The following functions are provided by this plugin (click on one to jump to its documentation):

• GetFrontProcess
• GetMyProcess
• CountProcesses
• GetNthProcess
• ActivateNthProcess
• ActivateNamedProcess
• FindApplication

GetFrontProcess( ) as FolderItem

Returns a FolderItem for the frontmost process, the application which is currently active on the user's desktop.

Example:
Dim f as FolderItem
f = GetFrontProcess( )
MsgBox f.AbsolutePath

This function is most useful when your application is not in the foreground, but needs to monitor the frontmost application for any reason.

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GetMyProcess( ) as FolderItem

Returns a FolderItem for your application.

Example:
Dim f as FolderItem
f = GetMyProcess( )
MsgBox "My name is " + f.name

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CountProcesses( ) as Integer

Returns a count of all of the processes running at the moment it is called. Includes both visible and invisible (faceless) processes.

Example:
Dim ct as Integer
ct = CountProcesses( )
MsgBox "There are " + Str( ct ) + " processes running at this time."

This function is frequently combined with the next one, for gathering an array of folder items, one for every process.

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GetNthProcess( n as Integer ) as FolderItem

Returns a FolderItem for the Nth process, where n is an Integer between 1 and the total number of processes running at the time it's called.

Example:
Dim f as FolderItem
Dim n, ct as Integer
ct = CountProcesses( )
n = Rnd * ct
f = GetNthProcess( n )
MsgBox "Process " + Str( n ) + " was launched from " + f.AbsolutePath

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ActivateNthProcess( n as Integer ) as Boolean

Brings the nth process to the front. Usually used in conjunction with GetNthProcess.

Example:
Sub ActivateProcessByCreator( CreatorType as String )
  Dim f as FolderItem
  Dim n, ct as Integer

  ct = CountProcesses( )
  for n = 1 to ct
    f = GetNthProcess( n )
    if ( f.MacCreator = CreatorType ) then
      if ( not ActivateNthProcess( n ) ) then
        Beep
        MsgBox "The application could not be activated."
      else
        return
      end if
    end if
  next
end sub


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ActivateNamedProcess( ProcessName as String ) as Boolean

Brings the process, whose name you specify, to the front. The name must be as it appears in the Application Menu (top right corner of the screen). The name is case sensitive.

Example:
if ( not ActivateNamedProcess( "Finder" ) ) then
   MsgBox "Surprisingly, the Finder could not be activated. Seth thought this always worked!"
end if


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FindApplication( AppID as String ) as FolderItem

Finds the application with the Creator (app signature) that you specify. Follows the same basic procedure that the Finder uses when searching for an application to open a file with.

Example:
Dim f as FolderItem
f = FindApplication( "MOSS" )
if ( f <> Nil ) then
  f.launch
end if

This example launches Netscape, just as if you'd run the following line of AppleScript (which can not be reproduced with RB's AppleEvents.

tell application "Finder" to open application file id "MOSS"

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