MacOS (OSX) Dictation - Is there a way to read the shortcut keys assigned to dictation feature in Mac? or programmatically start dictation?

Question

I want to enable dictation on any keyboard key press.

Currently I am using AppleScript to click on Menu->Edit->Start Dictation of front most app. This script requires Automation permissions and I am hesitating to create app with so many permissions.

Is there a way to get the shortcut keys assigned to Dictation feature?

• example some preference file in ~/Library/Preferences...

Goal is to:

1. Read shortcut keys from preference file
2. Fire those keys from app (CGEVENTPOST)

Answer 1

I ended up implementing myself. Captured changes made to Preferences folder after modifying any Keyboard setting.

Came across a file called com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist which changed when any shortcuts were modified.

Here is sample code implemented to enable dictation programmatically (Hope my code is self explanatory)

#include <Carbon/Carbon.h>

[self enableDication];

-(void) enableDication
{
    int press_count = 2;

    NSString *pathSymbHotKeys = @"~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist";
    NSMutableDictionary *symbolicHotKeysDict = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc]initWithContentsOfFile:pathSymbHotKeys.stringByExpandingTildeInPath];
    
    NSNumber *enabled = symbolicHotKeysDict[@"AppleSymbolicHotKeys"][@"164"][@"enabled"] ;
    if (![enabled boolValue]) {
        NSLog(@"Dication shortcut not enabled");
        return;
    }
    
    NSString *type = symbolicHotKeysDict[@"AppleSymbolicHotKeys"][@"164"][@"value"][@"type"];
    
    NSNumber *param_key_code  = nil;
    NSNumber *param_mask = nil;
    
    if ([type isEqualToString:@"standard"]) {
        //mask
        param_mask = symbolicHotKeysDict[@"AppleSymbolicHotKeys"][@"164"][@"value"][@"parameters"][2];
        param_key_code = symbolicHotKeysDict[@"AppleSymbolicHotKeys"][@"164"][@"value"][@"parameters"][1];
        press_count = 1;
    }
    else {
        param_key_code = symbolicHotKeysDict[@"AppleSymbolicHotKeys"][@"164"][@"value"][@"parameters"][0];
    }

    CGEventRef fnDown = CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(NULL, [self keyCode:param_key_code type:type], true);
    if ([type isEqualToString:@"standard"]) {
        CGEventSetFlags(fnDown, (CGEventFlags)([param_mask intValue] | CGEventGetFlags(fnDown)));
    }

    CGEventRef fnUp   = CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(NULL, [self keyCode:param_key_code type:type], false);
    if ([type isEqualToString:@"standard"]) {
        CGEventSetFlags(fnUp, (CGEventFlags)([param_mask intValue]));
    }
    
    for (int i = 0; i <press_count; i++)
    {
        CGEventPost(kCGSessionEventTap, fnDown);
        CGEventPost(kCGSessionEventTap, fnUp);
    }

    CFRelease (fnDown);
    CFRelease (fnUp);
}


-(CGKeyCode) keyCode:(NSNumber *)code type:(NSString *)type
{
    if ([type isEqualToString:@"standard"]) {
        return (CGKeyCode)[code longValue];
    }
    else{
        //Default Modifier shortcuts provided by Mac for dictation
        if (([code longValue] & 0x00100008) == 0x00100008) {
            //Left command key
            return kVK_Command;
        }
        else if (([code longValue] & 0x00100010) == 0x00100010) {
            // right command key
            return kVK_RightCommand;
        }
        else if (([code longValue] & kCGEventFlagMaskCommand) == kCGEventFlagMaskCommand) {
            //any command key
            return kVK_Command;
        }
        else if (([code longValue] & NSEventModifierFlagFunction) == NSEventModifierFlagFunction)
        {
            //function key
            return kVK_Function;
        }
        else if (([code longValue] & kCGEventFlagMaskControl) == kCGEventFlagMaskControl)
        {
            //control key
            return kVK_Control;
        }
    }
    return -1;
}