Auto-Start application on Mac OS X - how?
I've used my kbox to deploy an application to all my Macs, but I need the app to start up at launch for all users. We use AD logins so individually setting login items for each is out of the question, as there are hundreds of students who might use each Mac.
Is there an easy way to do this for Macs, like the Startup folder on PCs?
FYI the application is the PCounter Popup, which controls printing, and needs to be running.
Regards,
Answers (2)
OSX Server is the best way of handling this, but there are some other possible solutions.
This is an older script but might work. If it does then you can have your K1 run it as each logged in user to populate the Login items with your application: http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20040524113537447
You also might look at creating a launchd plist and storing it in /Library/LaunchAgents. If you are unfimiliar with launchd there are generators out there you can use. Also a manual on it:
If anyone knows of something easier please do chime in.
Comments:
Using launchd is the answer. But don't be too intimidated by the man page.
Launchd is actually not too hard to implement using Lingon from Peter Borg and having a touch of knowledge about launchd.
Launchd, in a nutshell, allows you to make a command (or a script or an app) run when you want to: All the time, at some interval, when something happens, or at a specific time.
Lingon allows you to create fully formed, if somewhat limited, launchd .PLIST files. It is a good introduction to using launchd.
The plist file could then be easily be passed to the Macs using a K1000 via Scripting or File Sync.
Just generate the PLIST file using Lingon and send it to /Library/LaunchAgents/ and it will do it's thing. viola!
If you need it only when a user logs in, you would need to install it into the user's ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ directory, which would need to be done using scripting .
