This is a text-only version of the following page on https://raymii.org:
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Title : OS X - Enable access for assistive devices via the command line
Author : Remy van Elst
Date : 03-09-2013
URL : https://raymii.org/s/snippets/OS-X-Enable-Access-for-assistive-devices-via-command-line.html
Format : Markdown/HTML
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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//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','',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='';"
### 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
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