Opening and closing System Prefpanes with command line actions in a shell script

Thanks for the tip: when I found out how to run an Applescript from a bash script, I was able to run this bash command as a PreProcess in Carbon Copy Cloner;

osascript ~/Desktop/Scripts/BackupandWait.applescript

which does:

if running of application "System Preferences" then

quit application "System Preferences"

delay 1

end if

set thePathPref to (path to library folder from system domain as text) & "PreferencePanes:"

tell application "System Preferences"

open thePathPref & "TimeMachine.prefPane"

delay 1

do shell script "tmutil startbackup -b"

delay 30

end tell

if running of application "System Preferences" then

quit application "System Preferences"

delay 1

end if

Similarly, when Carbon Copy Cloner has finished backing up the Time Capsule, the Postprocess script does

osascript ~/Desktop/Scripts/iMessageSend.applescript +41XXXXXXXXX "Your MacBook has done a Time Machine backup to your Time Capsule, and Carbon Copy Cloner has backed up your Time Capsule to your USB external disk Drive."

(the two arguments are Phonenumber in International format, and Text message in quotes).

The Phonenumber needs to be in your contacts, and not associated with yourself. Family member can forward the iMessage to you. CCC will email you on completion if so set.

The script is

on run {targetBuddyPhone, targetMessage}

tell application "Messages"

set targetService to 1st service whose service type = iMessage

set targetBuddy to buddy targetBuddyPhone of targetService

send targetMessage to targetBuddy

end tell

end run

For unfortunate family members in your Contacts who have Android phones, change servicetype = SMS

My question thus answered: hope others may find this useful

cheers, Trevor

Anybody know how to get one's own Mac to iMessage oneself? Would be useful for debugging scripts and not waking up the spouse or child at ungodly hours. Messages App does not allow self-buddying. Straight use of any old international phone number would be an open invitation to script kiddies and worse....

Trevor

That’s a thought - I have an admin A/C on all the family machines. Backup task runs on family member’s account but I can switch to me, send an iMessage to family member, logout and switch back.

Very helpful of you BDAqua - time to burn more midnight oil tonight.

cheers, Trevor

PS: for the message send, email adress (unquoted, one string) seems to work as the Phonenumber argument as well. Caveats for Android recipients apply (Use service type = SMS)

Trevor