Script to switch between 2 resolutions

Maybe you might want to try the following script. Before using the script, you must enable access for assistive devices in the Accessibility System Preference pane. To use the script, just copy and paste it into the AppleScript Editor window, then click the Run button.

set resolution1 to "1920 × 1080"

set resolution2 to "1280 × 720"

tell application "Finder" to set {a, b, c, d} to bounds of window of desktop

set currentResolution to (c as text) & " × " & d

if currentResolution is resolution1 then

set newResolution to resolution2

else

set newResolution to resolution1

end if

tell application "System Preferences"

-- activate -- only if you wish to see the System Preferences window

reveal pane id "com.apple.preference.displays"

tell application "System Events"

tell process "System Preferences"

tell window 1

tell tab group 1

clickradio button 1

clickradio button 4

tell table 1 of scroll area 1

select (row 1 whose value of text field 1 is newResolution)

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

quit

end tell

GeertCu wrote:

That didn't work.

Could you be a little more explicit? Is there any error message?

The script works flawlessly on my MacBook Pro under OS X 10.8.4, with the following values:

set resolution1 to "1440 × 900"

set resolution2 to "1280 × 800"

Have you enabled access for assistive devices in the Accessibility System Preference pane?

Message was edited by: Pierre L.

GeertCu wrote:

That didn't work.

Does the following improved version work?

set resolution1 to "1920 × 1080" -- if that resolution exists on your monitor

set resolution2 to "1280 × 720" -- if that resolution exists on your monitor

tell application "Finder" to set {a, b, c, d} to bounds of window of desktop

set currentResolution to (c as text) & " × " & d

if currentResolution is resolution1 then

set newResolution to resolution2

else

set newResolution to resolution1

end if

tell application "System Preferences"

activate-- only if you wish to see the System Preferences window

set current pane to pane id "com.apple.preference.displays"

reveal anchor "displaysDisplayTab" of current pane

tell application "System Events"

tell process "System Preferences"

tell window 1

tell tab group 1

clickradio button "Scaled"

tell table 1 of scroll area 1

select (row 1 whose value of text field 1 is newResolution)

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

quit

end tell

At this point, I can see only two explanations why the script doesn't work:

1) A short delay is needed before telling table 1 to select a row, like this:

clickradio button "Scaled"

repeat until table 1 of scroll area 1 exists

end repeat

tell table 1 of scroll area 1

select (row 1 whose value of text field 1 is newResolution)

end tell

2) Maybe your Color LCD window is not exactly the same as mine:

If such is the case, I can't help you.

I haven't downloaded Mav yet, so this is just extrapolation, but <class pcap> should be the code for application process in System Event's scripting dictionary. Check the scripting dictionary to make sure that they haven't for some odd reason removed that term (it should be in the processes suite), and if it's still there in the dictionary, delete and retype the phrase in the script. That forces the script to reread the terminology rather than relying on the previously compiled code.

@GeertCu: I had the same problem. I had to change "Color LCD" to "Built-in Retina Display". Here's my script to switch resolution between retina and more space:

tell application "System Preferences"

reveal anchor "displaysDisplayTab" of pane "com.apple.preference.displays"

end tell

tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences" to tell window "Built-in Retina Display"

click radio button "Display" of tab group 1

click radio button "Scaled" of radio group 1 of tab group 1

tell radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

set isRetinaOptimized to get value of radio button 3

end tell

if isRetinaOptimized then

click radio button 5 of radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

else

click radio button 3 of radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

end if

end tell

quit application "System Preferences"

GeertCu,

You seem to go from Built-in Retina Display to Scaled directly, while it first needs to select the "Display" tab group.

See my script:

tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences" to tell window "Built-in Retina Display"

click radio button "Display" of tab group 1

click radio button "Scaled" of radio group 1 of tab group 1

First it selects Built-in Reinta Display, then it clicks the "Display" tab, THEN it clicks "Scaled"

Hi GeertCu,

Sure:

tell application "System Preferences"

reveal anchor "displaysDisplayTab" of pane "com.apple.preference.displays"

end tell

tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences" to tell window "Built-in Retina Display"

click radio button "Display" of tab group 1

click radio button "Scaled" of radio group 1 of tab group 1

tell radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

set isRetinaOptimized to get value of radio button 3

end tell

if isRetinaOptimized then

click radio button 5 of radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

else

click radio button 3 of radio group 1 of group 1 of tab group 1

end if

end tell

quit application "System Preferences"