System Events Module Overview

The Terminal module enables control over Terminal.app from within Python, including the ability to run Terminal script and receive the execution return value.

System Events Examples

Example 1 - Sorting the Desktop

import PyXA
app = PyXA.Application("System Events")

# Set the desktop picture
app.current_desktop.picture = "/Users/exampleUser/Desktop/Images/Background.png"

# Toggle darkmode
app.appearance_preferences.dark_mode = not app.appearance_preferences.dark_mode

# # Add a login item -- This opens the Documents folder upon login
new_item = app.make("login item", {"path": "/Users/exampleUser/Documents"})
app.login_items().push(new_item)

# Start the current screensaver
app.current_screen_saver.start()

This example uses PyXA to sort files on the desktop into appropriate category folders.

import PyXA
app = PyXA.Application("System Events")

desktop_files = app.desktop_folder.files()
desktop_folders = app.desktop_folder.folders()

# Create sorting bin folders
images_folder = app.make("folder", {"name": "Images"})
videos_folder = app.make("folder", {"name": "Videos"})
audio_folder = app.make("folder", {"name": "Audio"})
documents_folder = app.make("folder", {"name": "Documents"})
desktop_folders.push(images_folder, videos_folder, audio_folder, documents_folder)

# Sort images
image_predicate = "name ENDSWITH '.png' OR name ENDSWITH '.jpg' OR name ENDSWITH '.jpeg' OR name ENDSWITH '.aiff'"
image_files = desktop_files.filter(image_predicate)
image_files.move_to(images_folder)

# Sort videos
video_predicate = "name ENDSWITH '.mov' OR name ENDSWITH '.mp4' OR name ENDSWITH '.avi' OR name ENDSWITH '.m4v'"
video_files = desktop_files.filter(video_predicate)
video_files.move_to(videos_folder)

# Sort audio
audio_predicate = "name ENDSWITH '.mp3' OR name ENDSWITH '.ogg'"
audio_files = desktop_files.filter(audio_predicate)
audio_files.move_to(audio_folder)

# Sort remaining (documents)
desktop_files.move_to(documents_folder)

System Events Resources

• System Events - AppleScript: The Definitive Guide

For all classes, methods, and inherited members of the System Events module, see the System Events Module Reference.