What is this?

This is a sample implementation of IMKit App with Swift/SwiftUI.

Working Environment

  • macOS 11.5
  • Swift 5.5
  • Xcode13 (beta)

Procedure to make project

  • Create new project. Bundle Identifier must contain .inputmethod. part in the String.

  • Run.

  • Remove IMKitSampleApp.swift, ContentView.swift

  • Add Swift files AppDelegate.swift and IMKitSampleInputController.swift.

    // AppDelegate.swift
import Cocoa
import InputMethodKit

// necessary to launch this app
class NSManualApplication: NSApplication {
    private let appDelegate = AppDelegate()

    override init() {
        super.init()
        self.delegate = appDelegate
    }

    required init?(coder: NSCoder) {
        fatalError("init(coder:) has not been implemented")
    }
}

@main
class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
    var server = IMKServer()
    var candidatesWindow = IMKCandidates()

    func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ notification: Notification) {
        // Insert code here to initialize your application
        server = IMKServer(name: Bundle.main.infoDictionary?["InputMethodConnectionName"] as? String, bundleIdentifier: Bundle.main.bundleIdentifier)
        candidatesWindow = IMKCandidates(server: server, panelType: kIMKSingleRowSteppingCandidatePanel, styleType: kIMKMain)
        NSLog("tried connection")
    }

    func applicationWillTerminate(_ notification: Notification) {
        // Insert code here to tear down your application
    }
}

    // IMKitSampleInputController.swift
import Cocoa
import InputMethodKit

@objc(IMKitSampleInputController)
class IMKitSampleInputController: IMKInputController {
    override func inputText(_ string: String!, client sender: Any!) -> Bool {
        NSLog(string)
        // get client to insert
        guard let client = sender as? IMKTextInput else {
            return false
        }
        client.insertText(string+string, replacementRange: NSRange(location: NSNotFound, length: NSNotFound))
        return true
    }
}

  • Add icon file main.tiff.

  • Modify Info.plist

    key: NSPrincipalClass  type: _  value: $(PRODUCT_MODULE_NAME).NSManualApplication
key: InputMethodConnectionName  type: String  value: $(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER)_Connection
key: InputMethodServerControllerClass  type: String  value: $(PRODUCT_MODULE_NAME).IMKitSampleInputController
key: Application is background only  type: Boolean  value: YES
key: tsInputMethodCharacterRepertoireKey  type: Array  value: [item0: String = Latn]
key: tsInputMethodIconFileKey  type: String  value: main.tiff

  • Add entitlements

    • Go Signing & Capabilities → +Capability → App Sandbox

    • Go IMKitSample.entitlements, add

      key: com.apple.security.temporary-exception.mach-register.global-name
type: String
value: $(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER)_Connection

  • Do sudo chmod -R 777 /Library/Input\ Methods on terminal.

  • Modify build settings.

    • Go Build Locations → Build Products Path of debug → value “/Library/Input Methods`
    • Go + → Add User-Defined Setting → Set key CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR, value /Library/Input Methods.
    • !!! DO NOT edit thinklessly, this setting is really fragile.

  • Try Run.

Trouble Shooting

I’m not expert of macOS. Please don’t ask too much, I don’t know either. It’s just my experience.

  • InputMethods says connection **Failed** all though there are no diff!

    • Open ‘Activity Monitor’ app, search the name of your InputMethods, and kill the process. Then try again.

  • print() doesn’t work!

    • Use NSLog().

  • App doesn’t run!

    • Check the path of build product file. If it isn’t at /Library/Input Methods/..., some thing went wrong.
    • Maybe build setting went wrong. Check the settings. Especially, if CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR=""; found, remove the line.

  • Where’s my InputMethod!?!?

    • Check English section. You would found it.

Reference

Thanks to authors!!

GitHub

https://github.com/ensan-hcl/macOS_IMKitSample_2021