# App Control

> Open, close, and control applications on the computer

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-frontier-ai-next-mgarlbot-app-control`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [frontier-ai-next](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/frontier-ai-next)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Cloud & Infrastructure](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/cloud-infrastructure)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [frontier-ai-next](https://github.com/frontier-ai-next)
- **Source:** https://github.com/frontier-ai-next/mgarlbot/tree/main/skills/app_control

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-frontier-ai-next-mgarlbot-app-control
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

## Application control (macOS)

Use shell and AppleScript to launch and control apps.

### Open by app name

```
open -a "TextEdit"
open -a "Safari"
open -a "Calculator"
open -a "Cursor"
open -a "Terminal"
open -a "Finder"
open -a "Notes"
```

### Open a file

Default app:

```
open /path/to/file.txt
```

Specific app:

```
open -a "TextEdit" /path/to/file.txt
```

URL:

```
open "https://example.com"
```

### Editor with content

```
echo "content here" > /tmp/tempfile.txt && open -a "TextEdit" /tmp/tempfile.txt
```

### Projects / folders

Open folder in Cursor:

```
open -a "Cursor" /path/to/project
```

Open in Finder:

```
open /path/to/folder
```

### Quit

```
osascript -e 'quit app "TextEdit"'
```

### Is it running?

```
pgrep -x "TextEdit" && echo "Running" || echo "Not running"
```

### AppleScript (advanced)

Type into frontmost app:

```
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to keystroke "Hello World"'
```

Shortcut:

```
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to keystroke "s" using command down'
```

Bring to front:

```
osascript -e 'tell application "TextEdit" to activate'
```

### Rules

1. On macOS, “notepad” → **TextEdit** unless the user names another app.
2. After `open`, confirm success when practical (e.g. `pgrep`).
3. Prefer **write a temp file and open it** over long keystroke typing.
4. Use `osascript` only when needed; it is fragile under focus changes.
5. After launching an app, a short `sleep 1` before UI automation can help.
6. For “open notepad and write X”: write `X` to a file, open in TextEdit.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [frontier-ai-next](https://github.com/frontier-ai-next)
- **Source:** [frontier-ai-next/mgarlbot](https://github.com/frontier-ai-next/mgarlbot)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-frontier-ai-next-mgarlbot-app-control
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/frontier-ai-next
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.