TypeIt4Me 7
As previously teased, we’ve rebuilt our flagship app from scratch in Swift – fully sandboxed – with a speedy new engine, a revamped interface and a slew of new features. Our hair is a lot thinner and greyer than it was 3 years ago when we embarked on this folly, but after a lengthy period in beta TypeIt4Me 7.0 is now available for everyone. On Apple’s Mac App Store, no less.
I don’t understand what the state of play is here. TextExpander left the Mac App Store many years ago because it wasn’t possible to observe the user’s typing from a sandboxed app. I haven’t read about anything changing in this regard, yet somehow TypeIt4Me is now doing it, as are some newer apps like Rocket Typist.
As an alternative to autocue placeholders, it’s now possible to create more sophisticated fill-in-the-blanks template snippets in which you can pick options from pulldown menus.
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Predefined snippet sets bundled with the app (including common accented words, emoji, HTML & CSS, symbols, properly capitalised brand names etc).
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Further to the above, the following features that were previously only available in the old direct sale TypeIt4Me (i.e. version 6) – are making their debut on the Mac App Store.
The Mac App Store version had been stuck in limbo, unable to add new features because it wasn’t sandboxed.
As alluded to earlier, some of you may run into a few wrinkles due to sandboxing (a requirement for admission into the Mac App Store.) For example, typing statistics will not automatically be carried over; you’ll need to locate your stats file and move it to TypeIt4Me 7’s new sandbox container.
Why is this so common with App Store apps? I thought one of the points of temporary entitlements and automatic container migration was for apps to be able to transparently access their old files. Is Apple blocking this at the policy level? Are developers simply not bothering to implement migration?
AppleScript execution is no longer supported and iCloud sync is the only game in town now (i.e. no more Dropbox, Google Drive or linked remote folders.)
Previously:
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If iCloud sync is their only choice I’m out. iCloud lost about half of the data I out there recently. I had a backup but that was it for Apple Services for me. I don’t use Apple Music for the same reason. That hammered my music library. Twice. I wouldn’t touch iCloud or Music with a barge pole. If it’s the only choice then I’ll find another application.
I bought it just for old times' sake, although I'm disappointed by the icon. I want the classic icon back!
I'm using Rocket now, and it is working seamlessly for me.
There's this old Apple documentation about migrating to the App Sandbox: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/migrating-your-app-s-files-to-its-app-sandbox-container
Hello Michael,
We do appreciate the situation is confusing and a source of frustration for many (including ourselves). There is now an updated version of the explainer you linked to:
Sandboxing remains a hurdle for various reasons, but it's no longer insurmountable. Apple introduced changes in macOS Mojave that we discovered made it possible for TypeIt4Me to work even when sandboxed. The catch is, it still needs to be granted Accessibility Access in order to expand typed abbreviations. That, rather than sandbox limitations, might be why some of our competitors are not bothering with the Mac App Store.
As far as we're aware, Apple has not issued clear, unambiguous guidance on when and how sandboxed Mac App Store apps like ours are allowed to request Accessibility Access permission. We thought we had a handle on it. However, lately it seems like Apple engineers who review apps submitted to the Mac App Store each have their own interpretations of what is and isn't permitted. Some have waved our submissions through quickly, while others have initially rejected them point blank on seeing the access request, without spelling out what they would have us do differently.
Given Apple's fuzzy policy and our own experience of the inconsistent app review process, it's not hard to imagine that other developers might have pulled out of the Mac App Store mainly to avoid uncertainty.
With regard to automatic container migration: it's possible we missed new documentation, but as I understand it this is only an option when moving from a non-sandboxed Mac App Store app to a sandboxed update with the same bundle ID. We could not find a way for users of our direct sale TypeIt4Me (e.g. 6.x.x) to seamlessly carry their data over to version 7 without using iCloud or manually moving their files to the new sandbox container. Moreover, we were hesitant to attempt anything as bold as moving files automatically or requesting access to the user library, for fear of rejection during the review process.
Apologies for the long comment...I would've written a shorter one if I had the time :)
@Udo no, that feature took less than a day to implement. It was the other eleventy-nine features that took 3 years.
@Guy Thanks for explaining. Yeah, my recollection was that the APIs used to not work at all when sandboxed and that asking for accessibility access (for other purposes, like window management) was forbidden in the Mac App Store. I wish Apple would officially allow it and then just check that the apps asking for it have a legitimate need.
Yes, I think you’re right that automatic container migration requires the same bundle ID, but I’ve seen some apps request temporary exceptions for their own old bundle ID paths, and I think that doesn’t require requesting access?
@Michael No worries!
Indeed, it would be nice if things were more clear cut. TypeIt4Me is a legitimate accessibility aid, particularly helpful for users with physical conditions that make typing difficult. That's how it first came about back in '89: Riccardo built it to help a friend with limited hand mobility. It’s puzzling that Apple makes it possible for apps like ours to use accessibility features to control the computer, yet is equivocal about when and where this is permitted.
Thanks for the pointer re: temporary exceptions. We'll be sure to take another look at that!
