Launch app when another app is closed

Question

Launch app when another app is closed

How do I have a specific app open when another app is closed automatically?

I am using Moneydance which quits when clicking the upper left red window button (unlike other apps that have to be quit). The other app is Safari.

Safari will never be running when Moneydance is running as I have it quit via an AppleScript when launching Moneydance, so it's "just" a matter of launching Safari when Moneydance is closed with its red close window button which quits the app.

Is the an AppleScript way to accomplish this?

Thanks

iMac (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 1:58 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,376 points

Aug 15, 2023 11:55 AM in response to mrokloricred37

APPLEAL wrote:

I want to click the red traffic light in Moneydance (this removes Moneydance from the dock) and have Safari launch automatically

That's not possible. However, with a macro app like Keyboard Maestro you can set a key combination to quit Moneydance (⌘+Q) and open Safari. KM is very powerful.

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

102,571 points

Aug 11, 2023 2:38 AM in response to mrokloricred37

Most interesting and Yes Moneydance will Close / Quite if the Red Button on top left of Moneydance is clicked

But in the same location as in above there is the Yellow button and the Green button

As I write, I too have Moneydance open as well as Safari

I can Minimize Moneydance to the dock using the Yellow button and still have Safari Open as I write this reply

In my case, no needs for any scripts and such

Refer to images below

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Answer 3

ku4hx

Level 7

23,688 points

Aug 10, 2023 2:05 PM in response to mrokloricred37

The red traffic light button doesn't close Safari, it essentially "sleeps" the app. Open Safari, and click the red button. If you have it set up, the Safari icon on the dock will have a tiny dot underneath it. That signifies the app is still running but minimized.

To actually close Safari (and most apps): Click Safari in the menu and select "Quit Safari".

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,144 points

Aug 11, 2023 5:15 AM in response to mrokloricred37

You would have to run the script to close the app and open the other. There is nothing that watches for an app to quit.

What is the purpose of all this closing Safari to open Moneydance?

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,144 points

Aug 18, 2023 6:45 PM in response to mrokloricred37

tell application "Finder"
	set runningApps to name of application processes as list
	if runningApps does not contain "MoneyDance" then
		if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"
	end if
end tell

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Answer 6

Aug 10, 2023 3:38 PM in response to mrokloricred37

OK, got most of this working via AppleScript and Automator.

The only thing I need is to figure out how to do I quit Moneydance and have the Apple/Automator script run when it is quit rather than clicking on the Apple/Automator script.

Is there a way to link the closure of Moneydance to run the Apple/Automator script?

Thanks

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Answer 7

Aug 15, 2023 10:56 AM in response to Owl-53

Hi,

I have made this much simpler I hope :)

I would like to add to the script below that if "Moneydance " is running, the script should NOT eject the disc "tom". Otherwise, if Moneydance is not running, it would run the script below and eject the disc if it exists.

Seems, I need an if statement before the script below, but can't figure the code to do so. Also,"tom" would always exist if Moneydance is running, since Moneydance resides in the disc "tom"

Thanks

tell application "Finder"

if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"

end tell

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Answer 8

Aug 15, 2023 5:21 PM in response to Old Toad

Is the same thing true with my previous post?

I would like to add to the script below that if "Moneydance " is running, the script should NOT eject the disc "tom". Otherwise, if Moneydance is not running, it would run the script below and eject the disc if it exists.

Seems, I need an if statement before the script below, but can't figure the code to do so. Also,"tom" would always exist if Moneydance is running, since Moneydance resides in the disc "tom"

Thanks

tell application "Finder"

if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"

end tell

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Answer 9

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,144 points

Aug 15, 2023 6:04 PM in response to mrokloricred37

Here is an example of how to ask if an app is running:

tell application "Finder"
	set runningApps to name of application processes as list
	
	if runningApps contains "MoneyDance" then
		display dialog "It's running"
	end if
end tell

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Answer 10

Aug 18, 2023 10:29 AM in response to Barney-15E

Hi.

Still working on this with your suggestion.

Wonder how to stop the script from running any further if Moneydance is running. (see below)

If it is not running then the script should proceed.

Many thanks

tell application "Finder"

set runningApps to name of application processes as list

if runningApps contains "MoneyDance" then

WOULD LIKE TO END IF AND NOT PROCEED WITH THE REST OF SCRIPT IF MONEYDANCE IS RUNNING

end if

end tell

tell application "Finder"

if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"

end tell

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Answer 11

Aug 18, 2023 11:05 AM in response to Barney-15E

oops, wanted to post this to you, but may have posted to myself…sorry if I did

In addition to my previous comment, if a file is open when I eject "tom", I get a warning that the file is in use. This does not happen if a Moneydance file is in use.

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Answer 12

Aug 18, 2023 7:37 PM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks! Humbled again :))

If I wanted to add an app to MoneyDance how might that be added to the code?

e.g. does not contain "Moneydance" and wanted to add TextEdit

I realize this is another question and happy to repost separately if appropriate.

Once again, many thanks

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Answer 13

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,144 points

Aug 18, 2023 8:59 PM in response to mrokloricred37

If you mean a check for both not running,

tell application "Finder"
	set runningApps to name of application processes as list
	if runningApps does not contain {"MoneyDance", "TextEdit"} then
		if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"
	end if
end tell

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Answer 14

Aug 18, 2023 9:12 PM in response to Barney-15E

Sorry for lack of specificity.

I would want the script to work if ANY of the applications were running.

So, in my example, if Mdance was not running and TextEdit was running, "tom" would not be ejected.

"Simply", if ANY of a list of apps were running, "tom" would NOT be ejected.

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Answer 15

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,144 points

Aug 19, 2023 7:31 AM in response to mrokloricred37

property AppList : {"MoneyDance", "TextEdit"}

tell application "Finder"
	set runningApps to name of application processes as list
	set ejectDisk to true
	repeat with anApp in AppList
		if runningApps contains anApp then set ejectDisk to false
	end repeat
	if ejectDisk then
		if exists disk "tom" then eject disk "tom"
	end if
end tell

You can add as many apps as you want to AppList.

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