# Deprecated Symbols Review unsupported symbols and their replacements. ## Discussion The table below describes keys for an `NSDictionary` object containing information about an app. This dictionary is returned by [`activeApplication()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/activeApplication()) and [`launchedApplications`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchedApplications), and is also provided in the `userInfo` of `NSWorkspace` notifications for app launch and termination. Note that these constants are considered legacy. > Note: > It is strongly suggested that you use the `NSWorkspace` class’s ``doc://com.apple.appkit/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/runningApplications`` method and the ``doc://com.apple.appkit/documentation/AppKit/NSRunningApplication`` class to retrieve this information in apps target macOS 10.6 and later, rather than the ``doc://com.apple.appkit/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/activeApplication()`` and ``doc://com.apple.appkit/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchedApplications`` methods. |Key |Value | |-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| |`@"NSApplicationPath"` |The full path to the app, as a `NSString` object. | |`@"NSApplicationName"` |The app’s name, as an `NSString` object. | |`@"NSApplicationBundleIdentifier"` |The app’s bundle identifier, as an `NSString` object. | |`@"NSApplicationProcessIdentifier"` |The app’s process ID, as an `NSNumber` object. | |`@"NSApplicationProcessSerialNumberHigh"`|The high long of the process serial number (PSN), as an `NSNumber` object.| |`@"NSApplicationProcessSerialNumberLow"` |The low long of the process serial number (PSN), as an `NSNumber` object. | ## Topics ### Methods [`func open(URL, options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions, configuration: [NSWorkspace.LaunchConfigurationKey : Any]) throws -> NSRunningApplication`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/open(_:options:configuration:)) [`func open([URL], withApplicationAt: URL, options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions, configuration: [NSWorkspace.LaunchConfigurationKey : Any]) throws -> NSRunningApplication`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/open(_:withApplicationAt:options:configuration:)) [`func openFile(String) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/openFile(_:)) Opens the specified file specified using the default app associated with its type. [`func openFile(String, withApplication: String?) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/openFile(_:withApplication:)) Opens a file using the specified app. [`func openFile(String, withApplication: String?, andDeactivate: Bool) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/openFile(_:withApplication:andDeactivate:)) Opens the specified file and optionally deactivates the sending app. [`func openFile(String, from: NSImage?, at: NSPoint, in: NSView?) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/openFile(_:from:at:in:)) Opens a file using the default app for its type and animates the action using a custom icon. [`func launchApplication(String) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchApplication(_:)) Launches the specified app. [`func launchApplication(String, showIcon: Bool, autolaunch: Bool) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchApplication(_:showIcon:autolaunch:)) Launches the specified app using additional options. [`func launchApplication(at: URL, options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions, configuration: [NSWorkspace.LaunchConfigurationKey : Any]) throws -> NSRunningApplication`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchApplication(at:options:configuration:)) Launches the app at the specified URL. [`func performFileOperation(NSWorkspace.FileOperationName, source: String, destination: String, files: [Any], tag: UnsafeMutablePointer?) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/performFileOperation(_:source:destination:files:tag:)) Performs a file operation on a set of files in a particular directory. [`func fullPath(forApplication: String) -> String?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/fullPath(forApplication:)) Returns the full path for the specified app. [`func absolutePathForApplication(withBundleIdentifier: String) -> String?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/absolutePathForApplication(withBundleIdentifier:)) Returns the absolute file system path of an app bundle. [`func launchApplication(withBundleIdentifier: String, options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions, additionalEventParamDescriptor: NSAppleEventDescriptor?, launchIdentifier: AutoreleasingUnsafeMutablePointer?) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchApplication(withBundleIdentifier:options:additionalEventParamDescriptor:launchIdentifier:)) Launches the app corresponding to the specified `bundleIdentifier`. [`func open([URL], withAppBundleIdentifier: String?, options: NSWorkspace.LaunchOptions, additionalEventParamDescriptor: NSAppleEventDescriptor?, launchIdentifiers: AutoreleasingUnsafeMutablePointer?) -> Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/open(_:withAppBundleIdentifier:options:additionalEventParamDescriptor:launchIdentifiers:)) Opens one or more files from an array of URLs. [`- (BOOL) openTempFile:(NSString *) fullPath;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/openTempFile:) Opens the specified temporary file using the default app for its type. [`- (void) findApplications;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/findApplications) Examines all apps and updates the records of registered services and file types. [`- (void) noteUserDefaultsChanged;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/noteUserDefaultsChanged) Informs the `NSWorkspace` object that the defaults database has changed. [`- (void) slideImage:(NSImage *) image from:(NSPoint) fromPoint to:(NSPoint) toPoint;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/slideImage:from:to:) Animates a sliding image from one point to another. [`- (void) checkForRemovableMedia;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/checkForRemovableMedia) Polls the system’s drives for any disks that have been inserted but not yet mounted. [`- (void) noteFileSystemChanged;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/noteFileSystemChanged) Informs the `NSWorkspace` object that the file system has changed. [`- (BOOL) fileSystemChanged;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/fileSystemChanged) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether a change to the file system has been registered with a [`noteFileSystemChanged`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/noteFileSystemChanged) message since the last [`fileSystemChanged`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/fileSystemChanged) message. [`- (BOOL) userDefaultsChanged;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/userDefaultsChanged) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether a change to the defaults database has been registered with a [`noteUserDefaultsChanged`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/noteUserDefaultsChanged) message since the last [`userDefaultsChanged`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/userDefaultsChanged) message. [`- (NSArray *) mountNewRemovableMedia;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/mountNewRemovableMedia) Returns the full pathnames of any newly mounted disks. [`func mountedRemovableMedia() -> [Any]?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/mountedRemovableMedia()) Returns the full pathnames of all currently mounted removable disks. [`func mountedLocalVolumePaths() -> [Any]?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/mountedLocalVolumePaths()) Returns the mount points of all local volumes, not just the removable ones returned by [`mountedRemovableMedia()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/mountedRemovableMedia()). [`func activeApplication() -> [AnyHashable : Any]?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/activeApplication()) Returns a dictionary with information about the current active app. [`- (NSArray *) launchedApplications;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchedApplications) Returns an array of dictionaries, one entry for each running app. [`func icon(forFileType: String) -> NSImage`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/icon(forFileType:)) Returns an image containing the icon for files of the specified type. ### Types [`struct LaunchOptions`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/LaunchOptions) Constants specifying how you want to launch an app [`struct LaunchConfigurationKey`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/LaunchConfigurationKey) The following keys can be used in the configuration dictionary of the [`launchApplication(at:options:configuration:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/launchApplication(at:options:configuration:)) method. Each key is optional, and if omitted, default behavior is applied. [`struct FileOperationName`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/FileOperationName) Constants that define types of file operations. ### Constants [`extern NSString * NSPlainFileType;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPlainFileType) Plain (untyped) file. [`extern NSString * NSDirectoryFileType;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDirectoryFileType) Directory. [`extern NSString * NSApplicationFileType;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSApplicationFileType) Cocoa app. [`extern NSString * NSFilesystemFileType;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSFilesystemFileType) File-system mount point. [`extern NSString * NSShellCommandFileType;`](/documentation/AppKit/NSShellCommandFileType) Executable shell command. [`class let applicationUserInfoKey: String`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/applicationUserInfoKey) The value corresponding to this key is an instance of [`NSRunningApplication`](/documentation/AppKit/NSRunningApplication) that reflects the affected app. ### Notifications [`class let didPerformFileOperationNotification: NSNotification.Name`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWorkspace/didPerformFileOperationNotification) Posted when a file operation has been performed in the receiving app. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)