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OS X - Enable access for assistive devices via the command line
Published: 03-09-2013 | Author: Remy van Elst | Text only version of this article
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Table of Contents
This command enables access for assistive decives on Apple OS X machines via the command line, or via Apple Remote Desktop. This is needed for software like SpectacleApp or Sizeup.
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Mavericks
In Mavericks Apple changed the permissions so that every app has to be given permission individually. Therefore we need to do a bit more work. We first need to get the applications Bundle Identifier:
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Print CFBundleIdentifier' /Applications/<Appname.app>/Contents/Info.plist
com.apple.Safari
For SpectacleApp:
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Print CFBundleIdentifier' /Applications/Spectacle.app/Contents/Info.plist
com.divisiblebyzero.Spectacle
Then we use the Bundle ID in the following command to modify the permission database:
sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "INSERT INTO access VALUES('kTCCServiceAccessibility','<Bundle-ID>',0,1,1,NULL);"
For SpectacleApp:
sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "INSERT INTO access VALUES('kTCCServiceAccessibility','com.divisiblebyzero.Spectacle',0,1,1,NULL);"
To remove an application from the list we use the following command, with the correct bundle ID:
sudo sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "delete from access where client='<Bundle ID>';"
Mountain Lion and Lion
On OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) or Lion (10.7) simply run this command as root:
touch /private/var/db/.AccessibilityAPIEnabled