Wooshy: Window to the Foreground!

[godbout]

yes, that's the name of the Workflow.

 

so i build 2 Mac apps (kindaVim and Wooshy) and for the latter more specifically i want to be able to bring any Window foreground. the Wooshy apps allows you to click anywhere through searching on the Dock, the Menu Bar, and the Frontmost Window. but sometimes the Window you want to get is not foreground and you can't bring it foreground with Alfred. so i made this Workflow.

 

i saw there are already 2 workflows out there but 1) one is a tad slow to my taste and grabs tabs which i have no interest about 2) another one is way too slow for me to be usable. so here you go: Wooshy — Window to the Foreground!

 

it's blazing fast. below you can see that you can reach bring stuff front like the Accessibility permission prompt (finally).

 

 

 

currently it's done for my needs, so it lists the Windows that are visible, not the hidden or miniaturized ones. if you use the Workflow and need those let me know. also it should work with any app but at the same time i've been dealing with the macOS AX for the past two years and i know from experience that there's always some surprise. so please report if you find apps with which it doesn't work. was made in a day so no heavy real life testing yet.

 

downloadable on GitHub: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground

 

hope this helps!

Edited July 19, 2022 by godbout
app name changed

[godbout]

1.1.0 out: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.1.0

 

* lower down macOS requirement to Big Sur
* the Alfred result if there's no window is now non valid (pressing return will do nothing)
* matching windows improved by matching with title, position, and size
* fixes for a couple of apps that wouldn't work (Dash, Brave, Chrome)
 

the matching is now extra accurate (window title, position and size), and fixes apps with weird titles. still instant fast ⚡️⚡️⚡️

[godbout]

yes, i'm a maniac, sorry.

 

1.2.0 out: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.2.0

 

* currently focused window is removed from the Alfred results. unnecessary pollution

* results are now sorted according to windows orders: first result is frontmost window, last result is backmost window

* handles more types of windows, like the Accessibility Inspector and the Sublime Text Update mini window

 

that should be it for a while. next update will be the integration of the AlfredWorkflowUpdater (https://github.com/godbout/AlfredWorkflowUpdater) that needs a major rewrite to check and grab the updates in the background. so for much later.

Edited July 19, 2022 by godbout
wrong link

[paulw]

This is awesome. Thanks for the workflow!

[godbout]

thanks for letting me know!

 

if you're finding windows that don't show up please let me know. i'm trying not to pollute the results, but there may be some other windows types that should go in there.

Edited July 20, 2022 by godbout
add the dot.

[godbout]

i am extremely glad to announce you Wooshy: Window to the Foreground! 1.3.0

 

basically i rewrote the Alfred Workflow Updater as a Command Line Tool that runs in the background. Wooshy: Window to the Foreground! is the first Workflow to integrate it. so next time, no need to go to GitHub to download. the update will show up within the Alfred Results. also, online check and download and open all happen in the background, so the Workflow itself is the same blazing fast. enjoy!

 

https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.3.0

[2pilvic]

Is the workflow ready for Alfred 5? Thank you

[godbout]

yes.

[2pilvic]

Thanks. It works very well! 😃Thank you

[godbout]

my pleasure.

 

although when it's gonna check for an update, you may get a message that the Updater comes from an unknown developer. This is Apple trying to belittle me! so there's another update

 

https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.3.2

 

that fixes this issue, and now all is well.

you can also just go to their security settings blah blah blah to approve that actually you know the developer.

[godbout]

1.4.0: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.4.0

 

support for more types of windows. you should be able to update through the Workflow itself, if i didn't fuck up. (wouldn't be surprising.) enjoy!

[Ghost]

@godbout it doesn't seem to detect Vivaldi Browser (sometimes), even though the first time I tried it worked, but now  it doesn't detect it.

 

Mac OS 12.5 and Alfred 5.0.1 

[godbout]

just installed. it works fine here. are you sure you're not already focused on the window?

 

Quote

• all visible windows are listed except the already currently focused one

 

Wooshy: Window to the Foreground! brings windows, not tabs. so if you're already on the window... doesn't make much sense to show it in the list. less pollution.

[godbout]

1.5.0 out: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/1.5.0

 

* add support for a few more windows, like the Apple ID 2FA shit
* soften the way windows with wrong or missing data are discarded, which helps when using yabai
* move Workflow Update Alfred Result as last item rather than first, to avoid selecting it when wanting to quickly switch window
* add a way to prompt for Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions from within Alfred Results

[godbout]

2.0.0 out! https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/2.0.0

 

* switch from using the official `Screen Recording` way to get windows to some private AX API, so no more `Screen Recording` permissions needed

* windows now can match with 100% accuracy

[godbout]

actually you're still gonna need the `Screen Recording` permissions to get the windows titles 🤔️ not sure this is easily avoidable without making the Workflow slow.

[godbout]

2.1.0 out: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/2.1.0

 

feels like nightly builds sorry 😛

 

but ultimately `Screen Recording` is needed currently. if you haven't granted, you'll now get an Alfred Result mentioning this, and you can prompt from there. enjoy.

[TomBenz]

4 hours ago, godbout said:

2.1.0 out: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground/releases/tag/2.1.0

 

feels like nightly builds sorry 😛

 

but ultimately `Screen Recording` is needed currently. if you haven't granted, you'll now get an Alfred Result mentioning this, and you can prompt from there. enjoy.

@godboutI use this workflow and it is fast and good. Is screen recording permission safe to give? Can you please explain how it is used? I don't see auto-updater available? Do you have plans to add this?

 

 

 @vitor have you checked or used this workflow?

[godbout]

15 minutes ago, pankajsz said:

@godboutI use this workflow and it is fast and good. Is screen recording permission safe to give? Can you please explain how it is used?

 

check the README here: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground#permissions

there's the explanation, and a link to where in the source this is used. it's safe. it's just to grab the windows titles. if you don't want to give the permission to Alfred you can give it just to the Workflow command line tool instead.

 

16 minutes ago, pankajsz said:

I don't see auto-updater available? Do you have plans to add this?

 

there is one. you can see within the Workflow itself, in Alfred. bottom elements. by default it checks for an update every 24 hours. you can change the setting to whatever you want if you need (time is in minutes, hence 1440). see screenshot attached.

 

if you worry about permissions, you can use some alternatives: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground#alternatives

 

good luck! 

[TomBenz]

8 hours ago, godbout said:

 

check the README here: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground#permissions

there's the explanation, and a link to where in the source this is used. it's safe. it's just to grab the windows titles. if you don't want to give the permission to Alfred you can give it just to the Workflow command line tool instead.

 

 

there is one. you can see within the Workflow itself, in Alfred. bottom elements. by default it checks for an update every 24 hours. you can change the setting to whatever you want if you need (time is in minutes, hence 1440). see screenshot attached.

 

if you worry about permissions, you can use some alternatives: https://github.com/godbout/WooshyWindowToTheForeground#alternatives

 

good luck! 

 

Thanks @godbout  

I upgraded to v2.1.0 manually but still see following: 

 

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine WooshyWindowToTheForeground >/dev/null 2>&1

./WooshyWindowToTheForeground "$1"

 

Auto-updater code line is missing. Should I add it manually? The auto-updater used seems to be different from the usual that I have seen with other workflow from Vitor or deanishe. 

[godbout]

3 hours ago, pankajsz said:

hanks @godbout  

I upgraded to v2.1.0 manually but still see following: 

 

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine WooshyWindowToTheForeground >/dev/null 2>&1

./WooshyWindowToTheForeground "$1"

 

Auto-updater code line is missing. Should I add it manually?

 

Marco is that you trolling me again???

 

ok just in case this is not Marco (would be surprising but ok...). you're looking at the wrong thing. see my answer above:

 

Quote

there is one. you can see within the Workflow itself, in Alfred. bottom elements.

 

also look at the element highlighted in the screenshot. thanks.

 

3 hours ago, pankajsz said:

The auto-updater used seems to be different from the usual that I have seen with other workflow from Vitor or deanishe. 

 

come on Marco... it's up to each Workflow to handle the way they update. Wooshy: Window to the Foreground! uses the AlfredWorkflowUpdater available here: https://github.com/godbout/AlfredWorkflowUpdater

but as a user you shouldn't even bother caring about this. it just works, that's all you should care about.

 

if for whatever reason the OneUpdater feature is very important to you, then Vitor Workflow may be a better fit: https://www.alfredforum.com/topic/17665-window-switcher-—-switch-to-a-specific-window-of-an-app-in-the-current-desktop-space/#comment-91324

[TomBenz]

3 hours ago, godbout said:

 

Marco is that you trolling me again???

 

ok just in case this is not Marco (would be surprising but ok...). you're looking at the wrong thing. see my answer above:

 

 

also look at the element highlighted in the screenshot. thanks.

 

 

come on Marco... it's up to each Workflow to handle the way they update. Wooshy: Window to the Foreground! uses the AlfredWorkflowUpdater available here: https://github.com/godbout/AlfredWorkflowUpdater

but as a user you shouldn't even bother caring about this. it just works, that's all you should care about.

 

if for whatever reason the OneUpdater feature is very important to you, then Vitor Workflow may be a better fit: https://www.alfredforum.com/topic/17665-window-switcher-—-switch-to-a-specific-window-of-an-app-in-the-current-desktop-space/#comment-91324

Comfortable to use both approaches. Just wanted to comment that this command line auto-updater needs to be installed separately. 

[godbout]

19 minutes ago, pankajsz said:

Comfortable to use both approaches. Just wanted to comment that this command line auto-updater needs to be installed separately. 

 

?

sorry i don't understand what you're trying to do. the Workflow comes with the Updater included. you don't have to do anything. as a user you install the Workflow, give permissions, and start using and enjoying it. updates will be checked automatically every 24 hours. end of story. it just works.

 

if you want to do open-surgery on the Workflow sure, have fun. but as a user, to get the Workflow's features and the automatic updates, you don't have to do anything. definitely not installing something extra.

[TomBenz]

53 minutes ago, godbout said:

 

?

sorry i don't understand what you're trying to do. the Workflow comes with the Updater included. you don't have to do anything. as a user you install the Workflow, give permissions, and start using and enjoying it. updates will be checked automatically every 24 hours. end of story. it just works.

 

if you want to do open surgery on the Workflow sure, have fun. but as a user, to get the Workflow's features and the automatic updates, you don't have to do anything. definitely not installing something extra.

Yes, this is the design and expected behaviour. I have been using this workflow but it doesn't give a prompt for update. i.e. On my machine, the auto-updater doesn't work. I don't know if there is a pre-requisite that I need to follow or if I can run any diagnostic log that can help you to troubleshoot it. I am an end user and not doing any modification of workflow.

[godbout]

ok. if you wanna check the automatic update, do this:

1. update the Workflow version to 2.0.0, rather than 2.1.0

2. update the frequency check from 1440 to 0, so that an update will be checked in the background every time you bring a window in the foreground. that will not slow down the Workflow but it will use some extra resource

3. use the Workflow and bring one window to the foreground at least. at that time the update info will be downloaded

4. after a few seconds, the update will appear in the Alfred Results when you use the Workflow. see pic attached