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