System Events.app

Hi, Pink Panther!

These ADC documents may be helpful:

AppleScript-Related Technologies — particularly the AppleScript Utility and System Events and GUI scripting sub-sections

AppleScript in Mac OS X

LoginItemsAE.

Warm regards,
Dean

Hey, Pink Panther,

I agree. I first learned of System Events when tracking down references from another article a while back. Sorry — perhaps I should've just given a short answer. I presumed you'd just ⌘-F and -G your way through the docs for a quick look-see.

Conjecturing - - - >

My guess is that you did put it there — unknowingly. It's not in my Login Items.

I try to avoid 'em: checking Login Items being just another troubleshooting step that's easy to forget at the wrong moment.

But it would make sense, if you have an app that's actually an AppleScript — that you did, perchance, select for a Login Item — &/or that needs System Events to work. A little slippery to do that without your knowing — and perhaps a waste of resources — as it could probably be called when needed (?)

Automator may be the perfect candidate for such an app. I haven't really started working with it — so that would explain the difference between our Items folder contents.

Given that reasoning, I'd say it's probably not crucial — unless you've installed, e.g., contextual menu Automator actions that need System Events and can't call it when needed. . . If you're unaware of any, I say try de-selecting it and see. . .

Imho, of course.

Cheers!
Dean</center><hr width=100% color="996666"> <small>p.s. Btw, whilst checking my System Preferences »» Accounts »» Login Items for this, I noticed that the Adobe Reader installer (that we discussed elsewhere) snuck-in "Adobe Update Manager" as a Login Item when I wasn't looking. To use your phrase: talk about "phoning home!" </small>

If you switch to the Finder, and Control-click on your Desktop, does "Disable Folder Actions" appear as one of the menu items?

If so, it means that Folder Actions may have been inadvertently activated, and one of the jobs of the System Events application is to watch these folders.

If that seems to be the case, choosing "Disable Folder Actions" will remove System Events from your login items.

Hope this helps....

Hi, Pink Panther —

As I have this thread bookmarked, my interest continues. I did a little digging into "folder actions" when I first read MarkDouma®'s reply.
][<small>As a very successful software developer, MarkDouma®'s "conjectures" are historically ~equivalent to my "certainties." Imho.</small>]

I believe that this Mac OS X 10.4 Help article and this section of the AppleScript in Mac OS X website answer the question well.

I also did a KnowledgeBase search for the exact phrase "folder action" and an ADC search — and found the results enlightening. Given our "a lot of homework..." exchange, I'll leave it at that . . . except:

Best wishes,
Dean