SpaceSwitcher

A macOS API that allows the unique identification and programmatical switching of spaces.

'no cheating' layer

an API for limited spaces functionality, without dependency on private API's:

• detect spaces as the user changes the current space;
• programmatically change the current space.

'full cheats' layer (coming soon)

an API that wraps the CoreGraphics private API, so you can e.g.

• send windows to a specific space;
• detect the full set of spaces without having to 'discover' them by making them current;
• create new spaces;
• if someone can really really convince me this is not insane, even delete spaces.

Note the usage of private APIs will render apps that utilise the 'full cheats' layer ineligible for submission to the Mac App Store.

Demo

• Build and run the SpaceSwitcherDemo app to test out Spaces functionality.
• Walk through the app code to understand how to use the framework.

Notes

The API designers of macOS have steadfastly denied application developers of an officially designed and documented API for Spaces / Mission Control.

Given no help from the system's public frameworks, SpaceSwitcher makes use of how the system switches to the Space of a window which has been brought to focus. Every time the user makes a new Space current, SpaceSwitcher will create a transparent window in that space. This window is then used as a 'handle' to the space it belongs to.

A bunch of 'tying up loose ends' goes around this core approach to make it behave seamlessly, making it sensible to reuse the effort.