Change Sound Output Script?

EricWEvers · August 4, 2018, 4:08pm

Hey guys, does anyone have a script that can switch sound outputs on macOS? I want to be able to switch over to my Airport Express-connected speakers with either a keystroke or a BetterTouchTool gesture, and I assume that I’d need a script to make that happen. (Yes, I know I can just drop down from the sound icon in the menu bar. But I like the keyboard!) Many thanks!

-Eric
MBP 13" with Touchbar (2016)

daboyter · August 4, 2018, 5:35pm

Looks like the only way to change audio sources without clicking in the menu bar or opening system preferences is by using CoreAudio, which as far as I know you can’t do with the basic tools, at least not easily. With that said, it looks like some other folks have wanted to do what you’re thinking about and have written applications to solve the problem. Here are a couple options:

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20050614171126634

EricWEvers · August 4, 2018, 5:50pm

Thank you! I will try to work with those scripts. I appreciate the help!

-Eric

Doc5506 · August 4, 2018, 11:37pm

You could do it with a Keyboard Maestro macro.

EricWEvers · August 5, 2018, 12:38am

Trigger the script via macro or do the actual sound output change via macro? I hadn’t seen a way to do the latter in KM. Thanks!

–Eric

khit · August 5, 2018, 1:32am

This AppleScript still works for me!

http://www.macdrifter.com/2012/09/keyboard-maestro-macro-to-toggle-sound-devices.html

Doc5506 · August 5, 2018, 5:51pm

Yes. Using the a KM macro without a script. The Action that I have found extremely helpful is the “Click on found image” which I first heard about on a Dr. Drang blog post:
Here is what this type of macro might look like:

Set a trigger (i.e. a typed string or other of your choosing)
Action 1: Open a System Preference Pane. (select Sound from the drop down)
This will open the preference pane which remembers whether Input or Output or Sound Effects was selected so you will have to take screenshots of the various states the image may present itself
Action 2: Click on found image
–>
—>toggle the gear icon and deselect “Failure aborts macro”
–>
Repeat Step 3 with screenshots of different presentations of the sound selection options so that you get a match:
–>
In all cases select mouse to click on center of found image so “Output” is selected
Repeat “click on found image” Action with screenshot of desired output. for example:
–>
final step is just to close the preference pane window
The only other thing I have found helpful is to place approx 1 second pauses between each step so KM steps have a chance to execute before next step.

Hope that helps!

sylumer · August 5, 2018, 10:16pm

I don’t do it any more as I use Spotify Connect and an Amazon Echo Dot to control the music in my office now, but I used to have a need to switch audio output programmatically on my Mac. I found trying to do it with key presses not exactly reliable and certainly, not palatable to a purer solution.

That’s when I got myself a copy of Porthole by Danger Cove, a little app that allowed me to control some audio switching via AppleScript triggered from Keyboard Maestro. BUT, Porthole is alas no more.

My KM & AS for anyone particularly interested

I had a quick look around and AirFoil by Rogue Amoeba is AppleScriptable. Looking at the details shown, it would seem that a similar option to AppleScript a solution using AirFoil may therefore be viable.

Hope that helps.

EricWEvers · August 6, 2018, 1:46am

This is all great stuff! Thanks! Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait to play around with it… Because, fortunately, I can leave my work computer behind as I get ready for a 2-week vacation!

Thanks for all the tips, everyone. I had seen some of it before on Google searches, but you all have confirmed some things I had suspected. I appreciate it!

–Eric

dfay · August 6, 2018, 2:14pm

Audio Switch for Alfred: