rb.app

rb.app acts on whole applications. A script reaches for it to ask which app is in front or to switch to one by name; work on single windows belongs to rb.window. Names match ignoring case: the display name or .app bundle name on macOS, the executable name on Windows (.exe optional). This script prints the frontmost app and brings Spotify forward when it runs behind another app:

-- rebind: min_sdk=3.9.0 name=example version=1.0.0
local front = rb.app.front()
if front then
  print("frontmost:", front.name, front.pid)
end

if rb.app.is_running("Spotify") and not rb.app.is_front("Spotify") then
  rb.app.activate("Spotify")
end

Signature	Effect
`rb.app.front() -> AppInfo?`	the frontmost app as `{ name, pid }`, or `nil`
`rb.app.is_front(name: string) -> boolean`	whether the frontmost app’s name contains `name`
`rb.app.is_running(name: string) -> boolean`	whether a matching app runs
`rb.app.is_hidden(name: string) -> boolean`	macOS: whether it is hidden; raises on Windows
`rb.app.activate(name: string) -> ()`	brings a running app forward and raises when none matches; on macOS it shows a hidden app, which a second call brings forward, and restores a window when all are minimized
`rb.app.hide(name: string) -> ()`	macOS: hides it; raises on Windows
`rb.app.quit(name: string) -> ()`	asks it to quit; on Windows it closes the app’s windows

rb.app never starts an app; start one with rb.system.exec_detached, which needs the exec permission. On macOS, activate needs Accessibility, quit and is_hidden ask for the Automation permission on first use, and quit does nothing for an app that is not running.

Overview

Script basics

Input and output

Timing and script control

Panels, overlays and dialogs

Screen, windows and apps

Operating system

Files and data

Network and pipes

Rebind Pro

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