AXElements 0.6.0beta2 → 0.7.5

data/lib/accessibility/core.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,897 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+framework 'Cocoa'
+
+# check that the Accessibility APIs are enabled and are available to MacRuby
+begin
+  unless AXAPIEnabled()
+    raise RuntimeError, <<-EOS
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Universal Access is disabled on this machine.
+
+Please enable it in the System Preferences.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    EOS
+  end
+rescue NoMethodError
+  raise NotImplementedError, <<-EOS
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+You need to install the latest BridgeSupport preview so that AXElements
+has access to CoreFoundation.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  EOS
+end
+
+
+require 'accessibility/version'
+
+##
+# @todo Slowly back off on raising exceptions in error conditions. Most
+#       often we can just return nil or an empty array and it should all
+#       still work out ok.
+# @todo I feel a bit weird having to instantiate a new pointer every
+#       time I want to fetch an attribute. Since allocations are costly,
+#       it hurts performance a lot when it comes to searches. I wonder if
+#       it would pay off to have a pool of pointers...
+#
+# Core abstraction layer that that interacts with OS X Accessibility
+# APIs (AXAPI). This is actually just a mixin for `AXUIElementRef` objects
+# so that they become more object oriented.
+#
+# This module is responsible for handling pointers and dealing with error
+# codes for functions that make use of them. The methods in this module
+# provide a clean Ruby-ish interface to the low level CoreFoundation
+# functions that compose AXAPI. In doing this, we can hide away the need
+# to work with pointers and centralize how AXAPI related errors are handled
+# (since CoreFoundation uses a different pattern for that sort of thing).
+#
+# @example
+#
+#   element = AXUIElementCreateSystemWide()
+#   element.attributes                      # => ["AXRole", "AXChildren", ...]
+#   element.size_of "AXChildren"            # => 12
+#
+module Accessibility::Core
+
+
+  # @group Attributes
+
+  ##
+  # @todo Invalid elements do not always raise an error.
+  #       This is a bug that should be logged with Apple.
+  #
+  # Get the list of attributes for the element. As a convention, this
+  # method will return an empty array if the backing element is no longer
+  # alive.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   attributes # => ["AXRole", "AXRoleDescription", ...]
+  #
+  # @return [Array<String>]
+  def attributes
+    @attributes ||= (
+      ptr = Pointer.new ARRAY
+      case code = AXUIElementCopyAttributeNames(self, ptr)
+      when 0                        then ptr.value
+      when KAXErrorInvalidUIElement then []
+      else handle_error code
+      end
+      )
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Fetch the value for an attribute. CoreFoundation wrapped objects
+  # will be unwrapped for you, if you expect to get a {CFRange} you
+  # will be given a {Range} instead.
+  #
+  # As a convention, if the backing element is no longer alive then
+  # you will receive `nil` for any attribute.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #   attribute KAXTitleAttribute   # => "HotCocoa Demo"
+  #   attribute KAXSizeAttribute    # => #<CGSize width=10.0 height=88>
+  #   attribute KAXParentAttribute  # => #<AXUIElementRef>
+  #   attribute KAXNoValueAttribute # => nil
+  #
+  # @param [String] name an attribute constant
+  def attribute name
+    ptr = Pointer.new :id
+    case code = AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(self, name, ptr)
+    when 0               then ptr.value.to_ruby
+    when KAXErrorNoValue then nil
+    when KAXErrorInvalidUIElement
+      name == KAXChildrenAttribute ? [] : nil
+    when KAXErrorFailure
+      name == KAXChildrenAttribute ? [] : handle_error(code, name)
+    else handle_error code, name
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Shortcut for getting the `KAXRoleAttribute`.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   role  # => KAXWindowRole
+  #
+  # @return [String]
+  def role
+    attribute KAXRoleAttribute
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # @note You might get `nil` back as the subrole as AXWebArea
+  #       objects are known to do this. You need to check. :(
+  #
+  # Shortcut for getting the `KAXSubroleAttribute`.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #   subrole  # => "AXDialog"
+  #   subrole  # => nil
+  #
+  # @return [String,nil]
+  def subrole
+    attribute KAXSubroleAttribute
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Shortcut for getting the `KAXChildrenAttribute`.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   children # => [MenuBar, Window, ...]
+  #
+  # @return [Array<AX::Element>]
+  def children
+    attribute KAXChildrenAttribute
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Shortcut for getting the `KAXValueAttribute`.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   value  # => "Mark Rada"
+  #   value  # => 42
+  #
+  def value
+    attribute KAXValueAttribute
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Get the size of the array for attributes that would return an array.
+  # When performance matters, this is much faster than getting the array
+  # and asking for the size.
+  #
+  # If there is a failure or the backing element is no longer alive, this
+  # method will return `0`.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   size_of KAXChildrenAttribute  # => 19
+  #   size_of KAXRowsAttribute      # => 100
+  #
+  # @param [String] name an attribute constant
+  # @return [Number]
+  def size_of name
+    ptr = Pointer.new :long_long
+    case code = AXUIElementGetAttributeValueCount(self, name, ptr)
+    when 0                                                  then ptr.value
+    when KAXErrorFailure, KAXErrorAttributeUnsupported,
+      KAXErrorInvalidUIElement                              then 0
+    else handle_error code, name
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Returns whether or not an attribute is writable.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   writable? KAXSizeAttribute  # => true
+  #   writable? KAXTitleAttribute # => false
+  #
+  # @param [String] name an attribute constant
+  def writable? name
+    ptr = Pointer.new :bool
+    case code = AXUIElementIsAttributeSettable(self, name, ptr)
+    when 0                        then ptr.value
+    when KAXErrorInvalidUIElement then false
+    else handle_error code, name
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # @note This method does not check writability of the attribute
+  #       you are setting. If you need to check, use {#writable?}
+  #       first.
+  #
+  # Set the given value to the given attribute. You do not need to
+  # worry about wrapping objects first, `Range` objects will also
+  # be automatically converted into `CFRange` objects and then
+  # wrapped.
+  #
+  # Unlike when reading attributes, writing to a dead element will
+  # raise an exception.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #   set KAXValueAttribute,        "hi"       # => "hi"
+  #   set KAXSizeAttribute,         [250,250]  # => [250,250]
+  #   set KAXVisibleRangeAttribute, 0..-3      # => 0..-3
+  #
+  # @param [String] name an attribute constant
+  def set name, value
+    code = AXUIElementSetAttributeValue(self, name, value.to_ax)
+    return value if code.zero?
+    handle_error code, name, value
+  end
+
+
+  # @group Parameterized Attributes
+
+  ##
+  # Get the list of parameterized attributes for the element. If the
+  # element does not have parameterized attributes, then an empty
+  # list will be returned.
+  #
+  # Most elements do not have parameterized attributes, but the ones
+  # that do, have many.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   parameterized_attributes  # => ["AXStringForRange", ...]
+  #   parameterized_attributes  # => []
+  #
+  # @return [Array<String>]
+  def parameterized_attributes
+    @parameterized_attributes ||= (
+      ptr = Pointer.new ARRAY
+      case code = AXUIElementCopyParameterizedAttributeNames(self, ptr)
+      when 0                                         then ptr.value
+      when KAXErrorNoValue, KAXErrorInvalidUIElement then []
+      else handle_error code
+      end
+      )
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Fetch the given pramaeterized attribute value using the given parameter.
+  # Only `AXUIElementRef` objects will be given raw, `Boxed` objects will be
+  # unwrapped for you automatically and `CFRange` objects will be turned into
+  # `Range` objects. Similarly, you do not need to worry about wrapping the
+  # parameter as that will be done for you.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   attribute KAXStringForRangeParameterizedAttribute, for_param: 1..10
+  #     # => "ello, worl"
+  #
+  # @param [String] attr an attribute constant
+  # @param [Object] param
+  def attribute name, for_parameter: param
+    ptr   = Pointer.new :id
+    param = param.to_ax
+    case code = AXUIElementCopyParameterizedAttributeValue(self,name,param,ptr)
+    when 0                                         then ptr.value.to_ruby
+    when KAXErrorNoValue, KAXErrorInvalidUIElement then nil
+    else handle_error code, name, param
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  # @group Actions
+
+  ##
+  # Get the list of actions that the element can perform. If an element
+  # does not have actions, then an empty list will be returned.
+  # Dead elements will also return an empty array.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   action_names  # => ["AXPress"]
+  #
+  # @return [Array<String>]
+  def actions
+    @actions ||= (
+      ptr = Pointer.new ARRAY
+      case code = AXUIElementCopyActionNames(self, ptr)
+      when 0                        then ptr.value
+      when KAXErrorInvalidUIElement then []
+      else handle_error code
+      end
+      )
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Ask an element to perform the given action. This method will always
+  # return true or raise an exception. Actions should never fail.
+  #
+  # Unlike when reading attributes, performing an action on a dead element
+  # will raise an exception.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   perform KAXPressAction  # => true
+  #
+  # @param [String] action an action constant
+  # @return [Boolean]
+  def perform action
+    code = AXUIElementPerformAction(self, action)
+    return true if code.zero?
+    handle_error code, action
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Post the list of given keyboard events to the element. This only
+  # applies if the given element is an application object or the
+  # system wide object.
+  #
+  # Events could be generated from a string using output from
+  # {Accessibility::String#keyboard_events_for}.
+  #
+  # Events are number/boolean tuples, where the number is a keycode
+  # and the boolean is the keypress state (true is keydown, false is
+  # keyup).
+  #
+  # You can learn more about keyboard events from the
+  # {file:docs/KeyboardEvents.markdown Keyboard Events} documentation.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   include Accessibility::String
+  #   events = keyboard_events_for "Hello, world!\n"
+  #   post events
+  #
+  # @param [Array<Array(Number,Boolean)>]
+  # @param [AXUIElementRef]
+  def post events
+    events.each do |event|
+      code = AXUIElementPostKeyboardEvent(self, 0, *event)
+      handle_error code unless code.zero?
+      sleep KEY_RATE
+    end
+    sleep 0.1 # in many cases, UI is not done updating right away
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # @todo Make this runtime configurable.
+  #
+  # The delay between key presses. The default value is `0.01`, which
+  # should be about 50 characters per second (down and up are separate
+  # events).
+  #
+  # This is just a magic number from trial and error. Both the repeat
+  # interval (NXKeyRepeatInterval) and threshold (NXKeyRepeatThreshold),
+  # but both were way too big.
+  #
+  # @return [Number]
+  KEY_RATE = case ENV['KEY_RATE']
+             when 'VERY_SLOW' then 0.9
+             when 'SLOW'      then 0.09
+             when nil         then 0.009
+             else                  ENV['KEY_RATE'].to_f
+             end
+
+
+  # @group Element Hierarchy Entry Points
+
+  ##
+  # Find the top most element at a point on the screen that belongs to the
+  # backing application. If the backing element is the system wide object
+  # then the return is the top most element regardless of application.
+  #
+  # The coordinates should be specified using the flipped coordinate
+  # system (origin is in the top-left, increasing downward and to the right
+  # as if reading a book in English).
+  #
+  # If more than one element is at the position then the
+  # z-order of the elements will be used to determine which is
+  # "on top".
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   element_at [453, 200]  # table
+  #
+  # @param [#to_point]
+  # @return [AXUIElementRef,nil]
+  def element_at point
+    ptr = Pointer.new ELEMENT
+    case code = AXUIElementCopyElementAtPosition(self, *point.to_point, ptr)
+    when 0                                  then ptr.value
+    when KAXErrorNoValue                    then nil
+    else handle_error code, point, nil, nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Get the application accessibility object/token for an application
+  # given the process identifier (PID) for that application.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   app = application_for 54743  # => #<AXUIElementRefx00000000>
+  #   CFShow(app)
+  #
+  # @param [Fixnum]
+  # @return [AXUIElementRef]
+  def application_for pid
+    spin_run_loop
+    if NSRunningApplication.runningApplicationWithProcessIdentifier pid
+      AXUIElementCreateApplication(pid)
+    else
+      raise ArgumentError, 'pid must belong to a running application'
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  # @group Notifications
+
+  ##
+  # @todo Allow a `Method` object to be passed once MacRuby ticket #1463
+  #       is fixed.
+  #
+  # Create and return a notification observer for the given object's
+  # application. You should give a block to this method that accepts three
+  # parameters: the observer, the notification sender, and the notification
+  # name.
+  #
+  # Observer's belong to an application, so you can cache a particular
+  # observer and use it for many different notification registrations.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   observer do |obsrvr, sender, notif|
+  #     # do stuff...
+  #   end
+  #
+  # @yieldparam [AXObserverRef]
+  # @yieldparam [AXUIElementRef]
+  # @yieldparam [String]
+  # @return [AXObserverRef]
+  def observer
+    raise ArgumentError, 'A callback is required' unless block_given?
+    ptr      = Pointer.new OBSERVER
+    callback = proc { |obsrvr, sender, notif, ctx| yield obsrvr, sender, notif }
+    case code = AXObserverCreate(pid, callback, ptr)
+    when 0 then ptr.value
+    else handle_error code, callback
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Get the run loop source for the given observer. You will need to
+  # get the source for an observer added the a run loop source in
+  # your script in order to begin receiving notifications.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   # get the source
+  #   source = run_loop_source_for observer
+  #
+  #   # add the source to the current run loop
+  #   CFRunLoopAddSource(CFRunLoopGetCurrent(), source, KCFRunLoopDefaultMode)
+  #
+  #   # don't forget to remove the source when you are done!
+  #
+  # @param [AXObserverRef]
+  # @return [CFRunLoopSourceRef]
+  def run_loop_source_for observer
+    AXObserverGetRunLoopSource(observer)
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # @todo Should passing around a context be supported?
+  #
+  # Register a notification observer for a specific event.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   register observer, to_receive: KAXWindowCreatedNotification
+  #
+  # @param [AXObserverRef]
+  # @param [String]
+  # @return [Boolean]
+  def register observer, to_receive: notif
+    case code = AXObserverAddNotification(observer, self, notif, nil)
+    when 0 then true
+    else handle_error code, notif, observer, nil, nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Unregister a notification that has been previously setup.
+  #
+  # @param [AXObserverRef]
+  # @param [String]
+  # @return [Boolean]
+  def unregister observer, from_receiving: notif
+    case code = AXObserverRemoveNotification(observer, self, notif)
+    when 0 then true
+    else handle_error code, notif, observer, nil, nil
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  # @group Misc.
+
+  ##
+  # Ask whether or not AXAPI is enabled.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   enabled?  # => true
+  #
+  #   # After unchecking "Enable access for assistive devices" in System Prefs
+  #   enabled?  # => false
+  #
+  def enabled?
+    AXAPIEnabled()
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Get the process identifier (PID) of the application that the element
+  # belongs to.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   pid   # => 12345
+  #
+  # @return [Fixnum]
+  def pid
+    @pid ||= (
+      ptr  = Pointer.new :int
+      case code = AXUIElementGetPid(self, ptr)
+      when 0 then ptr.value
+      when KAXErrorInvalidUIElement
+        self == system_wide ? 0 : handle_error(code)
+      else handle_error code
+      end
+      )
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Create a new reference to the system wide object. This is very useful when
+  # working with the system wide object as caching the system wide reference
+  # does not seem to work often.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   system_wide  # => #<AXUIElementRefx00000000>
+  #
+  # @return [AXUIElementRef]
+  def system_wide
+    AXUIElementCreateSystemWide()
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Returns the application reference that the element belongs to.
+  #
+  # @return [AXUIElementRef]
+  def application
+    application_for pid
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Spin the run loop once. For the purpose of receiving notification
+  # callbacks and other Cocoa methods that depend on a run loop.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   spin_run_loop # not much to it
+  #
+  # @return [self] returns the receiver
+  def spin_run_loop
+    NSRunLoop.currentRunLoop.runUntilDate Time.now
+  end
+
+
+  # @group Debug
+
+  ##
+  # Change the timeout value for the element. If you change the timeout
+  # on the system wide object, it affets all timeouts.
+  #
+  # Setting the global timeout to `0` seconds will reset the timeout value
+  # to the system default. Apple does not appear to have publicly documented
+  # what the system default is though, so I can't tell you what that value
+  # is.
+  #
+  # @param [Number]
+  # @return [Number]
+  def set_timeout_to seconds
+    case code = AXUIElementSetMessagingTimeout(self, seconds)
+    when 0 then seconds
+    else handle_error code, seconds
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  private
+
+  # @group Error Handling
+
+  # @param [Number]
+  def handle_error code, *args
+    klass, handler = AXERROR.fetch code, [RuntimeError, :handle_unknown]
+    msg            = if handler == :handle_unknown
+                       "You should never reach this line [#{code}]:#{inspect}"
+                     else
+                       self.send handler, *args
+                     end
+    raise klass, msg, caller(1)
+  end
+
+  def handle_failure *args
+    "A system failure occurred with #{inspect}, stopping to be safe"
+  end
+
+  def handle_illegal_argument *args
+    case args.size
+    when 0
+      "#{inspect} is not an AXUIElementRef"
+    when 1
+      "Either the element #{inspect} " +
+        "or the attribute/action/callback #{args.first.inspect} " +
+        "is not a legal argument"
+    when 2
+      "You can't get/set #{args.first.inspect} with/to " +
+        "#{args[1].inspect} for #{inspect}"
+    when 3
+      "The point #{args.first.to_point.inspect} is not a valid point, " +
+        "or #{inspect} is not an AXUIElementRef"
+    when 4
+      "Either the observer #{args[1].inspect}, " +
+        "the element #{inspect}, or " +
+        "the notification #{args.first.inspect} " +
+        "is not a legitimate argument"
+    end
+  end
+
+  def handle_invalid_element *args
+    "#{inspect} is no longer a valid reference"
+  end
+
+  def handle_invalid_observer *args
+    "#{args[1].inspect} is no longer a valid observer for " +
+      "#{inspect} or was never valid"
+  end
+
+  # @param [AXUIElementRef]
+  def handle_cannot_complete *args
+    spin_run_loop
+    app = NSRunningApplication.runningApplicationWithProcessIdentifier pid
+    if app
+      "An unspecified error occurred using #{inspect} with AXAPI" +
+        ", maybe a timeout :("
+    else
+      "Application for pid=#{pid} is no longer running. Maybe it crashed?"
+    end
+  end
+
+  def handle_attr_unsupported *args
+    "#{inspect} does not have a #{args.first.inspect} attribute"
+  end
+
+  def handle_action_unsupported *args
+    "#{inspect} does not have a #{args.first.inspect} action"
+  end
+
+  def handle_notif_unsupported *args
+    "#{inspect} does not support the #{args.first.inspect} notification"
+  end
+
+  def handle_not_implemented *args
+    "The program that owns #{inspect} does not work with AXAPI properly"
+  end
+
+  # @todo Does this really neeed to raise an exception? Seems
+  #       like a warning would be sufficient.
+  def handle_notif_registered *args
+    "You have already registered to hear about #{args[0].inspect} " +
+      "from #{inspect}"
+  end
+
+  def handle_notif_not_registered *args
+    "You have not registered to hear about #{args[0].inspect} " +
+      "from #{inspect}"
+  end
+
+  def handle_api_disabled *args
+    'AXAPI has been disabled'
+  end
+
+  def handle_param_attr_unsupported *args
+    "#{inspect} does not have a #{args[0].inspect} parameterized attribute"
+  end
+
+  def handle_not_enough_precision
+    'AXAPI said there was not enough precision ¯\(°_o)/¯'
+  end
+
+  # @endgroup
+
+
+  ##
+  # @private
+  #
+  # `Pointer` type encoding for `CFArrayRef` objects.
+  #
+  # @return [String]
+  ARRAY    = '^{__CFArray}'
+
+  ##
+  # @private
+  #
+  # `Pointer` type encoding for `AXUIElementRef` objects.
+  #
+  # @return [String]
+  ELEMENT  = '^{__AXUIElement}'
+
+  ##
+  # @private
+  #
+  # `Pointer` type encoding for `AXObserverRef` objects.
+  #
+  # @return [String]
+  OBSERVER = '^{__AXObserver}'
+
+  ##
+  # @private
+  #
+  # Mapping of `AXError` values to static information on how to handle
+  # the error. Used by {handle_error}.
+  #
+  # @return [Hash{Number=>Array(Symbol,Range)}]
+  AXERROR = {
+    KAXErrorFailure                           => [RuntimeError,        :handle_failure               ],
+    KAXErrorIllegalArgument                   => [ArgumentError,       :handle_illegal_argument      ],
+    KAXErrorInvalidUIElement                  => [ArgumentError,       :handle_invalid_element       ],
+    KAXErrorInvalidUIElementObserver          => [ArgumentError,       :handle_invalid_observer      ],
+    KAXErrorCannotComplete                    => [RuntimeError,        :handle_cannot_complete       ],
+    KAXErrorAttributeUnsupported              => [ArgumentError,       :handle_attr_unsupported      ],
+    KAXErrorActionUnsupported                 => [ArgumentError,       :handle_action_unsupported    ],
+    KAXErrorNotificationUnsupported           => [ArgumentError,       :handle_notif_unsupported     ],
+    KAXErrorNotImplemented                    => [NotImplementedError, :handle_not_implemented       ],
+    KAXErrorNotificationAlreadyRegistered     => [ArgumentError,       :handle_notif_registered      ],
+    KAXErrorNotificationNotRegistered         => [RuntimeError,        :handle_notif_not_registered  ],
+    KAXErrorAPIDisabled                       => [RuntimeError,        :handle_api_disabled          ],
+    KAXErrorParameterizedAttributeUnsupported => [ArgumentError,       :handle_param_attr_unsupported],
+    KAXErrorNotEnoughPrecision                => [RuntimeError,        :handle_not_enough_precision  ]
+  }
+end
+
+
+##
+# Mixin for the special `__NSCFType` class so that `#to_ruby` works properly.
+module Accessibility::ValueUnwrapper
+  ##
+  # Map of type encodings used for wrapping structs when coming from
+  # an `AXValueRef`.
+  #
+  # The list is order sensitive, which is why we unshift nil, but
+  # should probably be more rigorously defined at runtime.
+  #
+  # @return [String,nil]
+  BOX_TYPES = [CGPoint, CGSize, CGRect, CFRange].map!(&:type).unshift(nil)
+
+  ##
+  # Unwrap an `AXValue` into the `Boxed` instance that it is supposed
+  # to be. This will only work for the most common boxed types, you will
+  # need to check the AXAPI documentation for an up to date list.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   wrapped_point.to_ruby # => #<CGPoint x=44.3 y=99.0>
+  #   wrapped_range.to_ruby # => #<CFRange begin=7 length=100>
+  #   wrapped_thing.to_ruby # => wrapped_thing
+  #
+  # @return [Boxed]
+  def to_ruby
+    box_type = AXValueGetType(self)
+    return self if box_type.zero?
+    ptr = Pointer.new BOX_TYPES[box_type]
+    AXValueGetValue(self, box_type, ptr)
+    ptr.value.to_ruby
+  end
+end
+
+# hack to find the proper class
+klass = AXUIElementCreateSystemWide().class
+klass.send :include, Accessibility::Core
+klass.send :include, Accessibility::ValueUnwrapper
+
+
+##
+# AXElements extensions to the `Boxed` class. The `Boxed` class is
+# simply an abstract base class for structs that MacRuby can use
+# via bridge support.
+class Boxed
+  ##
+  # Returns the number that AXAPI uses in order to know how to wrap
+  # a struct.
+  #
+  # @return [Number]
+  def self.ax_value
+    raise NotImplementedError, "#{self.class} cannot be wraped"
+  end
+
+  ##
+  # Create an `AXValueRef` from the `Boxed` instance. This will only
+  # work if for the most common boxed types, you will need to check
+  # the AXAPI documentation for an up to date list.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #
+  #   CGPointMake(12, 34).to_ax # => #<AXValueRef:0x455678e2>
+  #   CGSizeMake(56, 78).to_ax  # => #<AXValueRef:0x555678e2>
+  #
+  # @return [AXValueRef]
+  def to_ax
+    klass = self.class
+    ptr   = Pointer.new klass.type
+    ptr.assign self
+    AXValueCreate(klass.ax_value, ptr)
+  end
+end
+
+# AXElements extensions for `CFRange`.
+class << CFRange; def ax_value; KAXValueCFRangeType; end end
+# AXElements extensions for `CGSize`.
+class << CGSize;  def ax_value; KAXValueCGSizeType;  end end
+# AXElements extensions for `CGRect`.
+class << CGRect;  def ax_value; KAXValueCGRectType;  end end
+# AXElements extensions for `CGPoint`.
+class << CGPoint; def ax_value; KAXValueCGPointType; end end
+
+
+# AXElements extensions for `NSObject`.
+class NSObject
+  def to_ax;   self end
+  def to_ruby; self end
+end
+
+# AXElements extensions for `Range`.
+class Range
+  # @return [AXValueRef]
+  def to_ax
+    raise ArgumentError if last < 0 || first < 0
+    length = if exclude_end?
+               last - first
+             else
+               last - first + 1
+             end
+    CFRange.new(first, length).to_ax
+  end
+end
+
+# AXElements extensions for `CFRange`.
+class CFRange
+  # @return [Range]
+  def to_ruby
+    Range.new location, (location + length - 1)
+  end
+end
+
+
+# AXElements extensions to `NSArray`.
+class NSArray
+  # @return [CGPoint]
+  def to_point; CGPoint.new(first, at(1)) end
+  # @return [CGSize]
+  def to_size;  CGSize.new(first, at(1))  end
+  # @return [CGRect]
+  def to_rect;  CGRectMake(*self[0..3])   end
+end
+
+# AXElements extensions for `CGPoint`.
+class CGPoint
+  # @return [CGPoint]
+  def to_point; self end
+end
+
+##
+# Cached reference to the system wide object.
+#
+# @return [AXUIElementRef]
+SYSTEMWIDE = AXUIElementCreateSystemWide()