py-HighSierraMediaKeyEnabler 0.0.2

Python version of HighSierraMediaKeyEnabler

Media Keys on macOS High Sierra+

This project is a version of HighSierraMediaKeyEnabler written in Python for simplicity using PyObjC.

In short, it makes it so that Safari cannot steal the media keys: the media keys always control iTunes (Music on Catalina). (I usually have TweetDeck open in a Safari window, and if TweetDeck has tried to send a notification, Safari would grab the media keys to just replay the tweet sound; the only way to get them back to iTunes was to click the mouse—ugh!)

Using

After installing, you will have a command mediakeyenabler. Run it. End it with Ctrl-C or sending the equivalent signal to the PID.

Known Limitations

• I don’t use spotify, so this only supports iTunes.

• I don’t ever want it to start iTunes, so it only does anything if iTunes is already running.

• I’ve never wanted to fast forward or rewind, only restart the track or go to the next one (in fact I didn’t know FF and rewind were possible) so this program doesn’t do that.

• No GUI (at least not yet), it’s just a command line program.

Known Limitations in the Original

There are some known limitations in the original that this project inherites due to the basic design using a CGEventTap. Notably, certain operations cannot be done when the program is running:

• Changing the Safari search engine (issue 43)

• Enabling kernel extensions (issue 42)

If those are fixed in the original, they might get fixed here.

Changes

0.0.2 (2020-04-09)

• Updates to work an macOS Catalina.

• Add support for Python 3.8.

0.0.1 (2018-07-22)

• Initial release.