Using python and pyobjc to enumerate and inspect input sources (keyboard layouts, input modes) on macOS

input_sources.py

# Useful for com.apple.HIToolbox.plist for configuration of input types, amongst other things

from Foundation import NSBundle
import objc

HIToolbox_bundle = NSBundle.bundleWithIdentifier_("com.apple.HIToolbox")

HIT_functions = [
                 ('TISCreateInputSourceList','@@B'),
                 ('TISGetInputSourceProperty', '@@@'),
                ]

HIT_constants = [
                 ('kTISPropertyInputSourceType', '@'),
                 ('kTISTypeKeyboardLayout', '@'),
                 ('kTISTypeKeyboardInputMode', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyLocalizedName', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyBundleID', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyInputModeID', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyInputSourceID', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyLocale', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyKeyLayoutNumber', '@'),
                 ('kTISPropertyScriptCode', '@'),
                ]

objc.loadBundleFunctions(HIToolbox_bundle, globals(), HIT_functions)
# Yes, I know it's amusing that loadBundleVariables is loading constants - ... oh, so it's just me then? k
objc.loadBundleVariables(HIToolbox_bundle, globals(), HIT_constants)

# Can't figure out the constant names for these ones, so we'll make 'em up
kTISPropertyKind = u'TSMInputSourcePropertyKind'

# get the list of keyboard layouts
keyboard_layouts = TISCreateInputSourceList({kTISPropertyInputSourceType: kTISTypeKeyboardLayout}, True)
# (
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9f2cc00> KB Layout: U.S. (id=0)",
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9f2c5f0> KB Layout: Czech - QWERTY (id=30778)",
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9f2b8c0> KB Layout: Czech (id=30776)",
# [...]

# get the list of input modes
input_modes = TISCreateInputSourceList({kTISPropertyInputSourceType: kTISTypeKeyboardInputMode}, True)
# (
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9d857a0> Input Mode: com.apple.inputmethod.Japanese (Parent = com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri)",
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9d85570> Input Mode: com.apple.inputmethod.Roman (Parent = com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri)",
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9d855e0> Input Mode: com.apple.inputmethod.Japanese.Katakana (Parent = com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri)",
#     "<TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9d85600> Input Mode: com.apple.inputmethod.SCIM.ITABC (Parent = com.apple.inputmethod.SCIM)",
# [...]

# Example inspection of arbitrary sources

k1 = keyboard_layouts[1]
# <TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9f2c5f0> KB Layout: Czech - QWERTY (id=30778)
k1_kind   = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyKind)
# u'TSMInputSourceKindKeyboardLayout'
k1_name   = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyLocalizedName)
# u'Czech - QWERTY'
k1_id     = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyKeyLayoutNumber)
# 30778
k1_script = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyScriptCode)
# 29
k1_sid    = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyInputSourceID)
# u'com.apple.keylayout.Czech-QWERTY'
k1_locale = TISGetInputSourceProperty(k1, kTISPropertyLocale)
# u'cs'

i1 = input_modes[1]
# <TSMInputSource 0x7ff8e9d85570> Input Mode: com.apple.inputmethod.Roman (Parent = com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri)
i1_kind   = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyKind)
# u'TSMInputSourceKindKeyboardInputMode'
i1_name   = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyLocalizedName)
# u'Romaji'
i1_bundle = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyBundleID)
# u'com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri'
i1_mode   = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyInputModeID)
# u'com.apple.inputmethod.Roman'
i1_sid    = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyInputSourceID)
# u'com.apple.inputmethod.Kotoeri.Roman'
i1_locale = TISGetInputSourceProperty(i1, kTISPropertyLocale)
# u'en'

# Need to come back and revisit the keyboard layout casting mentioned here ... http://stackoverflow.com/questions/35110663/getting-key-names-for-keyboard-codes-in-swift

Hi! It's very very Great! :-)

kTISPropertyScriptCode is not there anymore.