MacAutomator.md

Using PassGen with MacOS Automator

Once you've installed and setup PassGen on your Mac, adding an automator workflow that prompts for your passphrase is easy. This makes generating a password from any application quick and painless.

1. Open Automator and create a new Service

2. Add a Run AppleScript action and add paste in the following code

   global frontmostProcess
   tell application "System Events"
   set frontmostProcess to first process where it is frontmost
   end tell
   
   set userCancelled to false
   set gave_up to false
   set my_passphrase to ""
   try
       set dialogReturn to (display dialog "Please enter your passphrase" ¬
           with title "PassGen" ¬
           default answer "" ¬
           buttons {"Cancel", "Generate Password"} ¬
           default button 2 ¬
           with hidden answer ¬
           giving up after 10)
       set my_passphrase to the text returned of dialogReturn
       set gave_up to gave up of dialogReturn
       on error number -128
       set userCancelled to true
   end try
   
   if (not userCancelled and not gave_up) then
       do shell script "PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin; passgen '" & my_passphrase & "'"
       display notification "Password copied to clipboard" ¬
           with title "PassGen"
   end if
   
   set frontmost of frontmostProcess to true

3. Save your Automator service

4. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts. Select Services in the left pane and scroll down to the General section. You should see your PassGen automator service, select it and add a keyboard shortcut. This can also be done in any other application that supports keyboard shortcuts like BetterTouchTool.