Add enable Sidecar as action > Auto headless Mac with iPad as screen

Feature Requests
1

Hi!

  • What I want: turn on a Mac with an iPad connected to it or in the same network and enable Sidecar automatically so there's no need for another screen to set that up.

  • What I had: a little script that launched at login and went through the UI clicking and selecting extend screen to iPad. Unfortunately that breaks every update and I'm unable to make it work right now.

It'd be great if BTT could achieve this, ideally by itself with an automation: startup > delay (so everything is up and running) > enable Sidecar

Could that be done?

2

Hi @CarlosUnch, if you share the script that you have that used to work, it'll help us understand exactly your requirements.

3

It was as simple as this (automator):

tell application "System Settings"
	reveal pane id "com.apple.preference.displays"
	activate
end tell
delay 1
tell application "System Events"
	tell process "System Preferences"
		delay 2
		click pop up button 1 of window 1
		delay 0
		click menu item "iPad name" of menu 1 of pop up button 1 of window 1
	end tell
	delay 0
	tell application "System Settings"
		quit
	end tell
end tell

One issue was having Apple TV devices that could appear first on the list so they were enabled instead of the iPad.

I searched a few times how to address sidecar without having to go through the UI without success, and less to specify the target. I think sidecar as an action could be useful for other uses, but I think this alone makes it well worth.
There are a few commercial options that plugs into the HDMI and broadcasts to iPad, but it could be made simpler and seamless with this properly coded.