Is there any way in AppleScript, or from the CLI, to get the name of the current Desktop/Space?

Question

Is there any way in AppleScript, or from the CLI, to get the name of the current Desktop/Space?

I use Keyboard Maestro to perform some actions. It would be useful if I could get the name of the current Mission Control Desktop/Space (For me 'Desktop 1' to 'Desktop 8') so that when the script ends I can then flip back to wherever I was before.

I would ideally like a way to do it in either AppleScript or a CLI/BASH, or if the value is available in a file anywhere?

Currently trying to use the Mission Control swipe up to show the desktop/space names and then use the found image in KM but it is very hit and miss for some reason. There must be a better way surely!

Posted on Feb 15, 2023 4:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Mark Armitage Author

Level 1

20 points

Feb 15, 2023 10:30 AM in response to Mark Armitage

Never mind, found it.

There is a wonderful app on github called WhichSpace (https://github.com/gechr/WhichSpace), then I use:

tell application "System Events" to tell process "WhichSpace" to set temp to (title of menu bar items of menu bar 1)
return item 1 of temp

Credit for the AppleScript to Jim Sauer on the Keyboard Maestro forums (https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/macros-desktop-spaces-macros-to-improve-navigation-and-window-management-v1-1/27033).

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Answer 2

Camelot

Level 9

59,581 points

Feb 15, 2023 10:56 AM in response to Mark Armitage

I'm not aware of any way to determine this, which seems like a gap... I'll keep poking.

In the meantime, a workaround may be to capture the current application at the beginning of your script, and simply 'activate' that application at the end - assuming you have the preferences set to switch to the space for the current app.

tell application "System Events"
	set startingApp to first application process whose frontmost is true
	
	-- do your stuff
	
	tell application startingApp to activate
end tell

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