What is this?

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

For more practical example, see Typut. This is created in 2024.

Working Environment

Checked in July 2022.

macOS 12.4
Swift 5.6
Xcode 13.4.1

Checked in 2021.

macOS 11.5
Swift 5.5
Xcode 13 (beta)

Usage

To try this sample project, follow these steps:

Open this project in Xcode.
Run the project.
In the terminal, type sudo chmod -R 777 /Library/Input\ Methods.
Add 'IMKitSample' under Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources > English.
Choose IMKitSample as the input source and try it on a text field.

Procedure to make project

I used the following steps to prepare this sample project:

Create a new project with a bundle identifier that contains .inputmethod. in the string.
Run the project.
Remove IMKitSampleApp.swift and 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 an expert of macOS. Please don't ask too much, I don't know either.

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/..., something 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.
- If still not, you will have to restart your computer.

Reference

Thanks to authors!!

ensan-hcl / macOS_IMKitSample_2021