Autostart Server After Crash

This document will guide you on how you can configure your Mac to automatically restart the BlueBubbles Server app if the app crashes (unsafe exit)

Special thanks to Scr0nch for the basis of this guide!

1. Open the TextEdit app on your Mac

2. Copy & paste the following XML into the new text file: Note: Modify the "Program" string value to the location of your BlueBubbles.app, and/or replace {username} with your macOS username

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
       <dict>
           <key>Label</key>
           <string>com.bluebubbles.server</string>
           <key>Program</key>
           <string>/Users/{username}/Applications/BlueBubbles.app/Contents/MacOS/BlueBubbles</string>
           <key>RunAtLoad</key>
           <true/>
           <key>KeepAlive</key>
           <dict>
   	    <key>SuccessfulExit</key>
   	    <false/>
   	</dict>
       </dict>
   </plist>

   This will make sure that the specified program will be run when you first login to your Mac (RunAtLoad), and will be restarted if it crashes (KeepAlive). The SuccessfulExit: false flag means that the app will not be restarted if the server exits successfully; for example, if you manually close the app.

3. Save the file to ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.bluebubbles.server.plist

   1. CMD + S to save the file

   2. CMD + Shift + G to open a file location

   3. Paste ~/Library/ into the popup and hit Enter

   4. Find the LaunchAgents folder and open it

      • If it does not exist, create it using the New Folder button

   5. Enter com.bluebubbles.server.plist in the Save As field

4. Disable the built-in autostart option in the BlueBubbles Server:

5. Install the launch agent and load it after the current user graphically logs in:

   launchctl bootstrap gui/$(id -u $(whoami)) ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.bluebubbles.server.plist

6. Immediately start the launch agent (only necessary for the first time):

   launchctl kickstart gui/$(id -u $(whoami))/com.bluebubbles.server

Some additional notes:

• To uninstall the launch agent:

  launchctl remove com.bluebubbles.server

• To print information about the launch agent:

  launchctl print gui/$(id -u $(whoami))/com.bluebubbles.server