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Can't get Automator to run a service when keyboard shortcut is pressed

I'm trying to set up some keyboard shortcuts. I want to be able to press a key to start the screen saver. I'm using OS X 10.9.5. I had it all set up and working but then it stopped working after a restart.


I started Automator, made a new Workflow of type Service. I selected "Start Screen Saver" (the local one, not the Remote Desktop one) from the Actions list and dragged it to the Workflow window pane. I set "Service receives No input" and saved it. Clicking Run starts the screen saver as expected.


Then I went to System Preferences, Security & Privacy, clicked the Privacy tab and Accessibility. I made sure Automator.app was listed and checked under "Allow apps below to control your computer."


Next I went to System Preferences, Keyboard, clicked the Shortcuts tab, clicked Services, scrolled down to the General category and saw the workflow I'd made listed. I clicked the Add Shortcut button and typed in a key (command shift F6).


Then pressing command shift F6 worked to start the screen saver. That was yesterday. But today after I've restarted the computer it no longer works.


The settings in System Preferences are not changed. I've tried changing them and setting them back. I've tried making a new workflow. But nothing has gotten this behavior back.


Opening Automator, the workflow, and clicking Run still starts the screen saver correctly.


Hitting the keyboard shortcut key will briefly flash the application name in the menu bar. But the workflow does not appear to run.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Sep 25, 2014 12:49 PM

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4 replies

Sep 29, 2014 2:14 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for the suggestion. It's gotten me closer to a solution I think.


Repair permissions ran and reported /System/Library/CoreServices/Feedback Assistant.app had wrong permissions. It said they were lrwxr-xr-x and should be drwxr-xr-x. It reported they were fixed.


But the hot key doesn't work consistently. For example:

In Finder press the hot key and the screen saver starts then abruptly stops. Press it a second time and the same thing happens. Press a third time and the screen saver starts and stays on. Move the mouse cursor to exit the screen saver, press the hot key again and nothing happens. Press it again over and over and still nothing happens. Run Repair Permissions again and it's behaves like the first time I mentioned in this paragraph.


Maybe it depends on which application is in the foreground. In Textedit pressing the hot key never starts the screen saver. If I select "Start screen saver" from the Services menu it starts. After doing that once pressing the hot key does start the screen saver.


In Safari pressing the hot key starts the screen saver but then it abruptly stops.


And after every one of these running Repair Disk Permissions always reports the same error, /System/Library/CoreServices/Feedback Assistant.app has wrong permissions.

Jan 18, 2015 2:25 PM in response to cageycruz

BUG: KEYBOARD SHORTCUT KEYS DO NOT ALWAYS ACTIVATE A SERVICE (A WORKFLOW)


When you assign a keyboard shortcut to a Service (such as a Service Workflow created in Automator) using the System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts, if that shortcut key combination includes the Command key, pressing that shortcut will always successfully activate the Service. No problem there.


However, shortcut key combinations that do not include the Command key (for example, the shortcut key combo Ctrl-Shift-D) WILL NOT activate the Service in any newly opened application, until you click on the Services Menu option in that application.


For more info, see THIS THREAD.

Jul 31, 2015 2:06 AM in response to cageycruz

Same trouble for me, it work for some time then stop working until reboot.

Trouble is that launch process locks while starting, in fact if you go in activity monitor and search for "auto" you'll find lot of processes freezed, and if you run your shortcut another process will be added to the list.


Probably there should be something to kill to restore it, but I don't know what...

Can't get Automator to run a service when keyboard shortcut is pressed

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