Using iMessage from command line/Terminal

Running into the same issue and wondering if this is because Apple deprecated using Messages over the command line.

Thank you this command is super cool. Definitely going to use it lots. 🙂

Use AppleScript:

osascript -e 'tell application "Messages" to send "Hello World" to "J D McIninch"'

I get the following error when I use your example. Is this a bug, or am I doing something silly?

31:58: execution error: Messages got an error: Can’t make "John" into type buddy, text chat. (-1700)

Here's the command I gave:

osascript -e 'tell application "Messages" to send "Hello, World." to "John"'

"John" is definitely someone in my Contacts.

Thanks

Alternatively and you might have to do some porting to follow this path, you could locate and install a command-line XMPP/Jabber client, and use that. Here's a list of some of the available clients.

that is incorrect:

J D McIninch wrote:

Use AppleScript:

osascript -e 'tell application "Messages" to send "Hello World" to "J D McIninch"'

correct is:

osascript -e 'tell application "Messages" to send "Hello World" to buddy "J D McIninch"'

This works! Thank you very much, aero.

Morgan

Works a charm! Thank you!

how can i receive messages to read them in the terminal?

J D McIninch wrote:

Use AppleScript:

osascript -e 'tell application "Messages" to send "Hello World" to "J D McIninch"'

When I try this, I get

31:71: execution error: Messages got an error: "Hello World" doesn’t understand the “send” message. (-1708)

Why would that be?

Looking in the Automator app, it seems as though this is no longer supported.

It still works. the recipient would have to be already existing in your messages app for this to work though. Hope there is a fix for that. Still checking