--- title: Apple Events framework: coreservices role: collectionGroup role_heading: API Collection path: coreservices/apple_events --- # Apple Events Communicate messages across process boundaries that can be performed and responded to with a reply event. ## Overview Overview When a script that targets an application is executed, commands are sent to the application in the form of Apple events, a kind of interprocess message. Cocoa scripting helps you create scriptable applications by doing much of the work of receiving these Apple events, extracting information from them, and invoking methods in your scriptable classes. ## Topics ### Structures - [AECallObjectAccessor(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447059-aecallobjectaccessor.md) - [AECheckIsRecord(_:)](coreservices/1444011-aecheckisrecord.md) - [AECoerceDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1446519-aecoercedesc.md) - [AECoercePtr(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1441846-aecoerceptr.md) - [AECompareDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448782-aecomparedesc.md) - [AECountItems(_:_:)](coreservices/1449533-aecountitems.md) - [AECreateAppleEvent(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448525-aecreateappleevent.md) - [AECreateDesc(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448535-aecreatedesc.md) - [AECreateDescFromExternalPtr(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1446239-aecreatedescfromexternalptr.md) - [AECreateList(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448643-aecreatelist.md) - [AECreateRemoteProcessResolver(_:_:)](coreservices/1445692-aecreateremoteprocessresolver.md) - [AEDecodeMessage(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447827-aedecodemessage.md) - [AEDeleteItem(_:_:)](coreservices/1447164-aedeleteitem.md) - [AEDeleteParam(_:_:)](coreservices/1444338-aedeleteparam.md) - [AEDisposeDesc(_:)](coreservices/1444208-aedisposedesc.md) - [AEDisposeRemoteProcessResolver(_:)](coreservices/1442572-aedisposeremoteprocessresolver.md) - [AEDisposeToken(_:)](coreservices/1446783-aedisposetoken.md) - [AEDuplicateDesc(_:_:)](coreservices/1442661-aeduplicatedesc.md) - [AEFlattenDesc(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1441808-aeflattendesc.md) - [AEGetArray(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445720-aegetarray.md) - [AEGetAttributeDesc(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1450314-aegetattributedesc.md) - [AEGetAttributePtr(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445109-aegetattributeptr.md) - [AEGetCoercionHandler(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445348-aegetcoercionhandler.md) - [AEGetDescData(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1444427-aegetdescdata.md) - [AEGetDescDataRange(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1446560-aegetdescdatarange.md) - [AEGetDescDataSize(_:)](coreservices/1450119-aegetdescdatasize.md) - [AEGetEventHandler(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445631-aegeteventhandler.md) - [AEGetNthDesc(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448326-aegetnthdesc.md) - [AEGetNthPtr(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447539-aegetnthptr.md) - [AEGetObjectAccessor(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1449054-aegetobjectaccessor.md) - [AEGetParamDesc(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1449233-aegetparamdesc.md) - [AEGetParamPtr(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1444069-aegetparamptr.md) - [AEGetRegisteredMachPort()](coreservices/1449736-aegetregisteredmachport.md) - [AEGetSpecialHandler(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1444274-aegetspecialhandler.md) - [AEInitializeDesc(_:)](coreservices/1446047-aeinitializedesc.md) - [AEInstallCoercionHandler(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445548-aeinstallcoercionhandler.md) - [AEInstallEventHandler(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1448596-aeinstalleventhandler.md) - [AEInstallObjectAccessor(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447905-aeinstallobjectaccessor.md) - [AEInstallSpecialHandler(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445532-aeinstallspecialhandler.md) - [AEManagerInfo(_:_:)](coreservices/1449373-aemanagerinfo.md) - [AEObjectInit()](coreservices/1447372-aeobjectinit.md) - [AEPrintDescToHandle(_:_:)](coreservices/1445158-aeprintdesctohandle.md) - [AEProcessMessage(_:)](coreservices/1444387-aeprocessmessage.md) - [AEPutArray(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442535-aeputarray.md) - [AEPutAttributeDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1441790-aeputattributedesc.md) - [AEPutAttributePtr(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445940-aeputattributeptr.md) - [AEPutDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1450093-aeputdesc.md) - [AEPutParamDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447576-aeputparamdesc.md) - [AEPutParamPtr(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1449263-aeputparamptr.md) - [AEPutPtr(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445287-aeputptr.md) - [AERemoteProcessResolverGetProcesses(_:_:)](coreservices/1444456-aeremoteprocessresolvergetproces.md) - [AERemoteProcessResolverScheduleWithRunLoop(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447259-aeremoteprocessresolverschedulew.md) - [AERemoveCoercionHandler(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1441907-aeremovecoercionhandler.md) - [AERemoveEventHandler(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445239-aeremoveeventhandler.md) - [AERemoveObjectAccessor(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442552-aeremoveobjectaccessor.md) - [AERemoveSpecialHandler(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447960-aeremovespecialhandler.md) - [AEReplaceDescData(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1446695-aereplacedescdata.md) - [AEResolve(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1449720-aeresolve.md) - [AESendMessage(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442994-aesendmessage.md) - [AESetObjectCallbacks(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447756-aesetobjectcallbacks.md) - [AESizeOfAttribute(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1445764-aesizeofattribute.md) - [AESizeOfFlattenedDesc(_:)](coreservices/1447305-aesizeofflatteneddesc.md) - [AESizeOfNthItem(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1447307-aesizeofnthitem.md) - [AESizeOfParam(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1449998-aesizeofparam.md) - [AEStreamClose(_:_:)](coreservices/1449821-aestreamclose.md) - [AEStreamCloseDesc(_:)](coreservices/1449272-aestreamclosedesc.md) - [AEStreamCloseList(_:)](coreservices/1448185-aestreamcloselist.md) - [AEStreamCloseRecord(_:)](coreservices/1449522-aestreamcloserecord.md) - [AEStreamCreateEvent(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1446562-aestreamcreateevent.md) - [AEStreamOpen()](coreservices/1447732-aestreamopen.md) - [AEStreamOpenDesc(_:_:)](coreservices/1446544-aestreamopendesc.md) - [AEStreamOpenEvent(_:)](coreservices/1445366-aestreamopenevent.md) - [AEStreamOpenKeyDesc(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442897-aestreamopenkeydesc.md) - [AEStreamOpenList(_:)](coreservices/1448594-aestreamopenlist.md) - [AEStreamOpenRecord(_:_:)](coreservices/1447141-aestreamopenrecord.md) - [AEStreamOptionalParam(_:_:)](coreservices/1444481-aestreamoptionalparam.md) - [AEStreamSetRecordType(_:_:)](coreservices/1447704-aestreamsetrecordtype.md) - [AEStreamWriteAEDesc(_:_:)](coreservices/1448487-aestreamwriteaedesc.md) - [AEStreamWriteData(_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442610-aestreamwritedata.md) - [AEStreamWriteDesc(_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1450387-aestreamwritedesc.md) - [AEStreamWriteKey(_:_:)](coreservices/1448750-aestreamwritekey.md) - [AEStreamWriteKeyDesc(_:_:_:_:_:)](coreservices/1442568-aestreamwritekeydesc.md) - [AEUnflattenDesc(_:_:)](coreservices/1448997-aeunflattendesc.md) - [AEArrayData](coreservices/aearraydata.md) - [AEBuildError](coreservices/aebuilderror.md) - [AEDesc](coreservices/aedesc.md) - [AEKeyDesc](coreservices/aekeydesc.md) - [AERemoteProcessResolverContext](coreservices/aeremoteprocessresolvercontext.md) ### Constants - [kAERemoteProcessNameKey](coreservices/kaeremoteprocessnamekey.md) - [kAERemoteProcessProcessIDKey](coreservices/kaeremoteprocessprocessidkey.md) - [kAERemoteProcessURLKey](coreservices/kaeremoteprocessurlkey.md) - [kAERemoteProcessUserIDKey](coreservices/kaeremoteprocessuseridkey.md) ### Data Types - [OSLAccessorProcPtr](coreservices/oslaccessorprocptr.md) - [OSLAccessorUPP](coreservices/oslaccessorupp.md) - [OSLAdjustMarksProcPtr](coreservices/osladjustmarksprocptr.md) - [OSLAdjustMarksUPP](coreservices/osladjustmarksupp.md) - [OSLCompareProcPtr](coreservices/oslcompareprocptr.md) - [OSLCompareUPP](coreservices/oslcompareupp.md) - [OSLCountProcPtr](coreservices/oslcountprocptr.md) - [OSLCountUPP](coreservices/oslcountupp.md) - [OSLDisposeTokenProcPtr](coreservices/osldisposetokenprocptr.md) - [OSLDisposeTokenUPP](coreservices/osldisposetokenupp.md) - [OSLGetErrDescProcPtr](coreservices/oslgeterrdescprocptr.md) - [OSLGetErrDescUPP](coreservices/oslgeterrdescupp.md) - [OSLGetMarkTokenProcPtr](coreservices/oslgetmarktokenprocptr.md) - [OSLGetMarkTokenUPP](coreservices/oslgetmarktokenupp.md) - [OSLMarkProcPtr](coreservices/oslmarkprocptr.md) - [OSLMarkUPP](coreservices/oslmarkupp.md) - [AEAddressDesc](coreservices/aeaddressdesc.md) - [AEArrayDataPointer](coreservices/aearraydatapointer.md) - [AEArrayType](coreservices/aearraytype.md) - [AEBuildErrorCode](coreservices/aebuilderrorcode.md) - [AECoerceDescProcPtr](coreservices/aecoercedescprocptr.md) - [AECoerceDescUPP](coreservices/aecoercedescupp.md) - [AECoercePtrProcPtr](coreservices/aecoerceptrprocptr.md) - [AECoercePtrUPP](coreservices/aecoerceptrupp.md) - [AECoercionHandlerUPP](coreservices/aecoercionhandlerupp.md) - [AEDataStorage](coreservices/aedatastorage.md) - [AEDataStorageType](coreservices/aedatastoragetype.md) - [AEDescList](coreservices/aedesclist.md) - [AEDescPtr](coreservices/aedescptr.md) - [AEDisposeExternalProcPtr](coreservices/aedisposeexternalprocptr.md) - [AEDisposeExternalUPP](coreservices/aedisposeexternalupp.md) - [AEEventClass](coreservices/aeeventclass.md) - [AEEventHandlerProcPtr](coreservices/aeeventhandlerprocptr.md) - [AEEventHandlerUPP](coreservices/aeeventhandlerupp.md) - [AEEventID](coreservices/aeeventid.md) - [AEEventSource](coreservices/aeeventsource.md) - [AEKeyword](coreservices/aekeyword.md) - [AERecord](coreservices/aerecord.md) - [AERemoteProcessResolverCallback](coreservices/aeremoteprocessresolvercallback.md) - [AERemoteProcessResolverRef](coreservices/aeremoteprocessresolverref.md) - [AEReturnID](coreservices/aereturnid.md) - [AESendMode](coreservices/aesendmode.md) - [AESendPriority](coreservices/aesendpriority.md) - [AEStreamRef](coreservices/aestreamref.md) - [AETransactionID](coreservices/aetransactionid.md) ### Enumerations - [kAEDebugPOSTHeader](coreservices/apple_events/1542854-kaedebugpostheader.md) - [kAEHandleArray](coreservices/apple_events/1542886-kaehandlearray.md) - [kAEISGetURL](coreservices/apple_events/1556362-kaeisgeturl.md) - [kAEISHTTPSearchArgs](coreservices/apple_events/1556404-kaeishttpsearchargs.md) - [kAEInfo](coreservices/apple_events/1556393-kaeinfo.md) - [kAEInternetSuite](coreservices/apple_events/1556388-kaeinternetsuite.md) - [kAELogOut](coreservices/apple_events/1556395-kaelogout.md) - [kAEMenuClass](coreservices/apple_events/1556392-kaemenuclass.md) - [kAEMouseClass](coreservices/apple_events/1556409-kaemouseclass.md) - [kAENonmodifiable](coreservices/apple_events/1556386-kaenonmodifiable.md) - [kAEQDNotOr](coreservices/apple_events/1556377-kaeqdnotor.md) - [kAESetPosition](coreservices/apple_events/1556407-kaesetposition.md) - [kAESocks4Protocol](coreservices/apple_events/1542847-kaesocks4protocol.md) - [kAEUTHasReturningParam](coreservices/apple_events/1457911-kaeuthasreturningparam.md) - [kAEUseHTTPProxyAttr](coreservices/apple_events/1542824-kaeusehttpproxyattr.md) - [kAEUseSocksAttr](coreservices/apple_events/1542933-kaeusesocksattr.md) - [kAEUserTerminology](coreservices/apple_events/1457902-kaeuserterminology.md) - [kAEZoomIn](coreservices/apple_events/1556365-kaezoomin.md) - [keyAEAngle](coreservices/apple_events/1556380-keyaeangle.md) - [keyAEBaseAddr](coreservices/apple_events/1556383-keyaebaseaddr.md) - [keyAEDoScale](coreservices/apple_events/1556387-keyaedoscale.md) - [keyAEHiliteRange](coreservices/apple_events/1556379-keyaehiliterange.md) - [keyAEKeyword](coreservices/apple_events/1556374-keyaekeyword.md) - [keyAESuiteID](coreservices/apple_events/1556370-keyaesuiteid.md) - [keyMenuID](coreservices/apple_events/1556381-keymenuid.md) - [keyMiscellaneous](coreservices/apple_events/1556399-keymiscellaneous.md) - [keyReplyPortAttr](coreservices/apple_events/1571648-keyreplyportattr.md) - [keySOAPStructureMetaData](coreservices/apple_events/1542797-keysoapstructuremetadata.md) - [keyUserNameAttr](coreservices/apple_events/1542780-keyusernameattr.md) - [Apple Event Recording Event ID Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1527224-apple_event_recording_event_id_c.md) - [Callback Constants for the AEResolve Function](coreservices/apple_events/1572741-callback_constants_for_the_aeres.md) - [Constants for Object Specifiers, Positions, and Logical and Comparison Operations](coreservices/apple_events/1572744-constants_for_object_specifiers_.md) - [Data Array Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542848-data_array_constants.md) - [Descriptor Type Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542788-descriptor_type_constants.md) - [Event Class Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1527210-event_class_constants.md) - [Event ID Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1527223-event_id_constants.md) - [Event Source Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1527201-event_source_constants.md) - [Factoring Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542928-factoring_constants.md) - [ID Constants for the AECreateAppleEvent Function](coreservices/apple_events/1542799-id_constants_for_the_aecreateapp.md) - [Key Form and Descriptor Type Object Specifier Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1572731-key_form_and_descriptor_type_obj.md) - [Keyword Attribute Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542920-keyword_attribute_constants.md) - [Keyword Parameter Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1527206-keyword_parameter_constants.md) - [Launch Apple Event Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1556410-launch_apple_event_constants.md) - [Numeric Descriptor Type Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542872-numeric_descriptor_type_constant.md) - [Object Class ID Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1556368-object_class_id_constants.md) - [Other Descriptor Type Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542760-other_descriptor_type_constants.md) - [Priority Constants for the AESend Function (Deprecated in macOS)](coreservices/apple_events/1542840-priority_constants_for_the_aesen.md) - [Special Handler Callback Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1572726-special_handler_callback_constan.md) - [Timeout Constants](coreservices/apple_events/1542814-timeout_constants.md) ## See Also ### Related Documentation - [Cocoa Scripting Guide](apple-archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ScriptableCocoaApplications/SApps_intro/SAppsIntro.html.md)