what would cause this?

 

[kCologne]

One of the best Workflows. Love it! Thanks - M.

[Sorehead]

Hi - love this workflow.

 

After entering keyword the workflow no longer lists messages in Alfred; it now opens the Messages app. Any others experiencing similar issue?

 

Ventura 13.3.1 (a)

[sepulchra]

@stephancasas does the preview file not display images?

[stephancasas]

@sepulchra It does not. This will be a feature in the upcoming native app, however.

[Forlorn]

@stephancasas I love this workflow. However, I have an issue with cmd + y (or shift). I don't think it's properly displaying the message thread history. I've attached a photo. Is there a solution to make the history properly display?

Edited January 5 by Forlorn
Forgot to add my question.

[stephancasas]

@Forlorn Thank you for your kind words.

 

I'm aware of an issue which is causing invalid HTML or, in some cases, no HTML to be written to the disk for preview. A fix has been tested, but I have not had time to implement it yet.

 

If you've installed the workflow via Alfred Gallery, it'll push there once the update is available.