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Merged
nixfred merged 1 commit into from
Oct 8, 2026
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fix(imsg-react): tapbacks on a macOS 27 gateway #138

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8 changes: 8 additions & 0 deletions README.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -547,6 +547,14 @@ answers. Needs a
`blip-setup` re-run: it installs `imsg-react` and the new `blip-dispatch` on
the Mac and the `imsg-react` shim on Linux.

On a macOS 27 gateway the bubbles no longer carry the tapbacks, so
`imsg-react` opens Messages' own Edit ▸ Tapback Last Message… picker instead,
checks that it opened on your message, and presses the tapback there. That
picker only ever opens on a conversation's newest message, so on 27 only the
newest message can take a tapback; an older one is refused with that reason.
A run takes 15–20 seconds. Each run's outcome (code and exit status, never
text) is appended to `~/.blip/react.log` on the Mac.

**Two or more monitors:** one bar widget per screen is normal; only the one
on the first screen polls and owns the app window, the others show the
badge and forward clicks to it.
Expand Down
197 changes: 194 additions & 3 deletions bridge/mac/imsg-react
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Expand Up @@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ and performing one does what the tapback menu does — measured on macOS 26.6,
SIP on, under the Accessibility grant imsg-read already holds. Going through
Messages means the tapback syncs like one sent from the phone.

macOS 27 took those actions off the bubbles (measured 27.0.1: a bubble offers
"Tapback Details…", "Reply…", "Copy" and the like, none of the six). What it
kept is Edit ▸ "Tapback Last Message…", which opens the Tapback Picker on the
conversation's newest message, with the six as buttons of the same names.
Neither a click nor an AX press selects an older bubble, so on 27 only the
newest message can take a tapback; anything older is refused (exit 65). The
picker names the message it opened on, and nothing is pressed unless that is
the target's text. chat.db still decides success.

How one run goes:
1. chat.db names the target: the message's text, its side, its minute, and
how many identical bubbles (same text, side and minute) sit below it;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -77,6 +86,7 @@ import importlib.machinery
import importlib.util
import json
import os
import platform
import re
import sqlite3
import subprocess
Expand All @@ -96,6 +106,7 @@ TAPBACKS = {
"question": ("Question mark", 5),
}
ACTIONS = [a for a, _ in TAPBACKS.values()]
PICKER_SIGN = "Tapback Details…" # a macOS 27 bubble: this action, none of ACTIONS
TAPBACKS_BY_KIND = {k: a for a, k in TAPBACKS.values()}

MAX_PAGES_DOWN = 3 # a transcript parked above the newest message
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -359,7 +370,7 @@ function frame(el) {
// "2 reactions, You laughed at this, Ann loved this" sits before the time.
// 12-hour clocks too.
function parseLabel(d) {
const m = d.match(/^(.*), (\d{1,2})[:.](\d{2})(?:\s*([AP]M))?$/);
const m = d.match(/^([\s\S]*), (\d{1,2})[:.](\d{2})(?:\s*([AP]M))?$/); // a body can span lines
if (!m) return null;
let h = parseInt(m[2], 10);
if (m[4] === "PM" && h < 12) h += 12;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -464,6 +475,41 @@ function scan(q) {
}
return res;
}
// macOS 27: bubbles no longer carry the tapbacks as actions. Edit ▸ "Tapback
// Last Message…" opens the Tapback Picker on the newest message (the item is
// named for what it does: "Tapback Message…" with a selection, which nothing
// from here can make). The picker names its message ("Message, <text>"); it
// must be the target's text, or nothing is pressed.
function picker(q) {
const out = { ok: false };
// The menu click itself is click_picker_item()'s, from Python: a System
// Events click on this item can block until the picker closes (27.0.1).
let pk = null, label = null;
// The picker draws before the label naming its message: wait for both.
for (let n = 0; n < 15 && !(pk && label); n++) {
delay(0.3);
const els = safe(() => win().entireContents(), []);
const descs = els.map(e => String(safe(() => e.description(), "") || ""));
const at = descs.indexOf("Tapback Picker");
if (at < 0) continue;
pk = els[at];
label = descs.find(d => /^Message, /.test(d)) || null;
}
if (!pk) { out.error = "no-picker"; return out; }
const body = norm(String(label || "").replace(/^Message, /, ""));
if (!label || !bodyIs(body, q.text)) {
se.keyCode(53);
out.error = "picker-elsewhere";
return out;
}
const btn = safe(() => pk.entireContents(), []).find(e =>
safe(() => e.role(), "") === "AXButton" && String(safe(() => e.description(), "")) === q.action);
if (!btn) { se.keyCode(53); out.error = "not-offered"; out.offered = []; return out; }
// The action's NAME is AXPress; "press" is only its description.
try { btn.actions.byName("AXPress").perform(); out.ok = true; }
catch (e) { out.error = "perform-failed"; out.detail = String(e).slice(0, 200); }
return out;
}
function run() {
const input = $.NSFileHandle.fileHandleWithStandardInput.readDataToEndOfFile;
const q = JSON.parse(String(ObjC.unwrap($.NSString.alloc.initWithDataEncoding(input, $.NSUTF8StringEncoding))));
Expand All @@ -480,6 +526,7 @@ function run() {
try { c.el.actions()[i].perform(); return JSON.stringify({ ok: true }); }
catch (e) { return JSON.stringify({ ok: false, error: "page-failed" }); }
}
if (q.mode === "picker") return JSON.stringify(picker(q));
const r = scan(q);
if (r.error) return JSON.stringify({ ok: false, error: r.error });
const out = { ok: false, atBottom: r.atBottom, seen: r.seen };
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -591,7 +638,60 @@ def perform(target: dict, action: str, run=jxa, deadline=None) -> dict:

# ------------------------------------------------------------------ consent

def system_events_consent(path: str = USER_TCC) -> str:
# OSStatus answers of AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget.
AE_GRANTED, AE_DENIED, AE_WOULD_ASK, AE_NOT_RUNNING = 0, -1743, -1744, -600


def ae_permission(bundle: str = "com.apple.systemevents"):
"""Ask macOS whether this process may send Apple events to `bundle`,
with askUserIfNeeded=false: it answers and NEVER prompts. Needed on
macOS 27, which no longer keeps a per-user TCC.db where
system_events_consent reads one (measured 27.0.1: the folder is gone,
and the Automation grant is in neither TCC.db an ssh session can read,
while imsg-read's System Events calls succeed). The target must be
running or the answer is -600, so System Events is launched first,
hidden, through LaunchServices -- a launch is not an Apple event and
needs no consent. None when the call cannot be made at all."""
try:
import ctypes
import struct

cs = ctypes.CDLL("/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/CoreServices")

class AEDesc(ctypes.Structure):
_fields_ = [("descriptorType", ctypes.c_uint32), ("dataHandle", ctypes.c_void_p)]

def four(code: str) -> int:
return struct.unpack(">I", code.encode())[0]

cs.AECreateDesc.argtypes = [ctypes.c_uint32, ctypes.c_void_p, ctypes.c_long, ctypes.POINTER(AEDesc)]
cs.AECreateDesc.restype = ctypes.c_int16
cs.AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget.argtypes = [
ctypes.POINTER(AEDesc), ctypes.c_uint32, ctypes.c_uint32, ctypes.c_bool]
cs.AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget.restype = ctypes.c_int32
cs.AEDisposeDesc.argtypes = [ctypes.POINTER(AEDesc)]

subprocess.run(["open", "-g", "-j", "-b", bundle], capture_output=True, timeout=10)
raw = bundle.encode()
status = AE_NOT_RUNNING
for _ in range(20): # launching takes about a second
desc = AEDesc()
if cs.AECreateDesc(four("bund"), raw, len(raw), ctypes.byref(desc)) != 0:
return None
try:
status = cs.AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget(
ctypes.byref(desc), four("****"), four("****"), False)
finally:
cs.AEDisposeDesc(ctypes.byref(desc))
if status != AE_NOT_RUNNING:
break
time.sleep(0.25)
return status
except Exception:
return None


def system_events_consent(path: str = USER_TCC, probe=ae_permission) -> str:
""""" when this run cannot raise a consent prompt nobody will answer,
else why not. Over ssh, the first System Events call from
sshd-keygen-wrapper is an Automation prompt on the Mac's screen, while
Expand All @@ -604,6 +704,20 @@ def system_events_consent(path: str = USER_TCC) -> str:
Run at the Mac itself there is someone to click, and nothing is checked."""
if not os.environ.get("SSH_CONNECTION"):
return ""
if not os.path.exists(path): # macOS 27: no per-user TCC.db; ask macOS instead
status = probe()
if status == AE_GRANTED:
return ""
if status == AE_WOULD_ASK:
return ("System Events has not been allowed for ssh on this Mac yet, and its prompt would go "
"unanswered; run blip-check --markread over ssh while someone at the Mac clicks Allow")
if status == AE_DENIED:
return ("Automation for System Events is denied for sshd-keygen-wrapper; on the Mac run "
"`tccutil reset AppleEvents`, then run blip-check --markread over ssh while someone at the "
"Mac clicks Allow")
return (f"cannot confirm the Automation grant for System Events (no TCC.db, and macOS answered "
f"{status}), so nothing was done; run blip-check --markread over ssh while someone at the "
"Mac clicks Allow")
try:
with contextlib.closing(sqlite3.connect(f"file:{path}?mode=ro", uri=True, timeout=2)) as con:
row = con.execute(
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -649,7 +763,12 @@ def react(con, target: dict, kind: int, remove: bool, self_handles: list, ui, ru
if why:
raise Stop("unavailable", EX_UNAVAILABLE, why)
since = apple_now()
r = perform(target, action, run=run, deadline=deadline)
# macOS 27 bubbles carry no tapbacks, so the bubble search cannot even
# page (it pages with a live bubble's actions): straight to the picker.
r = (picker_route(con, target, action, run) if macos_major() >= 27
else perform(target, action, run=run, deadline=deadline))
if r.get("error") == "not-offered" and PICKER_SIGN in r.get("offered", []):
r = picker_route(con, target, action, run) # a 27-style bubble on an older version
if not r.get("ok") and r.get("error") not in MAYBE_PERFORMED:
raise failure(r, action) # nothing was pressed
row = answer(con, target, self_handles, since)
Expand All @@ -666,8 +785,60 @@ def react(con, target: dict, kind: int, remove: bool, self_handles: list, ui, ru
"seconds": round(time.monotonic() - started, 1)}


def macos_major() -> int:
try:
return int(platform.mac_ver()[0].split(".")[0])
except (ValueError, IndexError):
return 0


CLICK_PICKER = """tell application "Messages" to activate
delay 0.6
ignoring application responses
tell application "System Events" to click menu item "Tapback Last Message…" of menu 1 of menu bar item "Edit" of menu bar 1 of process "Messages"
end ignoring"""


def click_picker_item() -> str:
"""Edit ▸ Tapback Last Message…, without waiting for Messages to answer:
a System Events click on it can block until the picker closes (27.0.1,
by index and by name alike). "" or why it could not be sent."""
try:
r = subprocess.run(["/usr/bin/osascript", "-e", CLICK_PICKER], capture_output=True, timeout=15)
except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
return "the menu click timed out"
return "" if r.returncode == 0 else r.stderr.decode("utf-8", "replace").strip()[-200:]


def picker_route(con, target: dict, action: str, run, click=None) -> dict:
if not is_last(con, target):
raise Stop("not-last", EX_UNSUPPORTED,
"on this macOS only the newest message in a conversation can take a tapback")
why = (click or click_picker_item)()
if why:
return {"ok": False, "error": "no-picker", "detail": why}
return run({"mode": "picker", "text": target["text"], "action": action})


def is_last(con, target: dict) -> bool:
"""Whether the target is the conversation's newest message: the one Edit ▸
Tapback Last Message… opens the picker on. Tapbacks and announcements are
not messages; Recently Deleted ones are not drawn."""
marks = ",".join("?" * len(target["chats"]))
row = con.execute(
f"""SELECT m.guid FROM message m JOIN chat_message_join j ON j.message_id = m.ROWID
WHERE j.chat_id IN ({marks}) AND m.associated_message_type = 0 AND m.item_type = 0
AND m.ROWID NOT IN (SELECT message_id FROM chat_recoverable_message_join)
ORDER BY m.date DESC, m.ROWID DESC LIMIT 1""", list(target["chats"])).fetchone()
return row is not None and row["guid"] in target["guids"]


def failure(r: dict, action: str) -> Stop:
error = r.get("error") or "failed"
if error == "picker-elsewhere":
return Stop(error, EX_TEMPFAIL, "the tapback picker opened on another message; nothing was done")
if error == "no-picker":
return Stop(error, EX_UNAVAILABLE, "Messages did not open its tapback picker; nothing was done")
if error == "not-offered":
return Stop("not-offered", EX_NOT_OFFERED,
f"the bubble does not offer '{action}' (Messages may have renamed it); nothing was done",
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -717,12 +888,32 @@ def main(argv=None) -> int:
return emit(Stop("error", EX_SOFTWARE, f"{type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"))


REACT_LOG = os.path.expanduser("~/.blip/react.log")


def log_outcome(code: str, exit_code: int, seconds=None) -> None:
"""One line per run beside the tools: when, the outcome code, the exit
status. Never a GUID or message text. Kept under 64 KB."""
try:
if os.path.exists(REACT_LOG) and os.path.getsize(REACT_LOG) > 65536:
os.replace(REACT_LOG, REACT_LOG + ".1")
line = f"{dt.datetime.now(dt.timezone.utc).strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')} {code} exit={exit_code}"
if seconds is not None:
line += f" {seconds}s"
with open(REACT_LOG, "a") as f:
f.write(line + "\n")
except OSError:
pass


def emit(result) -> int:
if isinstance(result, Stop):
log_outcome(str(result.result.get("code", "?")), result.exit_code)
if result.why:
sys.stderr.write(f"imsg-react: {result.why}\n")
print(json.dumps(result.result, ensure_ascii=False))
return result.exit_code
log_outcome(str(result.get("result", "ok")), 0, result.get("seconds"))
print(json.dumps(result, ensure_ascii=False))
return 0

Expand Down
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