Launch Agent not Launching

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Level 1

5 points

Launch Agent not Launching

I am trying to create a launch agent that will open an App that I have created when a user logins in. Nothing is happening. I can manually launch the App. The app is a .sh script that I created that works perfectly. I saved the .sh as a .app. Below is my plist file. I am placing it in /Library/LaunchAgents/mapdrives.plist

<?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">

<dict>

<key>Label</key>

<string>com.comal.mapdrives</string>

<key>ProgramArguments</key>

<array>

<string>/Applications/Map_NetworkDrives.app</string>

</array>

<key>RunAtLoad</key>

<true/>

<key>KeepAlive</key>

</dict>

</plist>

Please let me know if you see anything wrong? Thanks guys!

Posted on May 6, 2016 2:09 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

May 6, 2016 3:13 PM in response to morelockc

That won't work. To add a login item for all users that launches /Applications/Fubar.app, please enter the following command in an administrator shell:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/loginwindow AutoLaunchedApplicationDictionary -array-add '{ "Path" = "/Applications/Fubar.app"; "Hide" = "0"; }'

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Answer 2

morelockc Author

Level 1

5 points

May 6, 2016 4:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for the info. The problem is I need it to work for new users logging in with domain credentials. Will that do it?

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

May 6, 2016 4:40 PM in response to morelockc

If you mean an AD domain, no. For that you would have to deploy an MDM profile with a login item.

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Answer 4

morelockc Author

Level 1

5 points

May 7, 2016 11:06 AM in response to Linc Davis

I have read in many places that this can be accomplished by creating a launch agent that will launch an app or script for any user that login in. It's basically like a startup process that calls it. I just can't get it to work. We use LANDesk and it is not possible to use a profile for this?

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

May 7, 2016 12:38 PM in response to morelockc

That is not a good way to launch an application. I may be wrong about global login items not working. I suggest you try it. If it doesn't work, you can create a launch agent with the 'LimitLoadToSessionType' key set to 'Aqua', running the command 'open /Applications/whatever.app'.

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Answer 6

May 10, 2016 7:02 AM in response to morelockc

The plist looks OK except that you should remove:

<key>KeepAlive</key>

I find the most reliable way to initiate launch agents etc is to use the following Applescript:

tell application "System Events" to set pwd to POSIX path of container of (path to me)

do shell script "launchctl unload -w /Library/LaunchAgents/reset-safari.plist; cp -f " & quoted form of pwd & "/reset-safari.plist /Library/LaunchAgents; launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchAgents/reset-safari.plist" with administrator privileges

Change reset-safari.plist (3 places) for the name of your launch agent.

Save the Applescript as an application and launch it from the same directory as the plist.

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