# dispatchRawAppleEvent(_:withRawReply:handlerRefCon:) Causes the Apple event specified by `theAppleEvent` to be dispatched to the appropriate Apple event handler, if one has been registered by calling [`setEventHandler(_:andSelector:forEventClass:andEventID:)`](/documentation/Foundation/NSAppleEventManager/setEventHandler(_:andSelector:forEventClass:andEventID:)). ``` func dispatchRawAppleEvent(_ theAppleEvent: UnsafePointer, withRawReply theReply: UnsafeMutablePointer, handlerRefCon: SRefCon) -> OSErr ``` ## Discussion The `theReply` parameter always specifies a reply Apple event, never `nil`. However, the handler should not fill out the reply if the descriptor type for the reply event is `typeNull`, indicating the sender does not want a reply. The `handlerRefcon` parameter provides 4 bytes of data to the handler; a common use for this parameter is to pass a pointer to additional data. This method is primarily intended for Cocoa’s internal use. Note that *dispatching* an event means routing an event to an appropriate handler in the current application. You cannot use this method to *send* an event to other applications. --- 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)