[27.0beta] Wrong app shown as running in Background in Dock

I develop a tool on macOS which is composed of an UI app to manage the main app settings, and an Agent that runs in background doing some tasks ?

(Running the agent is optional, can be launched from the UI app, and can be launched by macOS at startup with SMAppService. )

Agent has the LSUIElement flag set, and only shows a Menu Extra (or whatever it now named), and sometimes some notifications.

The whole App package is bundled this way MainAppUI.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/AppAgent.app (for SMAppService to work)

This has been working correctly for years

Now on macOS 27 beta, once I quit the UI App, having launched the Agent, the Dock reports the UI App is still running in background (with the grey dot) . But only the Agent is running, not the UI app process.

Moreover, System Settings->Background apps reports both the UI app AND the Agent as both requesting to run in background.

I would have expected only the Agent being listed in System Settings, and nothing appearing in the Dock.

Is this a bug in the OS beta , showing the top-level container bundle as the app running in background instead of the executable direct container ?

Or maybe it's on me and I should bundle my app differently ? (I cannot "reverse" the bundle and put the Agent as the main app, with UI "inside", as double clicking the main app should launch the UI App , not the Agent. )

BTW, filed FB23203848 for the same subject.

thanks for any direction

Answered by DTS Engineer in 906013022

From that other thread it looks like you resolved this by adopting SMAppService, which is something I actively recommend.

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Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

Thanks for the post to let us know you have filed a bug.

You can see the status of your feedback in Feedback Assistant. There, you can track if the report is still being investigated, has a potential identifiable fix, or has been resolved in another way. The status appears beside the label "Resolution." We're unable to share any updates on specific reports on the forums.

For more details on when you'll see updates to your report, please see What to expect after submission.

Albert  WWDR

I have the same issue with my app Find Any File, see https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/847300.

That's really bad, because that bg-only helped is doing nothing by check for a hotkey press. Users don't want or need a constant reminder that this bg helper is running (constantly, that's the entire purpose of it!), occupying a precious dock icon for no gain.

I'd have hoped that Apple provides a method to hide this helper, but that doesn't seem to be the case, or is there one?

From that other thread it looks like you resolved this by adopting SMAppService, which is something I actively recommend.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

[27.0beta] Wrong app shown as running in Background in Dock
 
 
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