Mousecape doesn't apply on startup

[xtien]

I have to run mousecape after I start my mac. How do I make it run at startup automatically?

[sanssecours]

One option is to add the application com.alexzielenski.mousecloakhelper in the directory Mousecape.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems to “Login Items” in “System Preferences” → “Users & Groups”. For more information please take a look at issue #64.

[hipunk]

All those tips don't work for me. Helpertool installed, helpertool not installed, cloakhelper in login items, cloakhelper not in login items. Doesn't matter, it doesn't launch. Version 0.0.6 and 0.0.6b, Mac OS X 10.13.6.

Why wait for the fix when there's AppleScript - copy and paste everything below into Script Editor.app (formerly AppleScript Editor.app), save it as an Application and put that newly created AppleScript Application into your startup items. Read the comments in the script.

-- written by hipunk
-- Public Domain

-- launch Mousecape
tell application "Mousecape" to activate

tell application "System Events"

    -- I wish to set my cursor to the 11th cursor in my Mousecape list
    -- If the cursor you wish to use is the e.g. the second cursor
    -- in your Mousecape list, change the 11 to a 2. If there's only
    -- one cape (at the top) in your Mousecape list, change it to a 0.
    -- key code 125 is the arrow down key
    repeat 11 times
        key code 125
    end repeat

    -- key code 36 is the enter key, as command + enter sets the cape
    key code 36 using command down

end tell

-- Job done
tell application "Mousecape" to quit

I love Mousecape, it's the best thing since sliced cheese!

[fnankivell]

Same problem here. Version 0.5 would work just fine at launch using the trick sanssecours mentionned in the 2nd post. Tried the smart AppleScript by hipunkk but no luck either.

I'm on Mojave 10.14.3, will revert to 0.5 until Alex can figure out a fix, even if I get the pale cursor problem that's not really a bother for me.

Thanks Alex for keeping Mousecape alive!

[hipunk]

@fnankivell: Tried the smart AppleScript by hipunkk but no luck either.

Works for me.

However I fixed it:

Apply Mousecape 0.06x capes at login workaround

• Open Automator.app (/Applications/Automator.app)
• Press Command-N if you're not being asked about a new document already
• For the type of your document select "Application"
• From the left, drag and drop the "Run AppleScript" list item to the right side of the window
• Click "Options" and set checkbox "Ignore this action's input" to enabled
• Replace everything in the AppleScript editor field within Automator on the right with the following:

-- Copyright (C) 2019 hipunk

on run {}

    global cursorSelection

    -- **********
    -- * README *
    -- **********
    -- * cursorSelection represents the n-th cursor in your Mousecape list
    -- * So if you wish to set your cursor to the first cape in your Mousecape list
    -- * aka. the one at the top, leave it a 1. If you wish to set your cursor to the
    -- * fifth one in your Mousecape list (counting from the top), change the 1 to a 5
    set cursorSelection to 1

    -- launch Mousecape at login
    delay 35
    tell application "Mousecape" to activate

    tell application "System Events"

        repeat (cursorSelection - 1) times

            -- key code 125 represents down arrow key
            delay 1
            key code 125

        end repeat

        -- key code 36 is the enter key, as command + enter sets the cape
        delay 1
        key code 36 using command down

    end tell

    -- Job done
    tell application "Mousecape" to quit

    return

end run

• Save the document as an Application

• Test it out by double clicking it! (Bear in mind we wait a random 35 seconds before applying the cursor cape, as booting up can take a minute or two on different machines)

  • If (varies by Mac OS X version) Mac OS X/macOS nags you because of Assistive Access or an error message pops up with something along the lines of "Automator" and "XPC", follow on-screen instructions (if they appear, varies by Mac OS X version) or manually add the newly created .app into your System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility and, if available, System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Automation lists. Then navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices and drag and drop Automator Runner.app and System Events.app into the(se) list(s) as well. Navigate to /Applications and drag and drop "Automator.app" in the(se) list(s) as well. Navigate to /Applications/Utilities and drag and drop "Script Editor.app" into the(se) list(s) as well. This is needed as some (?, all of mine) of the latest Mac OS X/macOS configurations tend to run into hiccups in some areas here - somewhat annoying if you don't know about it already, as the error message popups aren't truly humanly readable; therefore you should do it prophylactically. If you're using 10.8 don't do all of the steps above and visit Universal Access preference pane in System Preferences.app and enable "Enable access for assistive devices" instead

• Put the newly created .app into your login items in System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items

• Bonus: You can comment out/remove the "delay 1" parts if your machine is quick enough

Now it should work for everybody!

[NordJan]

@hipunk 👍 Thanks, I followed your 'recipe', put everything in place, restarted, ran into an error message, fixed my own typo, restarted again and Mousecape is alive (after 35 secs). Cheers.