Add network icon onto dock

Question

vdub1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Add network icon onto dock

Hi All

I am totally new to Apple OS and it's now my job to administer them as a member of staff has left us who used to do all the mac admin.

We have an issue with adding a network icon to the dock. Some machines display it fine and others don't.

I remember him telling me that using workgroup manager doesn't work so he used to do it another way using a plist file or something along those lines. I've found the file he means but it's a .app file which contains a unix exe?

I've googled this problem and there seems to be people doing this with profile manager but we don't have this software. I assumed this could be done with workgroup manager but for some reason it doesn't.

The shortcut needs to simply go to \\servername\share

The other complication i'm going to have is that the \\servername\share is being moved to a different location as it's grown so big we have run out of space. The shortcut will need to be edited with the new sharename.

Could someone please explain to me what to do in the simplest terms possible? I'm a PC admin not a mac so I'll have no idea what the technical mac stuff means.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Apr 30, 2012 2:53 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Alberto Ravasio

Level 5

4,279 points

Apr 30, 2012 6:46 AM in response to vdub1980

If I did understand what you are asking for, is to put a shortcut of a network folder into the Dock.

Type, in the following panel, the URL of the resource you want to connect to, in the form of protocol, Target_IP, shared_folder. In your case I guess is a Windows share

smb://192.168.1.100/TargetShare

You can also add it to Favorite servers, clicking on the + button

Next, authenticate as a registred user or Guest

When you click connect, a Finder window pops up.

Click and hold on the little icon at the top of the menu bar, drag the icon into the Dock anyplace at the right side of the "crosswalk"

Right click on the newly created docked folder, choose Folder from the menu

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 30, 2012 6:45 AM in response to vdub1980

This is the final result.

From now on, you can connect to the network folder clicking on its docked icon.

Reply

Answer 3

vdub1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 30, 2012 7:11 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

Hi there thanks for that

I have a meeting now that will run to the end of my day so I will let you know how I get on tomorrow.

Would there be an easy way to do this via our apple server so that I don't have to visit each machine in turn?

We have about 40 macs so this could take some time.

The current icon looks like the one in the screenshot that is currently highlighted.

User uploaded file

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 30, 2012 7:26 AM in response to vdub1980

I can't see the image but I think is like this

Just kidding 😀

The one you see in my last post is the Lion's new style network icon.

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 30, 2012 8:03 AM in response to vdub1980

vdub1980 wrote:

Would there be an easy way to do this via our apple server so that I don't have to visit each machine in turn?

We have about 40 macs so this could take some time.

Sure there is. You can post your query in

Mac OS X Server v10.6 Snow Leopard

Reply

Answer 6

vdub1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 1, 2012 2:35 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

Ive tried this and it doesn't work ... after dragging it doesn't appear

Reply

Answer 7

May 1, 2012 2:44 AM in response to vdub1980

Look at the picture below, it must be beetween the Trash can and the dotted line that I called "crosswalk" inside the Dock. The network drive icon appears after changing the view from Stack to Folder.

Reply

Answer 8

vdub1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2012 4:08 AM in response to vdub1980

This seems to work.

However the process I have to get to just to unlock the go menu and access the shortcut is rediculous hence wanting this to be an automated thing.

I have these .nib files that I have to copy over and replace over system files just to unlock the go menu, then I have to log out, log in, browse the network to then get the shortcut, lock the machine down and log out again.

We have about 40 macs and i'm not keen on manually doing this on all of them.

Here's the document I follow for this procedure:

To Regain sidebar and go accses replace the folder in /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MenuBar .nib for the ones in Lockfider restorgo to:-/

cd /Users/administrator/Desktop/Lockfinder/Restorego/MenuBar.nib

sudo cp -r * "/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MenuBar .nib"

cd /Users/administrator/Desktop/Lockfinder/Restorego/PreferencesWindow.nib

sudo cp -r * "/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/PreferencesWindow.nib"

To LOck down again Copy the files in Lockdowngo to /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/

cd /Users/administrator/Desktop/Lockfinder/Lockdowngo/MenuBar.nib

sudo cp -r * "/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MenuBar .nib"

cd /Users/administrator/Desktop/Lockfinder/Lockdowngo/PreferencesWindow.nib

sudo cp -r * "/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/PreferencesWindow.nib"

Absolutely crazy! With windows server and group policy this is a breeze

Reply

Answer 9

vdub1980 Author

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2012 4:10 AM in response to vdub1980

Just to add i've created a batch/script file that will hopefully do all that for me, but i havn't tested it yet

Thanks for the help by the way!

Reply

Answer 10

May 2, 2012 5:55 AM in response to vdub1980

Absolutely crazy! With windows server and group policy this is a breeze

That can be accomplished with Workgroup Manager. Unfortunately I cannot guide you through the process. That's why I addressed you to the Snow Leopard Server section.

If your company would like to invest $ 25 into the following video tutorial

http://www.lynda.com/OS-X-Server-10-6-tutorials/mac-snow-leopard-essential-train ing/50684-2.html

The video "Managed Preferences (MCX) overview" explains the whole process.

Have a look also at this link. I hope you will find some useful hints

http://www.mactasia.co.uk/folder-redirections-mcx-redirector

Reply