Lopezzi
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Where is the com.apple.remotedesktop.plist file now in ARD 3.7

Does anybody know where the .plist file is for ARD now after the upgrade to 3.7?  It doesn't appear to be in ~/Library/Preferences anymore.  Any changes I make to my list are not being saved.  I want to start fresh, but can't find this plist anymore.  Anybody know?

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 2:48 PM

by Lopezzi,Solvedanswer
Lopezzi Lopezzi
Level 1 (5 points)
A:

So I believe the problem is fixed, however I'm not 100% sure what fixed it.  Here's what I did:

 

 

I deleted the plist file on my dropbox, I rebooted my computer and booted off the recovery partition.  I reset my ACLs on my account and also ran a permission repair in disk utility.  After that, rebooted back off the main partition and launched ARD.  The first time it just opened like normal.  I quit it and reopened it.  This time, it displayed the license agreement as if it has never been configured.  After clicking next, it asked for the ARD password.  Entered that and clicked next to a few more setup questions and everything was back.  Even my list and all settings.  I was then able to make changes and they stuck.  I also noticed I did have an updated plist file in the new location.  So not sure if it was the ACL reset or the permission repair, but things appear to be back to normal now.  Haven't tried re-creating the dropbox sync yet with the new location of the plist.  I'll try that next.

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 7:49 PM

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Lopezzi

Q: Where is the com.apple.remotedesktop.plist file now in ARD 3.7

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  • Helpful answers

  • by CaptMrgnX,Helpful

    CaptMrgnX CaptMrgnX Oct 23, 2013 5:15 PM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 1 (60 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 5:15 PM in response to Lopezzi

    Look in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Preferences

  • by Lopezzi,

    Lopezzi Lopezzi Oct 23, 2013 5:26 PM in response to CaptMrgnX
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 5:26 PM in response to CaptMrgnX

    I did look there and there isn't a file on my comp.  I believe ARD somehow is recording the location of that file somewhere in the app now or something.  Here is my situation:

     

    Prior to the 3.7 update, I had the .plist file on my dropbox with a symbolic link in ~/Library/Preferences pointed to the file in my dropbox.  I did this on my other machines as well so that all my machines shared the same plist so that any changes I made on one machine were reflected on the others.  This method doesn't appear to work anymore with 3.7.  Here's the intersting part; if I remove the file from my dropbox, then ARD acts like it has a new plist and starts fresh, HOWEVER the changes are not saved.  If I quit ARD and reopen it, it acts like a new install again.  It also doesn't create a new plist file in my dropbox or anywhere that I can find.  I have tried just placing the plist file in the path you said and launching ARD but to no avail.  Somewhere it is still looking at my dropbox for the file and I can't figure out where it's reading this from.

     

    Hopefully that made sense.

  • by Lopezzi,Solvedanswer

    Lopezzi Lopezzi Oct 23, 2013 7:49 PM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 23, 2013 7:49 PM in response to Lopezzi

    So I believe the problem is fixed, however I'm not 100% sure what fixed it.  Here's what I did:

     

     

    I deleted the plist file on my dropbox, I rebooted my computer and booted off the recovery partition.  I reset my ACLs on my account and also ran a permission repair in disk utility.  After that, rebooted back off the main partition and launched ARD.  The first time it just opened like normal.  I quit it and reopened it.  This time, it displayed the license agreement as if it has never been configured.  After clicking next, it asked for the ARD password.  Entered that and clicked next to a few more setup questions and everything was back.  Even my list and all settings.  I was then able to make changes and they stuck.  I also noticed I did have an updated plist file in the new location.  So not sure if it was the ACL reset or the permission repair, but things appear to be back to normal now.  Haven't tried re-creating the dropbox sync yet with the new location of the plist.  I'll try that next.

  • by Brian Dodds,

    Brian Dodds Brian Dodds Oct 28, 2013 12:07 PM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 3 (710 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 28, 2013 12:07 PM in response to Lopezzi

    I have been trying to move my "com.apple.RemoteDesktop.plist" database from an old system to a new system and found this thread that helped me find the new location, but I can't get my database to work when moved.  

     

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple. RemoteDesktop.plist

     

    Is this not the right file to move under 3.7 ???

     

    Thanks

  • by Lopezzi,

    Lopezzi Lopezzi Oct 28, 2013 12:23 PM in response to Brian Dodds
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 28, 2013 12:23 PM in response to Brian Dodds

    There appears to be more to it than just the database file now.  I tried recreating my dropbox setup by symbolic linking just that plist file, but it didn't work.  I was able to get it to work by linking the entire "com.apple.RemoteDesktop" folder in ~/Library/Containers/ but since there are other links in those folders (ie Documents, Desktop, etc.) it tried to upload my entire doc and desktop to dropbox.  When it was set like this, it did acutally work, but I didn't want all those folders on my dropbox.  I tried to just keep linking a folder at a time starting with the Preferences folder at ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/ and working my way back, but it didn't seem to matter.  There must be something else it's looking at in the Documents folder or another folder somewhere in the profile that it needs.

     

    Not sure if that helps at all, but this has been my experience with it so far.

  • by Brian Dodds,

    Brian Dodds Brian Dodds Oct 28, 2013 3:42 PM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 3 (710 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 28, 2013 3:42 PM in response to Lopezzi

    I also didn't figure out where they are keeping the database and ended up just using the export list option and then importing them into the new system.  Guess we can't have them stay in sync anymore. 


    Maybe they will add iCloud support.

  • by jiwald,

    jiwald jiwald Oct 30, 2013 10:46 AM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 30, 2013 10:46 AM in response to Lopezzi

    I created a test computer with Mavericks on it today. I was able to export the list of my clients and import it into the new ARD. What I'm having trouble doing now is moving my existing unix templates and history.

     

    I've tried copying the Presets, Task History, Server Tasks, and Task Manager folder into ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Preferences

     

    I've tried taking all the plists out and copying them into that preferences folder

     

    Anyone know what I am missing?

  • by Lopezzi,

    Lopezzi Lopezzi Oct 30, 2013 10:49 AM in response to jiwald
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 30, 2013 10:49 AM in response to jiwald

    Try this folder.  Haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I did find the files here - ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Remote Desktop/Presets

  • by Lopezzi,

    Lopezzi Lopezzi Oct 30, 2013 11:20 AM in response to jiwald
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 30, 2013 11:20 AM in response to jiwald

    Just tested that path, and it does indeed work.  Trying to sym link it through dropbox again though does not.  There must be something about the new version not liking the sym links anymore.

  • by letrast,

    letrast letrast Jan 27, 2014 2:48 PM in response to Lopezzi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 2:48 PM in response to Lopezzi

    I just re-imaged my machine and came across this thread because I needed to move my ARD installation (and all my Unix presets, tasks, and carefully crafted lists, smart lists, folders etc).

     

    I followed your directions and can confirm that it was resetting the ACLs that did the trick.  I tried permissions repairs both booted from the internal drive and the recovery partition many times and that didn't do it.  Finally, I booted to the recovery partition, reset the ACLs on my account, rebooted and it worked perfectly.  Thanks!

  • by mmaskalans,

    mmaskalans mmaskalans Jun 17, 2014 1:52 PM in response to letrast
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 1:52 PM in response to letrast

    Even under a completely fresh user on a new machine, I cannot get ARD to use my existing .plist from ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple. RemoteDesktop.plist. I can copy it, launch ARD, make a change, and watch it go from near 300k down to 6k and wipe everything out.

     

    The only cause I can think of is that the new machine is a member of that list already?

     

    This is WAY harder than it should be!

  • by macdev2014x,

    macdev2014x macdev2014x Jun 25, 2014 5:15 AM in response to mmaskalans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 25, 2014 5:15 AM in response to mmaskalans

    Resetting the ACLs worked for me.  I copied my RemoteDesktop.app between the applications folders on my 2 macs and the remote desktop folder from ~/Library/Containers/

     

    I also copied across the com.apple.remotedesktop.plist from /Library/Preferences for good measure then reset the ACLs using the password reset utility.  It asked for the password for remote desktop when I logged back in and when I finally remembered it, all my lists were back again.

  • by djp55,

    djp55 djp55 Dec 17, 2015 11:13 AM in response to CaptMrgnX
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 17, 2015 11:13 AM in response to CaptMrgnX

    Finally. I've looking of years how to do this. I was able to replace both of the files the "Container.plist" and the "Data" folder on my new user with the previous settings and it worked perfectly! Make sure ARD is not running. THANK YOU!

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/

  • by ceholcomb,

    ceholcomb ceholcomb May 4, 2016 12:22 PM in response to mmaskalans
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 4, 2016 12:22 PM in response to mmaskalans

    FYI...

     

    Under the latest version of Mac OS X (El Capitan), the folder you are looking to copy is now here...

     

    Click on the desktop

    Click on the Go menu, then Go to Folder...

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.RemoteDesktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Remote Desktop/

     

    Inside you will find all your custom plists and preferences for ARD. I simply loaded the application on my MacBook, opened it once, then quit the application and copied the folder from from management Mac and replaced the Remote Desktop folder in the location above on my laptop. When you launch ARD the next time, all your custom plists and prefs will show up.