UI Browser somehow makes UI Scripting work in my AppleScript

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

So I’ve been using AppleScript to access UI elements of other apps for many years so I’m familiar with the methods and process.

Recently I’ve been trying to write a script to notify me when the app “Frameio Transfer” has finished a transfer. I used UI Browser to scan the elements I need and got a good start on a workable script.

The problem is that this script only works if I use UI Browser on the Frame Transfer app first. If I re-launch Frame Transfer then my script can’t “see” elements very deep in it’s tree.

UI Browser must be doing something to unlock the elements app somehow.

Anyone have any insight? Frame.io | Transfer App

#2

To expand on what I’m seeing here are some screenshots.
Before opening UI Browser i run this script…

Before UI Browser
Before UI Browser1920×1200 107 KB

… It only finds some top level elements.

#3

Then I open UI Browser and point it to the app on it, close UI Browser and then suddenly any AppleScript sees the entire contents…

After UI Browser
After UI Browser1920×1200 283 KB

So my question is: what is UI Browser doing to “unlock” the app and is there a way I can do it too?
Is this the difference between scanning with Objective-C / Swift vs. AppleScript?

#4

Try adding an “activate” command where you have the “set frontmost to true” commented out.

#5

Thought about that and tried it. No dice. Thanks for the suggestion though.