Creating a "hot mic" icon with BetterTouchTool

README.md

This describes how to create a hot mic icon in the Touch Bar, like this: https://twitter.com/youfoundryan/status/1238507646677700608

1. Install BetterTouchTool (https://folivora.ai/)
2. Create a new Touch Bar widget of type "Apple Script/Javascript Widget". You don't need a trigger.
3. Paste the contents of mic_state.scpt into the script box.
4. Set the "Alternate Color Regex" to "off".
5. Switch to the "common" widget settings pane. Set the button background color to red. Set the "Select Button Icon" to the mic and the "Alternate Button Icon" to the mic with a line through it.
6. Check "show only icon, no text"

I also assigned a FN key on my external keyboard to toggle the mic:

1. In the Keyboard Shortcuts pane of BTT, add a new keyboard shortcut.
2. Assign whatever keystroke you want.
3. I enabled the HUD overlay to say "Toggling Mic" when I trigger it.
4. Assign an action to the trigger of type "Run Apple Script (async in background)"
5. Paste the contents of mic_toggle.scpt into the script box

mic_state.scpt

if input volume of (get volume settings) is 0 then
  return "off"
else
  return "on"
end if

mic_toggle.scpt

property storedInputLevel : missing value
 
if input volume of (get volume settings) is 0 then
	-- we're muted, so it's time to unmute
	
	-- get the saved input level, and restore it
	set volume input volume storedInputLevel
	
else
	-- we're unmuted, so it's time to mute
	
	tell application "System Events"
		-- save the current input volume setting --
		set storedInputLevel to input volume of (get volume settings)
	end tell
	
	-- mute the input
	set volume input volume 0
end if