Opening a FaceTime connection via AppleScript/Automator
The new FaceTime video chat beta is now available from Apple. It allows you to video chat with anyone using that app on any Mac running the service as well as an iPhone 4 or the latest iPod running iOS 4 or better. It’s extremely easy and I can see a lot of great uses for it.
One of the very cool things about it is that you can use a URL to initiate a FaceTime call. As described in this Mac OS X Hints article just use the following syntax:
- facetime://appleid
- facetime://email@address
- facetime://phone# as a URL in Safari’s address bar.
Since you can use a URL that means you can use AppleScript to connect to a session or Automator to even schedule and initiate a call using iCal Alarms.
The only line you need is this:
[codesyntax lang=”applescript] open location “facetime://joe@emailaddress.com”[/codesyntax]
Obviously you can use any of the URL syntaxes listed above in place of the email address. Save it as a script/application/workflow and you’re ready to chat!
webmaster :: Oct.22.2010 :: Applescript, Scripts :: 4 Comments »
4 Responses to “Opening a FaceTime connection via AppleScript/Automator”
It waits for you to hit the “FACETIME” button in facetime, how can I get the script to make the call automatically?
Thanks
Jonathan
It worked automatically in the beta version but the released version seems to have this ability removed. I can’t find anywhere how to re-enable it. You can enable auto-accept for incoming calls.
[…] Mac Stuff […]
The following allows you to script the keystrokes necessary to make the call. This has the effect of placing the call automatically:
open location "facetime://joe@emailaddress.com"delay 3
tell application "System Events" to key code 48
delay 1
tell application "System Events" to key code 48
delay 1
tell application "System Events" to key code 49
There’s also a FaceTime audio URL: facetime-audio://