Apple Remote Desktop: How to Enable the Request Attention Menu

Recognizing the Request Attention menu

In Mac OS X, the Apple Remote Desktop Request Attention menu icon is a balloon alert (Figure 1).




Figure 1 The Request Attention menu

If the Remote Desktop preference pane is configured to show when the client being observed, the menu's icon can change into a pair of binoculars (Figure 2). This occurs only when the client is being observed, similar to the eyes that may appear in Apple Network Assistant.




Figure 2 The Request Attention menu when being observed

How to enable the menu

Update to Remote Desktop 1.1. This is available via Automatic Software Update. See technical document 106704, "Mac OS X: How to Update Your Software".

If updating in itself does not automatically enable the Request Attention menu, you must manually enable it. This is achieved by opening "RemoteDesktop.menu" at least once on every client. Follow these steps at a client:

1. Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
2. Choose Go to Folder from the Go menu.
3. Type: /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/
4. Click Go.
5. Open the file "RemoteDesktop.menu".

The menu will appear on the right side of the menu bar, allowing the user to request attention.

This information is also found in the Remote Desktop Read Me.