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@iamkirkbater
Last active December 8, 2023 22:07
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Launches OBS, starts the virtual camera, and then minimizes the window.
on run {input, parameters} -- remove this line if running in Script Editor and not with Automator
tell application "OBS" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "OBS"
set frontmost to true
if name of every menu item of menu "Tools" of menu bar 1 contains "Start Virtual Camera" then
click menu item "Start Virtual Camera" of menu "Tools" of menu bar 1
end if
click (first button of window 1 whose role description is "minimize button")
end tell
end tell
end run -- remove this line if running in Script Editor and not with Automator
@RayNichol
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RayNichol commented Mar 29, 2021 via email

@OBSer1
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OBSer1 commented Mar 29, 2021

Hi Kirk, It was strange as it did work the first time I run it with 'keystroke' but then didn't. Have just started doing a re-install of system anyway as I was having some other glitches.

I had the same issue. It’s the one under accessibility.
note ChoPraTs comment:
Edit: It works! I just needed to delete the script/app from Preferences/Security/Privacy/Accessibility and add it there again. Done!

@RayNichol
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RayNichol commented Mar 30, 2021 via email

@lucky13820
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Great, thanks, the hotkey solution works.

@slln
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slln commented Sep 19, 2021

I got it to work in the script! Im new to AppleScript and this is my first time on github so sorry if my lingo isn't worded right.

you have to set a hotkey to start virtual camera in OBS to F12.
then add the following to your code:
key down 63 -- fn
key code 111 -- f12

Also, I have made mine to do the following:
Open OBS
Start Virtual Camera
Open Multiview Windowed
Minimize main window
Open Zoom

Heres my full script for Script Editor:

tell application "OBS" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "OBS"
set frontmost to true
key down 63 -- fn
key code 111 -- f12
if name of every menu item of menu "View" of menu bar 1 contains "Multiview (Windowed)" then
click menu item "Multiview (Windowed)" of menu "View" of menu bar 1
end if
click (first button of window 2 whose role description is "minimize button")
end tell
tell application "zoom.us" to activate
end tell

Thank you!
For those that want the very basic open, start vitural cam, then minimize and have, like me, little knowledge I managed to adapt the script above to the bare minimum need:

(remember 1st to activate F12 in settings>shortcuts of OBS)

tell application "OBS" to activate
tell application "System Events"
tell process "OBS"
set frontmost to true
key down 63 -- fn
key code 111 -- f12
click (first button of window 1 whose role description is "minimize button")
end tell
end tell

@RayNichol
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RayNichol commented Sep 23, 2021 via email

@charlespwd
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charlespwd commented Mar 30, 2022

Here's a properly formatted option that is sligthly more minimalistic. Like mentioned above, for this to work in the latest version of OBS, you can make it work by setting a keyboard shortcut for "Start Virtual Camera".

Mine is F5.

I use Google meet, so at the end I switch focus to "Google Chrome" instead of "zoom.us". Same same.

Start virtual cam:

tell application "OBS" to activate
tell application "System Events"
	tell process "OBS"
		set frontmost to true
		key down 63 -- fn
		key code 96 -- f5
		set visible to false
	end tell
end tell
tell application "Google Chrome" to activate

Stop virtual cam & quit:

tell application "System Events"
	tell process "OBS"
		set visible to true
		set frontmost to true
		key down 63 -- fn
		key code 96 -- f5
	end tell
end tell
tell application "OBS" to quit
tell application "Google Chrome" to activate

@bramses
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bramses commented Aug 27, 2022

^ Using this method locked the Option key on my Mac -- required the virtual keyboard to get unstuck

Screenshot 2022-08-27 17-15-43

Try this method instead: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3690167/how-can-one-invoke-a-keyboard-shortcut-from-within-an-applescript

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