PyObjC NSStatusBar Sample

I've been putting together a couple of very simple Python utilities that require little or no UI but that I don't want to invoke via the command line, so I rummaged around in the PyObjC mailing-list archives for a while in search of a way to give them a Cocoa UI without going through the hassle of building .nib files and the like.

I eventually hit upon using the NSStatusBar class to add yet another little icon to the main menu bar, but since I could not find any decent samples that illustrated the whole thing (building the item, binding images and menus to it and making it highlight upon clicking upon), I decided to build a complete working sample and post it:

import objc, re, os
from Foundation import *
from AppKit import *
from PyObjCTools import NibClassBuilder, AppHelper

# poach one of the iSync internal images to get things rolling
status_images = {'idle':'/Applications/iSync.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/iSyncHelp/gfx/iscic.png'}

start_time = NSDate.date()

class Timer(NSObject):
  images = {}
  statusbar = None
  state = 'idle'

  def applicationDidFinishLaunching_(self, notification):
    statusbar = NSStatusBar.systemStatusBar()
    # Create the statusbar item
    self.statusitem = statusbar.statusItemWithLength_(NSVariableStatusItemLength)
    # Load all images
    for i in status_images.keys():
      self.images[i] = NSImage.alloc().initByReferencingFile_(status_images[i])
    # Set initial image
    self.statusitem.setImage_(self.images['idle'])
    # Let it highlight upon clicking
    self.statusitem.setHighlightMode_(1)
    # Set a tooltip
    self.statusitem.setToolTip_('Sync Trigger')

    # Build a very simple menu
    self.menu = NSMenu.alloc().init()
    # Sync event is bound to sync_ method
    menuitem = NSMenuItem.alloc().initWithTitle_action_keyEquivalent_('Sync...', 'sync:', '')
    self.menu.addItem_(menuitem)
    # Default event
    menuitem = NSMenuItem.alloc().initWithTitle_action_keyEquivalent_('Quit', 'terminate:', '')
    self.menu.addItem_(menuitem)
    # Bind it to the status item
    self.statusitem.setMenu_(self.menu)

    # Get the timer going
    self.timer = NSTimer.alloc().initWithFireDate_interval_target_selector_userInfo_repeats_(start_time, 5.0, self, 'tick:', None, True)
    NSRunLoop.currentRunLoop().addTimer_forMode_(self.timer, NSDefaultRunLoopMode)
    self.timer.fire()

  def sync_(self, notification):
    print "sync"

  def tick_(self, notification):
    print self.state

if __name__ == "__main__":
  app = NSApplication.sharedApplication()
  delegate = Timer.alloc().init()
  app.setDelegate_(delegate)
  AppHelper.runEventLoop()

The above code needs some minor tweaks, but it allows for multiple images, periodic updates, etc.