How to create Apple mail plugin - objective-c

I'm going to create a mail plugin for the OS X Mail.app application for some additional features.
I have no idea where to start as there is no official documentation for plugins.
Can anyone please help me, how can I start the project.
Is there any initial link or tutorial, please suggest?

As noted, writing Apple Mail plugins is not straightforward, since it only has a private plugin API, which is entirely undocumented and can change with any new version of Mail.app. The best code example is GPGMail, which is open source & still active (already working on Yosemite support). Here is what I successfully did to get started (will put it up on github once finished):
How to build a minimal Apple Mail plugin (as of Mavericks & Xcode 6.0.1)
you need to create an OSX "Bundle" project in XCode
wrapper extension is mailbundle (under Packaging in the project Build settings)
a bundle needs to be stored under ~/Library/Mail/Bundles (as Build Phase add a Copy Files action with that as absolute path destination and the *.mailbundle from your build/ folder as item to copy)
for development, I have set up /Applications/Mail.app as executable in my run scheme, so that Run in XCode will build it, copy the bundle and start mail; note that at this point you'll get an error from Mail that your plugin cannot be started and was disabled
you need to provide a list of SupportedPluginCompatibilityUUIDs in the Info.plist, I stole it from GPGMail, these change with new Mail/OSX versions
use class-dump to generate the header files from Mail.app's private API
starting point is MVMailBundle, which you have to inherit from and which has a registerBundle method to hook you in
I extracted that from the huge generated header file in a small MVMailBundle.h header to include where needed (as done by GPGMail)
create a new class MyMailBundle, inheriting from NSObject
it needs an initialize method
and set it as "Principle class" in the Info.plist so that it gets run when the bundle is loaded by Mail.app
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#interface MyMailBundle : NSObject
+ (void)initialize;
#end
initialize implementation: previously, you could use the simple way and directly inherit as done in Letterbox, however, since 64-bit runtimes of Objective-C you have to use the dynamic way as done by GPGMail:
using NSClassFromString to dynamically get the MVMailBundle class
and class_setSuperclass from <objc/runtime.h> to have your own class inherit from it
and then call registerBundle on it casted as MVMailBundle (requires include of MVMailBundle.h)
#import <objc/runtime.h>
#import "MVMailBundle.h"
#import "MyMailBundle.h"
#implementation MyMailBundle
+ (void)initialize
{
NSLog(#"Loading MyMail plugin...");
// since 64-bit objective-c runtimes, you apparently can't load
// symbols directly (i.e. through class inheritance) and have to
// resort to NSClassFromString
Class mvMailBundleClass = NSClassFromString(#"MVMailBundle");
// If this class is not available that means Mail.app
// doesn't allow plugins anymore or has changed the API
if (!mvMailBundleClass)
return;
// dynamically change super class hierarchy
#pragma GCC diagnostic push
#pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wdeprecated"
class_setSuperclass([self class], mvMailBundleClass);
#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
// register our plugin bundle in mail
[[((MyMailBundle *)self) class] registerBundle];
NSLog(#"Done registering MyMail plugin.");
}
#end
add some NSLog logging calls to verify the right thing is happening, they'll be visible in XCode's console when running/debugging Mail.app from within XCode or alternatively in the system logs of Console.app
This should successfully run the plugin in Mail with no error!
The next steps involve crazy things like MethodSwizzling and ClassPosing to modify Mail's behavior, where GPGMail can be a helpful example. (Haven't been there myself yet)
For reference, here are some of the resources that helped me:
GPGMail
Adam Nash: Getting Ready to Write an Apple Mail.app Plug-in for Mac OS X - some good links, but apparently he never finished the project, so no code
James R. Eagan: Demystifying Mail.app Plugins on Leopard - using PyObjC to write a plugin in Python, explains the basic mechansims, very useful
Aaron Harnly: Mail Plugin Template - for XCode 2 I think, unfortunately the template (download a zip) doesn't work as template in Xcode anymore, but the code is still useful to look at
Aaron Harnly: Letterbox sources - from the same guy, but also from 2007, very outdated; contains a readme from the template, though it doesn't really help if you can't use the template.

There is no official supported way to build such a tool - you need to start trying to hook in to Mail.app without any official support.
If you want to persist on this sort of thing, then you'll need to understand how Mail.app internals work, which is a bunch of using the debugger and class dump to inspect libraries in other apps:
https://github.com/nygard/class-dump
You'll probably also want a way to inject code into other applications, for example:
https://github.com/rentzsch/mach_inject
And every time Apple update Mail.app you'll potentially need to redo everything :)

Related

How do I use Objective-C code from Github in my Swift program?

Summary of problem
I'm building a calendar app in Swift, and I'd like to start with the UI in this repo: https://github.com/erichoracek/MSCollectionViewCalendarLayout
This repo is written in Objective-C.
However, I'm not sure how to build on top of this Github repo using Swift.
Example of the UI I'd like to use in my calendar:
What I've tried
I successfully installed this library with CocoaPods.
I ran $pod install.
I successfully ran import MSCollectionViewCalendarLayout.
I added a new CollectionViewController on my Storyboard, and assigned it to my custom CalendarViewController class
I tried (dumbly) with the code below in class CalendarViewController,but I get this error message:
"Cannot assign value of type 'MSCollectionViewCalendarLayout.Type' to type 'UICollectionViewLayout'"
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
self.collectionView.collectionViewLayout = MSCollectionViewCalendarLayout
}
I understand I probably have to use self.collectionView.register(cellClass:forCellWithReuseIdentifier:)...but how?
There's some documentation titled "Usage" in the Github, but unfortunately I'm still lost as to how to use it:
There's also an Example.xcworkspace included, written in Objective-C. I've gone through most of it. They include header (.h) and implementation (.m) files for each of the elements that they use.
There's a good answer to a tangential problem here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/45540130/3979651, but this doesn't directly solve my problem. I'd like to import this Cocoapods library, instead of writing on top of Objective-C files. But I'm also not entirely sure if this is the right / best way to do it.
Summary of questions
How do I link my CollectionViewController to MSCollectionViewCalendarLayout so that it has the same UI?
How do I use self.collectionView.register(cellClass:forCellWithReuseIdentifier:) in this case?
Do I have to write a new file for each element, like in the Example? (Event cell, Day Column Header, etc.)
Or, would it be easier to just copy and paste the Example element files (.h and .m) into my app? If so, how do I build on top of those files?
What I'd like to accomplish
I would like to import MSCollectionViewLayout like a library, attach it to my own CollectionViewControllers, and build my own functionality on top of this, all using Swift.
Thank you all in advance! Hopefully I can commit the correct answers here to the repo's README.md file.
You can better use one of the below repos which are purely written in Swift and has the same UI as of MSCollectionViewLayout
1) CalendarKit
2) Calendar
Note: I personally used these libraries and these are easy to
integrate with your existing application.

Xcode cannot find ProductModuleName-Swift.h

I'm attempting to import my "-Swift.h" file into one of my Objective-C .h files but xcode keeps telling me that the file doesn't exist
#import "Aesculus-Swift.h"
If I command click on the file name it will take me to the generated header file so I know it exists. Why is xcode not able to find it?
This seems like just another issue with Xcode and it's complex tool chain of static analysers and compilers.
Openradar lists radar://21362856 - Swift to Objective-C bridging is unreliable. I am sure there are more but I stopped looking after finding one for this example.
The author imarcelv notes in the description:
I asked a Swift engineer at WWDC in a lab and even he didn't know how to fix this issue.
Steps to Reproduce:
Add a ramdom Swift class to an Objective-C project
Add the #import "ModuleName-Swift.h" file that Xcode generates automatically
Try to use it or just try to compile the project
From time to time it simply doesn't work
It's probably best to file a radar on this issue as it seems that others are already calling it out.
One other thing you could try...
Historically, it was possible for Xcode to completely lose it's syntax highlighting and you could always find out what files the static analyser was giving up on by increasing log level of clang.
I'm not sure if it's still relevant but if I was in your position I'd be trying this command:
defaults write com.apple.dt.Xcode IDEIndexingClangInvocationLogLevel 3
This generates logs you can search with using Console.app for just xcode to highlight the messages. You'll want to trash the derived data of your project to force it to re-compile things.
Although not the same issue as what you're seeing, I have had this post on the syntax highlighting issue bookmarked for years for the above defaults write command to try in times like these.
I solved this recently by adding the following entry to my .xcconfig (you could add it in Xcode's Build Settings > User Header Search Paths if you prefer).
USER_HEADER_SEARCH_PATHS = $(BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR)/MyFramework.framework/Headers
This tells the compiler to search for headers in the build output directory, which is where Xcode puts the generated header (at least in the case of this framework).
In my case this is a directory like ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/MyProject-LongCode/Build/Products/Debug-iphonesimulator/MyFramework.framework/Headers/MyFramework. You might find your generated header in there too.
Xcode's header and dependency management is a hot mess, and it's not surprising that it doesn't work for you.
I had trouble with this stuff & found that your -Swift file is the Product name of your Target ( not just the name of your Target ) . I found the details here helpful: http://ericasadun.com/2014/08/21/swift-calling-swift-functions-from-objective-c/
When you encounter such situation, just find your kinda "ProductName-Swift.h" file by just cmnd+click on it (even if xcode shows warning about it is not found, the #import "Aesculus-Swift.h" string is still clickable) and then in opened code editor window choose context menu and "Show in Finder" item, then explicitly add it to your project.

XCode 4 Does not give output

I'm following the book of Programming in Objective-C by Stephen G. Kochan. I was trying the code and to improve the class example by myself. I opened a project in Mac OS X / Applications / Command Line Tool and the program executes successfully.
When I opened the project as IOS / Framework & Library / Cocoa Touch Static Library, XCode separates class and implementation files normally. When I try to compile, XCode says it has built successfully but there is no output in the console.
I just followed the book and I am sure there is nothing wrong about Class or the implementation files. "NSLog(#""); files stays in there". According to the book, files are separated by 3:
Interface Part (class part)
Implementation Part (Which instances located in)
int main (int argc, char *argv[]) part.
But when I open the project as cocoa-static library, I get only 1 *.m file. I cannot add any additional *.m file with add -> new file.
My question is, is there any relative problem with my file structure that I am working on? Should I need also separate implementation part and the main part?
I would really appreciate if someone could help with this probelem. I really got stuck and having struggling to proceed next step of the book because I can not try code examples anymore...
Sounds like you're trying to run a static library project. You can't do this - you need to make an app that uses your static library to be able to run at and see the output.

How to intercept reading of plist values in Objective-C code?

We're using the new Urban Airship iOS plugin for PhoneGap.
In the plugin's plist file, we're supposed to enter the app-specific keys needed to enable push notifications.
The problem is we have two versions, free and paid, of the same app, but the plist file only accommodates one version.
Essentially, we need to modify the Objective-C code to read different plist values, depending on whether it's the free or premium version.
We currently manage both versions with the same code base and Xcode project. Unless we change the plugin code, it seems like we need to create a new Xcode project, which we don't want to do.
How do we adjust Urban Airship's Objective-C files to read different values from the plsit file?
Sorry to keep you waiting, I wanted to give you a very detailed answer instead of rushing last night :) So here we go.
First in your project we need to add a new target. Go to your project settings and right click your target. Click duplicate.
You'll get a new target probably named Target-copy. You'll also get a new info.plist file just for that target.
Next we're going to edit our Pro version's Built Settings. Scroll or search and find Apple LLVM compiler 4.0 Preprocessing. Add to both your Debug and Release configurations. I normally just go with the simple PRO=1. You also need to add PRO=0 to your lite version or it will be undefined when you try to build that version.
Now lets look at how to add a custom plist like I'm sure you'll need. First create two folders. Its important these are folders not groups. In each folder we can create a plist with the exact same filename.
Since Now you can add something to each of them. I just added a key property and a value pro string / lite string. Finally to the code. In the sample project I made I simple overrode viewDidLoad but obviously this will work anywhere. Since the plists have the same name you can load them with one line of code. They'll never get mixed up because they are only copied to their respective target. If you need to do code level based logic you can use the PRO preprocessor we made.
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
[super viewDidLoad];
// This will load the proper plist automatically.
NSLog(#"Plist Value: %#",[[NSDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:[[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"Property List" ofType:#"plist"]] objectForKey:#"property"]);
// Also remember we set up a preprocessor PRO. you can use it as well.
if (PRO) {
NSLog(#"Only Show for Pro");
} else {
NSLog(#"Only Show for Lite");
}
NSLog(#"This will show for both");
}
This is the method I use for all my lite/pro version apps so I can share a common codebase without copying it between projects or other complicated systems. It has worked pretty well for me so far :) Happy Coding!
Source
Figured someone may be able to use the project to look at so here it is on GitHub.

How to Write OS X Finder plugin

I'm looking for a guide or sample code for writing Mac OS X Finder plugins? It would like to know how to do some simple actions:
adding image overlayers to icons
adding context menu items
listen to file changes
I found the following two resources:
Writing Contextual Menu Plugins for OS X: An outdated document from 2002 that uses the COM API targeting Mac OS X 8/9.
SCPlugin: Open-source SVN Mac application that includes a Finder plug-in.
I am tempted to review the SCPlugin code, but was hoping to find an easier sample to digest.
The Finder Icon Overlay example project represents a small and very basic but actually working example of the answer below.
https://github.com/lesnie/Finder-Icon-Overlay
I know this is so old, but some may be still interested in topic (?)
Here is what I have it done under Leopard (10.6). At first proper Finder's headers are needed. Use class-dump tool to get it. Then write your code as a SIMBL plugin (refer to documentation how to do it), swizzling some methods. For instance to draw something over icon in ListView, drawIconWithFrame: method of TIconAndTextCell method must be overriden.
Here's the code for method swizzling:
+ (void) Plugin_load
{
Method old, new;
Class self_class = [self class];
Class finder_class = [objc_getClass("TIconAndTextCell") class];
class_addMethod(finder_class, #selector(FT_drawIconWithFrame:),
class_getMethodImplementation(self_class, #selector(FT_drawIconWithFrame:)),"v#:{CGRect={CGPoint=dd}{CGSize=dd}}");
old = class_getInstanceMethod(finder_class, #selector(drawIconWithFrame:));
new = class_getInstanceMethod(finder_class, #selector(FT_drawIconWithFrame:));
method_exchangeImplementations(old, new);
}
I am overriding "drawIconWithFrame:" method with my method "FT_drawIconWithFrame:". Below is sample implementation for this method.
- (void) FT_drawIconWithFrame:(struct CGRect)arg1
{
[self FT_drawIconWithFrame:arg1];
if ([self respondsToSelector:#selector(node)]) {
if ([[[[NSClassFromString(#"FINode") nodeWithFENode:[(TNodeIconAndNameCell *)self node]] fullPath] lastPathComponent] hasPrefix:#"A"])
[myPrettyIconOverlayImage drawInRect:NSMakeRect(arg1.origin.x, arg1.origin.y, arg1.size.height, arg1.size.height) fromRect:NSZeroRect operation:NSCompositeSourceOver fraction:1.0];
}
}
Essentially it draws "myPrettyIconOverlayImage" over every icon for file with filename starts with letter "A". This logic is up to you.
Pay attention to this line: [self FT_drawIconWithFrame:arg1]; this is how to call 'super' in order to get normal icon and name etc. I know, looks weird, like loop, but actually it isn't. Then wrap in into SIMBL plugin, install SIMBL and ...run.
Due to changes in Lion some work have to be done from scratch (make new "Finder.h" file with all declarations needed in it, find proper classess and methods to override), but this technique still works.
Happy hacking!
For Yosemite (MacOS 10.10 & newer), you can use Apple's FinderSync framework, which allows Finder extensions to:
Express interest in specific folder hierarchies
Provide "badges" to
indicate the status of items inside those hierarchies
Provide dynamic
menu items in Finder contextual menus, when the selected items (or
the window target) are in those hierarchies
Provide a Toolbar Item
that displays a menu with dynamic items (even if the selection is
unrelated)
Sadly, programming a Finder plugin actually does still require getting your hands dirty with COM. If you look at the SCFinderPlugin subproject of the SCPlugin project, you will find that it follows exactly the same techniques outlined in your first link, including setting up a vtable for COM, writing AddRef/ReleaseRef functions, and so on. Writing a plugin, where you're simultaneously managing old-school Carbon memory management, COM-style memory management, and Cocoa/new-style Carbon memory management, can be an incredible pain—and that totally ignores the fact that you'll be interacting in three or more radically different APIs, with different naming conventions and calling semantics. Calling the situation hysterically poor would be a vast understatement.
On the bright side, the Finder in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard has been fully rewritten in Cocoa--and with that come vastly superior plugin interfaces. If you are lucky enough to be in a situation where you can actually only target Snow Leopard, you probably should grab an ADC Premier or higher membership, download the prerelease builds, and code against that. Besides, your plugin may not work on 10.6 anyway without a Cocoa rewrite, so it might make good sense to take a look at Snow Leopard before it gets released, regardless.
There is no official or supported plugin system for the Finder. Starting with OS X 10.6, you will need to inject code into the Finder process and override objective C methods in the Finder process.
I've done this for a proprietary project. I can tell you that the reason that there are no examples or tutorials for this is because it is a significantly difficult and time consuming development task. For this reason, there's plenty of incentive for individuals or organizations who have accomplished this to guard the specifics of their process closely.
If there's any way at all that you can accomplish your goal using the Services API, do it. Writing a Finder plugin will take you 1-2 solid months of painstaking development and reasonably deep knowledge of C and Objective-C internals.
If you're still convinced that you want do to this, grab mach_star. Good luck.
As far as I know, there's no official plugin architecture for the Finder. You may be able to add image overlays to icons through an external application without having to hook into the Finder, although it wouldn't be on the fly. I don't think there is a way to add contextual menu items aside from Folder Actions and Automator. You can also look into writing an external application to monitor File System changes using the FSEvents API.
Here's a completed solution for Finder icon badges and contextual menus in Lion and Mountain Lion using the techniques described by Les Nie.
Liferay Nativity provides a scripting bundle that will swizzle the relevant Finder methods and a Java client for setting the icons and context menus. It also includes equivalent projects for Windows and Linux.
The project is open source under LGPL, so feel free to contribute any bug fixes or improvements!
The pickings are slim; it's never been really clear to me whether Finder Plugins are actually supported. A few more leads, though:
SampleCMPlugIn - Carbon-based of course, since so is Finder. Note that almost any Finder plugin is probably going to stop working with 10.6.
Automator can save things as a "Finder plugin." It's a more supported version of what you're discussing, but of course less flexible.
To add Finder/File browser icon overlays and context menus, in a cross-platform manner, from Java, take a look at the Liferay Nativity library.
I also make mention of this in another SO post, which also contains links to Apple's 'Finder Sync' docs and API.