An AppleScript that allows Automator to open a file via emacsclient

EmacsClient.applescript

-- Function to check if a file exists and is executable
on fileExistsAndExecutable(thePath)
	try
		do shell script "test -x " & quoted form of thePath
		return true
	on error
		return false
	end try
end fileExistsAndExecutable

on run {input, parameters}
	-- this was a shell script before that ran `/usr/local/bin/emacsclient --no-wait -c -a emacs "$@" >/dev/null 2>&1 &`
	-- Define paths to emacsclient and emacs
	set emacsClientPath to "/opt/homebrew/bin/emacsclient"
	set emacsFallbackPath to "/Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/Emacs"
	
	-- Determine which emacsclient to use
	if fileExistsAndExecutable(emacsClientPath) then
		set selectedEmacsClient to emacsClientPath
	else if fileExistsAndExecutable(emacsFallbackPath) then
		set selectedEmacsClient to emacsFallbackPath
	else
		display dialog "emacsclient not found at " & emacsClientPath & " or " & emacsFallbackPath buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
		return
	end if
	
	-- Check if there are <= 2 visible frames
	try
		set frameVisible to do shell script quoted form of selectedEmacsClient & " -e '(<= 2 (length (visible-frame-list)))'"
	on error errMsg
		display dialog "Error checking visible frames:
" & errMsg buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
		return
	end try
	
	if frameVisible is not "t" then
		-- Launch a new Emacs frame
		try
			do shell script quoted form of selectedEmacsClient & " -c -n >/dev/null 2>&1 &"
		on error errMsg
			display dialog "Error launching Emacs frame:
" & errMsg buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
			return
		end try
	end if
	
	-- Iterate through each file passed to the application
	repeat with aFile in input
		set filePath to POSIX path of aFile
		
		-- Debug: Log the file being processed
		-- log "Attempting to open file: " & filePath
		
		try
			-- Construct the emacsclient command with debug information
			set emacsCommand to quoted form of selectedEmacsClient & " --no-wait -a emacs " & quoted form of filePath
			
			-- Debug: Log the command being executed
			-- log "Executing command: " & emacsCommand
			
			-- Optionally, display the command in a dialog for immediate feedback (can be commented out in production)
			-- display dialog "Executing command: " & emacsCommand buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
			
			-- Open the file with emacsclient using the specified command
			do shell script emacsCommand
			
			-- Debug: Confirm successful execution
			-- log "Successfully executed emacsclient for file: " & filePath
			
		on error errMsg
			-- Debug: Log the error message
			-- log "Error opening file: " & filePath & " - " & errMsg
			
			-- Display a dialog with the error information
			display dialog "Error opening file: " & filePath & return & errMsg buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
		end try
	end repeat
	
	-- Bring Emacs to the foreground
	try
		-- Check if Emacs application exists
		tell application "System Events"
			if exists application process "Emacs" then
				tell application "Emacs" to activate
			else
				do shell script "open -a Emacs"
				delay 1 -- Wait a moment for Emacs to launch
				tell application "Emacs" to activate
			end if
		end tell
	on error errMsg
		display dialog "Error bringing Emacs to foreground:
" & errMsg buttons {"OK"} default button "OK"
	end try
	
	return input
end run