rb-appscript 0.3.0 → 0.4.0

data/doc/appscript-manual/11_applicationcommands.html

@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ app('Finder').home.items.get(:result_type =&gt; :alias)</code></pre>
 
 <p>The conventional  form is also supported should you ever wish (or need) to use it:</p>
 
-<pre><code>application.command(keyword_parameters)</code></pre>
+<pre><code>application.command(reference, keyword_parameters)</code></pre>
 
 <p>The two forms are equivalent (appscript converts the first form to the second behind the scenes) although the first form is preferred for conciseness.</p></li>
 

data/doc/appscript-manual/14_notes.html

@@ -21,9 +21,16 @@
 <!-- content -->
 <div id="content">
 
-<h2>Dealing with problem applications</h2>
+<h2>Rubygems issues</h2>
 
-<p>Appscript provides a number of mechanisms for dealing with problematic applications. See the <a href="http://rb-appscript.rubyforge.org">appscript website</a> for more information.</p>
+<p>If using the appscript gem, don't forget to <code>require 'rubygems'</code> <em>before</em> requiring appscript, otherwise the appscript gem won't load. For example:</p>
+
+<pre><code>begin
+    require 'rubygems'
+rescue LoadError
+end
+require 'appscript'
+...</code></pre>
 
 
 <h2>Security issues</h2>
@@ -40,22 +47,15 @@
 
 <p>Some applications (e.g. QuarkXpress) may return values which appscript cannot convert to equivalent Ruby types. These values are usually of types which are defined, used and understood only by that particular application, and will be represented in Ruby as raw <code>AE::AEDesc</code> objects (e.g. <code>#&lt;AE::AEDesc:0x33fc40&gt;</code>). While there's not much you can do with raw <code>AEDesc</code> objects within Ruby (it's best just to treat them as opaque types), subsequent commands can pass them back to the application for further use and/or conversion just like any other value.</p>
 
-<!--
-<h2>aemcodegen</h2>
-
-<p>The <code>appscript.tools.aemcodegen</code> module is an convenience tool for translating appscript commands into their aem equivalents; useful if you want to control applications using the lower-level aem package. See the <code>aemcodegen</code> module's docstring for more information.</p>
--->
 
-<h2>Appscript and threads</h2>
+<h2>Dealing with problem applications</h2>
 
-<p>When using appscript in multi-threaded systems, always send application commands from the main thread. (This is a limitation of the underlying aem package, which currently doesn't support receiving reply events on non-main threads.)</p>
+<p>Appscript provides a number of mechanisms for dealing with problematic applications. See the <a href="http://rb-appscript.rubyforge.org">appscript website</a> for more information.</p>
 
 
 <h2>Credits</h2>
 
-<p>Many thanks to Bill Birkett, Jordan Breeding, FUJIMOTO Hisakuni, Alexander Kellett, Chris Nebel, Matt Neuburg, Laurent Sansonetti and Michelle Steiner, and to all those who have contributed comments, suggestions and bug reports to py-appscript.</p>
-
-<p>Thanks also to <a href="http://www.macosforge.org/">Mac OS Forge</a> and <a href="http://rubyforge.org/">RubyForge</a> for providing project hosting and support.</p>
+<p>Many thanks to Bill Birkett, Jordan Breeding, Fujimoto Hisakuni, Jordan K Hubbard, Alexander Kellett, Chris Nebel, Matt Neuburg, Laurent Sansonetti, Michelle Steiner, Kevin Van Vechten, and all the appscript users who've provided comments, criticisms and encouragement along the way.</p>
 
 
 <h2>Donations</h2>

data/doc/osax-manual/index.html

@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ p sa.display_dialog("Ruby says hello!",
 # Result: {:button_returned=&gt;"Duuuude!"}</code></pre>
 
 
+<p>When using the <code>osax</code> module within RubyCocoa-based applications, avoid creating <code>ScriptingAddition</code> instances before the main event loop is started as this will prevent minimized windows expanding as normal when clicked on in the Dock.</p>
+
 
 </div>
 

data/rb-appscript.gemspec

@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ require "rubygems"
 
 spec = Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 	s.name = "rb-appscript"
-	s.version = "0.3.0"
+	s.version = "0.4.0"
 	s.author = "HAS"
 	s.homepage = "http://rb-appscript.rubyforge.org/"
 	s.rubyforge_project="rb-appscript"
 	s.summary="Ruby appscript (rb-appscript) is a high-level, user-friendly Apple event bridge that allows you to control scriptable Mac OS X applications using ordinary Ruby scripts."
-	s.files = Dir["**/*"].delete_if { |name| ["MakeFile", "ae.bundle", "mkmf.log", "rbae.o", "src/osx_ruby.h", "src/osx_intern.h"].include?(name) }
+	s.files = Dir["**/*"].delete_if { |name| ["MakeFile", "ae.bundle", "mkmf.log", "rbae.o", "SendThreadSafe.o", "src/osx_ruby.h", "src/osx_intern.h"].include?(name) }
 	s.extensions = "extconf.rb"
 	s.test_files = Dir["test/test_*.rb"]
 	s.required_ruby_version = ">= 1.8"

data/sample/AB_list_people_with_emails.rb

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 # Lists the name and email(s) of every person in Address Book with
 # one or more email addresses.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Add_iCal_event.rb

@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ include Appscript
 
 # Add an event to Home calendar that runs from 7am to 9 am tomorrow
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 calendar_name = 'Home'
 t = Time.now + 60 * 60 * 24
 start = Time.local(t.year, t.month, t.day, 7)

data/sample/Create_daily_iCal_todos.rb

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 # <http://web.mac.com/lypanov/iWeb/Web/Diary/9950DF91-726E-42B2-A639-
 #  1967D1DE7545.html>
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
 
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript

data/sample/Export_Address_Book_phone_numbers.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Exports phone numbers from Address Book.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "osax"
 include Appscript, OSAX
 

data/sample/Hello_world.rb

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 # 1. "Hello world" in TextEdit:
 
 require "appscript"

data/sample/List_iTunes_playlist_names.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # List names of playlists in iTunes.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Make_Mail_message.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Compose an outgoing message in Apple's Mail.app.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Open_file_in_TextEdit.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Opens a file in TextEdit. (Demonstrates mactypes module usage.)
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Organize_Mail_messages.rb

@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 # already exist. It will then create a new Mail rule that automatically moves
 # incoming messages from this sender directly into this mailbox.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Print_folder_tree.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Prints the sub-folder hierarchy of a given folder as a list of folder names indented according to depth.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Select_all_HTML_files.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Selects all .htm/.html files in the top Finder window.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Set_iChat_status.rb

@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 # Based on an AppleScript example from:
 # <http://developer.apple.com/cocoa/applescriptforapps.html>
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/Simple_Finder_GUI_Scripting.rb

@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
-require 'appscript'
-include Appscript
-
 # Opens a new Finder smart folder that searches for 'ruby', via GUI Scripting
 
 # (Note: to use GUI Scripting, 'Enable access for assistive devices' option must
 # be enabled in the Universal Access panel of System Preferences.)
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
+require 'appscript'
+include Appscript
+
 se = app('System Events')
 
 app('Finder').activate

data/sample/Stagger_Finder_windows.rb

@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 # another. (Could easily be adapted to work with any scriptable application
 # that uses standard window class terminology.)
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/TextEdit_demo.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 # Demonstrates various references and commands in action.
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require "appscript"
 include Appscript
 

data/sample/iTunes_top40_to_html.rb

@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 #
 # Requires the Amrita templating engine: http://amrita.sourceforge.jp
 
+# Note: if using the appscript gem, rubygems must be required first:
+begin; require 'rubygems'; rescue LoadError; end
+
 require 'appscript'
 include Appscript
 require 'osax'

data/src/SendThreadSafe.c

@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+/*
+    File:       AESendThreadSafe.c
+
+    Contains:   Code to send Apple events in a thread-safe manner.
+
+    Written by: DTS
+
+    Copyright:  Copyright (c) 2007 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+
+    Disclaimer: IMPORTANT: This Apple software is supplied to you by Apple Inc.
+                ("Apple") in consideration of your agreement to the following
+                terms, and your use, installation, modification or
+                redistribution of this Apple software constitutes acceptance of
+                these terms.  If you do not agree with these terms, please do
+                not use, install, modify or redistribute this Apple software.
+
+                In consideration of your agreement to abide by the following
+                terms, and subject to these terms, Apple grants you a personal,
+                non-exclusive license, under Apple's copyrights in this
+                original Apple software (the "Apple Software"), to use,
+                reproduce, modify and redistribute the Apple Software, with or
+                without modifications, in source and/or binary forms; provided
+                that if you redistribute the Apple Software in its entirety and
+                without modifications, you must retain this notice and the
+                following text and disclaimers in all such redistributions of
+                the Apple Software. Neither the name, trademarks, service marks
+                or logos of Apple Inc. may be used to endorse or promote
+                products derived from the Apple Software without specific prior
+                written permission from Apple.  Except as expressly stated in
+                this notice, no other rights or licenses, express or implied,
+                are granted by Apple herein, including but not limited to any
+                patent rights that may be infringed by your derivative works or
+                by other works in which the Apple Software may be incorporated.
+
+                The Apple Software is provided by Apple on an "AS IS" basis. 
+                APPLE MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
+                WITHOUT LIMITATION THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT,
+                MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING
+                THE APPLE SOFTWARE OR ITS USE AND OPERATION ALONE OR IN
+                COMBINATION WITH YOUR PRODUCTS.
+
+                IN NO EVENT SHALL APPLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT,
+                INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+                TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+                DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) ARISING IN ANY WAY
+                OUT OF THE USE, REPRODUCTION, MODIFICATION AND/OR DISTRIBUTION
+                OF THE APPLE SOFTWARE, HOWEVER CAUSED AND WHETHER UNDER THEORY
+                OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR
+                OTHERWISE, EVEN IF APPLE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+                SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+    Change History (most recent first):
+
+$Log: AESendThreadSafe.c,v $
+Revision 1.3  2007/02/27 10:45:15         
+In the destructor, add an assert that the thread-local storage has been set to NULL. Also fixed a comment typo.
+
+Revision 1.2  2007/02/12 11:59:09         
+Added a type cast for the malloc result.
+
+Revision 1.1  2007/02/09 10:55:24         
+First checked in.
+
+
+*/
+
+/*
+
+2007/06/24 -- Modified by HAS to make AESendMessageThreadSafeSynchronous API-compatible with AESendMessage; renamed SendMessageThreadSafe.
+
+*/
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include "SendThreadSafe.h"
+
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <mach/mach.h>
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/*
+    How It Works
+    ------------
+    The basic idea behind this module is that it uses per-thread storage to keep 
+    track of an Apple event reply for any given thread.  The first time that the 
+    thread calls AESendMessageThreadSafeSynchronous, the per-thread storage will 
+    not be initialised and the code will grab an Apple event reply port and 
+    assign it to the per-thread storage.  Subsequent calls to AESendMessageThreadSafeSynchronous 
+    will continue to use that port.  When the thread dies, pthreads will automatically 
+    call the destructor for the per-thread storage, and that will clean up the port.
+    
+    Because we can't dispose of the reply port (without triggering the Apple 
+    Event Manager bug that's the reason we wrote this code in the first place), 
+    the destructor doesn't actually dispose of the port.  Rather, it adds the 
+    port to a pool of ports that are available for reuse.  The next time a thread 
+    needs to allocate a port, it will grab it from the pool rather than allocating 
+    it from scratch.
+
+    This technique means that the code still 'leaks' Apple event reply ports, but 
+    the size of the leak is limited to the maximum number of threads that you run 
+    simultaneously.  This isn't a problem in practice.
+*/
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+// The PerThreadStorage structure is a trivial wrapper around the Mach port.  
+// I added this because I need to attach this structure a thread using 
+// per-thread storage.  The API for that (<x-man-page://3/pthread_setspecific>) 
+// is pointer based.  I could've just cast the Mach port to a (void *), but 
+// that's ugly because of a) pointer size issues (are pointers always bigger than 
+// ints?), and b) because it implies an equivalent between NULL and MACH_PORT_NULL.
+// Given this, I simply decided to create a structure to wrap the Mach port.
+
+enum {
+    kPerThreadStorageMagic = 'PTSm'
+};
+
+struct PerThreadStorage {
+    OSType          magic;          // must be kPerThreadStorageMagic
+    mach_port_t     port;
+};
+typedef struct PerThreadStorage PerThreadStorage;
+
+// The following static variables manage the per-thread storage key 
+// (sPerThreadStorageKey) and the pool of Mach ports (wrapped in 
+// PerThreadStorage structures) that are not currently attached to a thread.
+
+static pthread_once_t       sInited = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;    // covers initialisation of all of the 
+                                                            // following static variables
+
+static OSStatus             sPerThreadStorageKeyInitErrNum; // latches result of initialisation
+
+static pthread_key_t        sPerThreadStorageKey = 0;       // key for our per-thread storage
+
+static pthread_mutex_t      sPoolMutex;                     // protects sPool
+static CFMutableArrayRef    sPool;                          // array of (PerThreadStorage *), holds 
+                                                            // the ports that aren't currently bound to 
+                                                            // a thread
+
+static void PerThreadStorageDestructor(void *keyValue);     // forward declaration
+
+static void InitRoutine(void)
+    // Call once (via pthread_once) to initialise various static variables.
+{
+    OSStatus    err;
+    
+    // Create the per-thread storage key.  Note that we assign a destructor to this key; 
+    // pthreads call the destructor to clean up that item of per-thread storage whenever 
+    // a thread terminates.
+    
+    err = (OSStatus) pthread_key_create(&sPerThreadStorageKey, PerThreadStorageDestructor);
+    
+    // Create the pool of Mach ports that aren't bound to any thread, and its associated 
+    // lock.  The pool starts out empty.
+    
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        err = (OSStatus) pthread_mutex_init(&sPoolMutex, NULL);
+    }
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        sPool = CFArrayCreateMutable(NULL, 0, NULL);
+        if (sPool == NULL) {
+            err = coreFoundationUnknownErr;
+        }
+    }
+    assert(err == 0);
+    
+    sPerThreadStorageKeyInitErrNum = err;
+}
+
+static OSStatus AllocatePortFromPool(PerThreadStorage **storagePtr)
+    // Grab a Mach port from sPool; if sPool is empty, create one.
+{
+    OSStatus            err;
+    OSStatus            junk;
+    PerThreadStorage *  storage;
+    
+    assert( storagePtr != NULL);
+    assert(*storagePtr == NULL);
+    
+    storage = NULL;
+    
+    // First try to get an entry from pool.  We try to grab the last one because 
+    // that minimises the amount of copying that CFArrayRemoveValueAtIndex has to 
+    // do.
+    
+    err = (OSStatus) pthread_mutex_lock(&sPoolMutex);
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        CFIndex             poolCount;
+        
+        poolCount = CFArrayGetCount(sPool);
+        if (poolCount > 0) {
+            storage = (PerThreadStorage *) CFArrayGetValueAtIndex(sPool, poolCount - 1);
+            CFArrayRemoveValueAtIndex(sPool, poolCount - 1);
+        }
+        
+        junk = (OSStatus) pthread_mutex_unlock(&sPoolMutex);
+        assert(junk == noErr);
+    }
+
+    // If we failed to find an entry in the pool, create a new one.
+
+    if ( (err == noErr) && (storage == NULL) ) {
+        storage = (PerThreadStorage *) malloc(sizeof(*storage));
+        if (storage == NULL) {
+            err = memFullErr;
+        } else {
+            storage->magic = kPerThreadStorageMagic;
+            storage->port  = MACH_PORT_NULL;
+
+            err = (OSStatus) mach_port_allocate(mach_task_self(), MACH_PORT_RIGHT_RECEIVE, &storage->port);
+            if (err != noErr) {
+                assert(storage->port == MACH_PORT_NULL);
+                free(storage);
+                storage = NULL;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        *storagePtr = storage;
+    }
+    
+    assert( (err == noErr) == (*storagePtr != NULL) );
+    assert( (*storagePtr == NULL) || ((*storagePtr)->magic == kPerThreadStorageMagic) );
+    assert( (*storagePtr == NULL) || ((*storagePtr)->port  != MACH_PORT_NULL) );
+    
+    return err;
+}
+
+static void ReturnPortToPool(PerThreadStorage * storage)
+    // Returns a port to sPool.
+{
+    OSStatus err;
+
+    assert(storage != NULL);
+    assert(storage->magic == kPerThreadStorageMagic);
+    assert(storage->port  != MACH_PORT_NULL);
+
+    err = (OSStatus) pthread_mutex_lock(&sPoolMutex);
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        CFArrayAppendValue(sPool, storage);
+        
+        err = (OSStatus) pthread_mutex_unlock(&sPoolMutex);
+    }
+    assert(err == noErr);
+}
+
+// Main Thread Notes
+// -----------------
+// There are two reasons why we don't assign a reply port to the main thread. 
+// First, the main thread already has a reply port created for it by Apple 
+// Event Manager.  Thus, we don't need a specific reply port.  Also, the 
+// destructor for per-thread storage isn't called for the main thread, so 
+// we wouldn't get a chance to clean up (although that's not really a problem 
+// in practice).
+
+static OSStatus BindReplyMachPortToThread(mach_port_t *replyPortPtr)
+    // Get a reply port for this thread, remembering that we've done this 
+    // in per-thread storage.
+    // 
+    // On success, *replyPortPtr is the port to use for this thread's reply 
+    // port.  It will be MACH_PORT_NULL if you call it from the main thread.
+{
+    OSStatus    err;
+    
+    assert( replyPortPtr != NULL);
+    assert(*replyPortPtr == MACH_PORT_NULL);
+
+    // Initialise ourselves the first time that we're called.
+    
+    err = (OSStatus) pthread_once(&sInited, InitRoutine);
+    
+    // If something went wrong, return the latched error.
+    
+    if ( (err == noErr) && (sPerThreadStorageKeyInitErrNum != noErr) ) {
+        err = sPerThreadStorageKeyInitErrNum;
+    }
+    
+    // Now do the real work.
+    
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        if ( pthread_main_np() ) {
+            // This is the main thread, so do nothing; leave *replyPortPtr set 
+            // to MACH_PORT_NULL.
+            assert(*replyPortPtr == MACH_PORT_NULL);
+        } else {
+            PerThreadStorage *  storage;
+
+            // Get the per-thread storage for this thread.
+            
+            storage = (PerThreadStorage *) pthread_getspecific(sPerThreadStorageKey);
+            if (storage == NULL) {
+
+                // The per-thread storage hasn't been allocated yet for this specific 
+                // thread.  Let's go allocate it and attach it to this thread.
+                
+                err = AllocatePortFromPool(&storage);
+                if (err == noErr) {
+                    err = (OSStatus) pthread_setspecific(sPerThreadStorageKey, (void *) storage);
+                    if (err != noErr) {
+                        ReturnPortToPool(storage);
+                        storage = NULL;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            assert( (err == noErr) == (storage != NULL) );
+            
+            // If all went well, copy the port out to our client.
+            
+            if (err == noErr) {
+                assert(storage->magic == kPerThreadStorageMagic);
+                assert(storage->port  != MACH_PORT_NULL);
+                *replyPortPtr = storage->port;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // no error + MACH_PORT_NULL is a valid response if we're on the main 
+    // thread.
+    //
+    // assert( (err == noErr) == (*replyPortPtr != MACH_PORT_NULL) );
+    assert( (*replyPortPtr == MACH_PORT_NULL) || (err == noErr) );
+    
+    return err;
+}
+
+static void PerThreadStorageDestructor(void *keyValue)
+    // Called by pthreads when a thread dies and it has a non-null value for our 
+    // per-thread storage key.  We use this callback to return the thread's 
+    // Apple event reply port to the pool.
+{
+    PerThreadStorage *  storage;
+
+    storage = (PerThreadStorage *) keyValue;
+    assert(storage != NULL);                    // pthread won't call us if it's NULL
+    assert(storage->magic == kPerThreadStorageMagic);
+    assert(storage->port  != MACH_PORT_NULL);
+    
+    // Return the port associated with this thread to the pool.
+    
+    ReturnPortToPool(storage);
+
+    // pthreads has already set this thread's per-thread storage for our key to 
+    // NULL before calling us. So we don't need to do anything to remove it.
+
+    assert( pthread_getspecific(sPerThreadStorageKey) == NULL );
+}
+
+OSStatus SendMessageThreadSafe(
+    AppleEvent *            eventPtr,
+    AppleEvent *            replyPtr,
+	AESendMode              sendMode,
+    long                    timeOutInTicks
+)
+    // See comment in header.
+{
+    OSStatus        err = noErr;
+    mach_port_t     replyPort;
+    assert(eventPtr != NULL);
+    assert(replyPtr != NULL);
+    
+	if (sendMode && kAEWaitReply) {
+		replyPort = MACH_PORT_NULL;
+		
+		// Set up the reply port if necessary.
+		
+		err = BindReplyMachPortToThread(&replyPort);
+		if ( (err == noErr) && (replyPort != MACH_PORT_NULL) ) {
+			err = AEPutAttributePtr(eventPtr, keyReplyPortAttr, typeMachPort, &replyPort, sizeof(replyPort));
+		}
+    }
+	
+    // Call through to AESendMessage.
+    
+    if (err == noErr) {
+        err = AESendMessage(eventPtr, replyPtr, sendMode, timeOutInTicks);
+    }
+    
+    return err;
+}