Tag: macOS,

A Shareable macOS Remote Control Shortcut

A shareable macOS remote control shortcut! It is still pretty rough.

Requires 2 shortcuts. One parses the JSON at JSON Page shortcuts-simple-remote-commands to generate commands. The other provides selection menus and then runs the selected command on the selected host.

Future:

  • use a github repo to host json.
  • Display name for selection rather than command.
  • Restore option to run a shortcut for more complex commands
  • Examination of JSON Fetching Shortcut

Install both shortcuts:

  1. Fetch JSON File (can be replaced with a shortcut that returns a List of Dictionaries (see JSON).
    Fetch https://dougbeal.com/shortcuts-simple-remote-commands/ v1

  2. Select host and command, then run command on host via SSH.
    macOS Remote Automation v1

Then

  1. Open macOS Remote Automation v1 and modify LIST to have your hostnames and the DICTIONARY to have your username.
  2. Find SHORTCUTS Run and select Fetch https://dougbeal.com/shortcuts-simple-remote-commands/ v1

See Remote control your Mac with your iPhone and SSH Key Shortcuts to set up your Mac for remote access.

#NovBaD #NaBloPoMo #challenge4of30 #challenge #automation #shortcuts #iOS #macOS #SSH

What Can I Do With my Mac Over SSH?

Things to do after Remote control your Mac with your iPhone and SSH Key Shortcuts is set up.

  • open a livestream in VLC via command line
    open -a VLC.app "http://stream.relay.fm:8000/stream"
    open -a "Quicktime Player" may also work (only if stream is currently live)
    useful livestream URLs

  • mute macOS volume via command line
    osascript -e 'set volume output muted true'
    osascript -e 'set volume output muted false'
  • start an iTunes playlist with shuffle on
    osascript -e 'tell application "iTunes" to shuffle enabled' -e 'tell application "iTunes" to play playlist named "best"'
    osascript -e 'tell application "iTunes" to stop'

    Future ideas

  • start/stop Quicktime screen recordings on macOS via iOS shortcuts. Running into saving problems. Also complex enough that AppleScript files will be downloaded to Mac.
  • clipboard via SSH. Sometimes Handoff clipboard fails me, would be nice to have a backup. Should be able to go either way
  • If there is interest, I might try to package these up more as a sharable shortcut

#NovBaD #NaBloPoMo #challenge3of30 #challenge #automation #shortcuts #iOS #macOS #SSH #AppleScript #Podcasts

Remote control your Mac with your iPhone and SSH Key Shortcuts

macOS Preperation – Enable Remote Login on target Mac

  1. Open System PreferencesMacOS System Preferences Icon
  2. Find Sharing (or search for “remote”)
    MacOS System Preferences with remote searched for
  3. Turn on Remote Login. Enable “All Users” or add just one.
    Remote Login Selected on MacOS Sharing System Preferences
  4. Note the machine name (dougbeal-mb1.local), you will need it for the shortcut. You can also edit the name here.
    Circled Network Name

Create ssh shortcut on iOS

  1. Launch Shortcuts application. Search for shortcuts Application
  2. Create a new shortcut. Create Shortcut
  3. Add Action to shortcut. Add Action
  4. Search for ssh and select Run Script Over SSH. Search for ssh and find Run Script Over SSH
  5. Tap Show More. Run Script Over SSH select Show More
  6. In the Authentication section, select SSH Key. Shortcuts will automatically generate a key for you. Run Script Over SSH select Authentication, SSH Key
  7. Tap Script and swipe above keyboard and tap Shortcut Input. Change Run Script Over SSH script entry to Shortcut Input
  8. Tap on SSH Key and tap on Share Public Key. Get the public key to your mac (AirDrop, Handoff Clipboard, Apple Notes will all work). SSH Key Dialog with Share Public Key Highlighted

    9. Install public key on Mac

    Assumes public key is on the clipboard.

    1. make sure .ssh directory exists

      2. mkdir -p ~/.ssh

    2. append public key to authorized_keys file

      3. pbpaste >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

    Create a shortcut to put Mac Display to sleep

    1. Create a new shortcut
    2. add action TEXT with:
      pmset displaysleepnow

    3. add action Run Shortcut, choose shortcut from previous section

    Now when you run the shortcut, your display will go to sleep.

    #NovBaD #NaBloPoMo #challenge2of30 #challenge #automation #shortcuts #iOS #macOS #SSH

I AirPlay’d my display to a second computer/monitor during IWC Online 2019, and it was great. Even better during a video chat is controlling the second computer with my primary mouse and keyboard. My go to used to be Synergy, but they went paid without convincing me they were doing anything interesting. Since its GPL, its been forked, and was easy to install https://github.com/debauchee/barrier.👍