[X-Unix] Hiding apps from the command line

[Kent Harris]

Here's how us old farts do it:

#! /bin/sh
#*********************************************************************** 
*****
#*********************************************************************** 
*****
#
# Install this script as "~/bin/hide" with 0755 permissions.
#
# trap 'rm -f /tmp/hide$$; exit 1' 1 2 3 15
#
PROG=`basename $0`
VERSION="1.0"
# VERSION="$Id$"
USAGE="eval echo usage: $PROG [options] application; grep \"^#@\" $0 |\
	sed s/#@//; exit 1"
#@  hide app           => hide specified application "app"
#@  hide -a[ll]        => hide all applications but the Finder
#@  hide -a[ll] app    => hide all but specified application
#@  hide -r[eveal]     => reveal all applications
#@  hide -r[eveal] app => reveal specified application
#@  hide -v[ersion]    => print version and exit
#@  hide               => print this usage message

# Validate command line arguments.
CMDLINE=$*
until test -z "$1" ; do
	case $1 in
	-a*) CSTR="every process whose visible is true and name is not  
\"Finder\" to false";;
	-r*)  CSTR="every process whose visible is false to true";;
	-v) echo ${VERSION}; exit 0;;
	-*) $USAGE;;
	 *) APPLICATION="$*"; break;;
	esac
	shift
done

[ "${CSTR}" -o "${APPLICATION}" ] || $USAGE

if [ "${APPLICATION}" ] ; then
	CSTR="application process \"${APPLICATION}\" to false"
	set -- $CMDLINE
	until test -z "$1" ; do
		case $1 in
		-a*) CSTR="every process whose visible is true and name is not  
\"${APPLICATION}\" " ;;
		-r*) CSTR="application process \"${APPLICATION}\" to true";;
		*) break;;
		esac
		shift
	done
osascript<<XXX
	tell application "Finder"
		if exists application process "${APPLICATION}" then
			set visible of ${CSTR}
		end if
	end tell
XXX
else
osascript<<YYY
	tell application "Finder"
	set visible of ${CSTR}
	end tell
YYY
fi