Parental Controls Broken After Updating an Application
I'm using Parental Controls (remotely) under 10.5.4 to manage what applications can be opened in a small lab. This works well until I need to update an application on the lab computers. I'll use Firefox as an example, but this happens with all applications.
- I have a version of Firefox on all lab computers (3.0) and Firefox is allowed under parental controls. Everything works.
- I update Firefox to 3.0.1. (In this case, I simply overwrote the older version of firefox, but I get this problem when updating applications with installers.)
- If I remotely look at the Parental Controls settings for the lab computer, I can see that Firefox is still allowed (checked)
- Now, on the lab computer, I log into the managed account and try to open Firefox, I get a warning about the application not being on the allowed list.
- I log out of the lab computer, and again, access the parental controls setting remotely. Now Firefox is Not Allowed (unchecked).
- I check the box to allow Firefox
- Now when I log into the managed account, the new version of Firefox opens.
Some fixex / workarounds I have tried:
- After updating Firefox, I remotely accessed the parental controls settings and first disallowed (unchecked) Firefox, close parental controls, reopened it, and then allowed (checked) Firefox. When logged into the managed account, opening Firefox produced the not allowed error. When I return to the Parental Controls settings, Firefox is now Not Allowed (unchecked). Checking the box to allow Firefox fix the error.
- I've tried restarting after updating Firefox and it did not work.
My guess:
I assume that Leopard keeps a list of applications and versions installed on the computer. Parental Controls allows a specific combination and any update will break the parental controls. To allow this updated application to be opened, its old entry in the list must be updated to reflect the new version. The only way I have figured out how to do this, is to try and open the updated application and fail. Then I can finally allow the updated version.
Does anyone know of an automated or scritable way to do this. I have tried working with lsregister, but have not had any success. I need a way to force Leopard to reload / refresh its list of installed applications, with having a user logged into the console.
For a different solution, does if you can send a UNIX command to machine sitting on it login screen, that will cause the machine to login as a local console user. I could then send "open /path/to/updated app" and a logout to force the application list to be refreshed.
Many Thanks in advance for any help.
- I have a version of Firefox on all lab computers (3.0) and Firefox is allowed under parental controls. Everything works.
- I update Firefox to 3.0.1. (In this case, I simply overwrote the older version of firefox, but I get this problem when updating applications with installers.)
- If I remotely look at the Parental Controls settings for the lab computer, I can see that Firefox is still allowed (checked)
- Now, on the lab computer, I log into the managed account and try to open Firefox, I get a warning about the application not being on the allowed list.
- I log out of the lab computer, and again, access the parental controls setting remotely. Now Firefox is Not Allowed (unchecked).
- I check the box to allow Firefox
- Now when I log into the managed account, the new version of Firefox opens.
Some fixex / workarounds I have tried:
- After updating Firefox, I remotely accessed the parental controls settings and first disallowed (unchecked) Firefox, close parental controls, reopened it, and then allowed (checked) Firefox. When logged into the managed account, opening Firefox produced the not allowed error. When I return to the Parental Controls settings, Firefox is now Not Allowed (unchecked). Checking the box to allow Firefox fix the error.
- I've tried restarting after updating Firefox and it did not work.
My guess:
I assume that Leopard keeps a list of applications and versions installed on the computer. Parental Controls allows a specific combination and any update will break the parental controls. To allow this updated application to be opened, its old entry in the list must be updated to reflect the new version. The only way I have figured out how to do this, is to try and open the updated application and fail. Then I can finally allow the updated version.
Does anyone know of an automated or scritable way to do this. I have tried working with lsregister, but have not had any success. I need a way to force Leopard to reload / refresh its list of installed applications, with having a user logged into the console.
For a different solution, does if you can send a UNIX command to machine sitting on it login screen, that will cause the machine to login as a local console user. I could then send "open /path/to/updated app" and a logout to force the application list to be refreshed.
Many Thanks in advance for any help.
MacPro, Mac OS X (10.5.4)