URL schemes can still be useful for specific tasks and quick actions, but, at least for me, they’re well past their prime. As much as dabbling with URL schemes got me (and others) started with automation on iOS, I don’t think that’s where the future of iOS automation is going, and I find myself launching apps via URL schemes less and less these days. In this story, I’m going to focus on two apps, each representative of its own category, that have helped me rethink my iOS automation setup and work faster on my iPad: Shortcuts and Scriptable. Over the past several years, three main types of automation gained traction on iOS: URL schemes, specifically with x-callback-url scripting native iOS features through IDEs such as Pythonista and Scriptable and Workflow, which was eventually relaunched by Apple as Shortcuts. Automation on iOS is different from automation on the Mac, but it can be just as powerful in its own context. If you’ve been reading MacStories long enough, my stance on this shouldn’t be surprising as it’s a topic I’ve covered time and time again. They’re vastly different from macOS, and they’ve always required a fresh mindset unencumbered by past preconceptions, but they exist and they’ve been helping users get more work done on iOS for years now. And that’s not to mention how iOS does not come with a shell, the built-in scripting languages of the underlying Darwin core of macOS, or its own scripting language to automate apps.īut that doesn’t mean iOS fails to offer any kind of useful automation tools, period. The fact of the matter is: if you’re used to a certain kind of automation – if by “automation” you strictly mean Apple Events-powered scripts and actions – then iOS has been, and likely will continue to be, a disappointment for you. There’s an argument to be made about why and how Apple should rethink Apple Events for Shortcuts, but I’m going to cover this later. As Brent Simmons recently described it, there is a special kind of beauty and freedom in the ability to fully script and control apps in the background, letting the computer do the work for you. The biggest factor to consider when comparing automation tools available on Apple’s two platforms is the lack of the Apple Events technology on iOS. Unlike others, I do not believe iOS automation is objectively inferior to its Mac counterpart in many ways, in fact, I prefer automating tasks and apps on my iPad. Learn more about the official Abode Widget here, which may be used in place or or alongside a Shortcut.Shortcuts and Scriptable: The State of iOS AutomationĪutomation on iOS has always been different from automation on the Mac: for years, it has served a different purpose, and it’s always been based on a different set of technologies and sandboxing considerations. The Shortcut can be moved by long pressing and dragging it to your desired location. Search and select "Shortcuts", then choose from the Abode shortcut your created earlier.Tap the gray "+" icon in the top left-hand corner.Scroll to the bottom and select "Edit".On your iPhone or iPad home screen, swipe left to go to the Today View. Make sure your device is running iOS14 or iPad OS15 or later.Follow these steps to create a Shortcut Widget: The other way to use a Shortcut is to set it up as a Widget on the home screen or Today View screen of your iPhone. For example: " Hey Siri, Turn On Office Lamp". The name you used when creating your Shortcut is what is used to activate it via Sirir. There are two ways to use Shortcuts: 1) activate them using Siri voice commands, or 2) add a shortcut to your home screen using Widgets. Once done, save your shortcut by clicking the "X" in the top right corner.Go crazy and add whatever other actions you’d like across your apps to your shortcut! Set whatever Abode related action you’d like to be accessible to you at a tap from your homescreen.
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