A hacky way of fixing the aw-watcher-window issue on macOS

[dingwen07]

Since aw-watcher-window requires the Automation permission in order to work on macOS, but the app won't require it dynamically. The fix is to add the permission manually by directly editing the TCC permission database.

Preparation

• Install a Software that can edit SQLite database, I use DB Browser for SQLite
• Make sure that there is an app that have the permission of "System Events" under "Automation"
• Grant "Full Disk Access" permission to Terminal and the Software for editing SQLite
• Use ActivityWatch v0.12.0 beta, this is because starting this version the releases are codesigned, so that permissions can be persisted after upgrade

Procedure

• Grant "Bluetooth" permission to ActivityWatch
• (Optional) Create a backup of TCC database: cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db ~/TCC.bk.db
• Open TCC database using your SQLite editor, it can be located under ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC, open this folder using open ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC
• Open access table
• Create a new entry
• In column service, fill kTCCServiceAppleEvents
• client: net.activitywatch.ActivityWatch
• Following columns: 0, 2, 3, 1
• For the csreq column, filter in client column with keyword net.activitywatch.ActivityWatch, you should see another entry (this is from the "Bluetooth" permission added before), simply copy the csreq from that entry to the newly created one, just remember to set the Mode to Binary
• indirect_object_identifier_type: 0
• indirect_object_identifier: com.apple.systemevents
• For indirect_object_code_identity, filter indirect_object_identifier column with keyword com.apple.systemevents, then copy the binary, just like csreq
• Commit and save changes
• Confirm that ActivityWatch now have the "Automation" permission
• Remove "Bluetooth" permission from ActivityWatch

[skorphil]

Thank you, it's kinda work, but it started to track all apps except for browsers(usage of chrome safari etc do not logged at all). and i started to get input problems(was unavailable to type anything in different apps and browsers until reboot). So solution not ideal

[Ninister]

under macOS Catalina I don't have "bluetooth" under permissions. Is there an another way to get csreq? I tried other settings, but there ist no ActivityWatch in the database.
Thanks a lot.

[dingwen07]

under macOS Catalina I don't have "bluetooth" under permissions. Is there an another way to get csreq? I tried other settings, but there ist no ActivityWatch in the database.
Thanks a lot.

There is a little + icon located near the bottom of Bluetooth permission list.

Also, I believe for newer versions you don't need to manually add permissions, they should be requested.

[Ninister]

i don't have bluetooth at all.


my problem is, that ActivityWatch don't have data from the windows in front. for the whole day I have "no data". I found that I have to follow your instruction to solve this. now I can't solve the bluetooth situation :)

[dingwen07]

You can refer this stackoverflow page